Humanity has always assumed the universe could be understood-or negotiated. The Perihelion Constraint proves otherwise. In the outer solar system, anomalies at Triton and Pluto impose boundaries humanity cannot circumvent. As the Constraint narrows every trajectory, three philosophies collide: Withdrawal, Submission, and Control. Only one path seems viable: Optimization. But when intelligence pushes too far, the universe enforces limits with impartial precision. Told with austere clarity and intellectual rigor, The Perihelion Constraint is a hard science fiction novel about survival, decision-making, and the unyielding structure of the cosmos. It is a story where the aliens are silent, the universe is indifferent, and humanity must confront what it cannot change.