Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 260 Lunar Launch

人类第一次进入太空是苏俄的1961年4月12日，而加加林一直到4月9日才获悉此消息，苏俄航天局在他和盖尔曼·季托夫中选择了他。

The first human landing on the moon was on July 20, 1969, but Aldrin and Armstrong learned of the news in late spring of 1969, several dozen days earlier.

China's first spaceflight was on October 15, 2003. Yang Liwei only learned the night before that he had been selected as the first astronaut. He fell asleep at 8 p.m. and was woken up by the doctor at 2 a.m. He then ate some noodles and dumplings, reviewed the work procedures, and set off at 5:20 a.m.

Different astronauts learned when they would be carrying out their missions at different times.

This time is related to many things.

For both the Soviet Union and China, this was their first time, so they hoped the astronauts would think as little as possible to avoid overthinking and affecting their performance.

China went a step further, giving only a few hours to react, while the Soviet Union gave a little more time.

America, on the other hand, has a lot of experience in space missions and is full of veterans, so they will have more time to prepare.

Qian Fei and Zhao Jianguo learned of their mission a week before the rocket launch.

According to Aldrin's phone conversation with Lin Ran, "In the end, they wanted to take me to the moon. I was too old to move, and they had to take on more tasks than I, Neil, and Collins had done back then."

If even knowing a week in advance can cause problems, then it's better to replace the person as soon as possible.

(A scene from the 2015 International Astronautical Congress in Jerusalem, where the 85-year-old Aldrin held a press conference.)

There's no difference between 90 and 85 years old.
Lin Ran spoke to them on the last day before the launch.

The launch is scheduled for the next day.

Qian Fei remained calm.

Because all the wild thoughts that could be thought out have already been thought out over the past few months.

Should I join Apollo Technologies, or give up my lucrative captain position?

Working part-time here and having your organizational affiliation transferred are completely different concepts.

Of course, being a pilot has become difficult since 20. First, the virus was rampant in China, making it impossible to fly abroad. After finally bringing it under control in China, the virus began to spread abroad.

Unable to fly international flights, and not making much money flying domestic routes, plus the number of domestic flights has also decreased significantly in the past two years.

In an environment where going out could easily lead to a 14-day stay at home, people are reluctant to travel within the country.

Even so, it takes a lot of determination to give up the captain's position.

If Apollo Technology is a scam, if it's just a flash in the pan, if the moon landing is delayed and the astronauts are useless, if Apollo Technology can't raise funds and is in financial straits, then the first thing they'll definitely do is lay off the astronauts.

Why would a private company that doesn't need to carry out space missions employ astronauts? Do they have too much money to burn?
In short, countless uncertainties lay before him when he made his choice.

Some people choose to withdraw or give up.

Qian Fei completely understands.

But what has sustained him to this day is nothing more than a desire to see space. A 45-year-old veteran pilot with a family and career, a glorious past, and a decent professional career, simply wants to go above the troposphere, and even higher, to touch the dust in the atomic rain of the universe.

That's it.

"Old Qian, can you fall asleep?" Zhao Jianguo's voice rang out.

They go into this room to sleep, and at five o'clock in the morning, the doctor will knock on the door to do their final physical examination.

The room contained only a bed; apart from the light, there were no other electronic devices, let alone cell phones.

Qian Fei looked up at the ceiling and replied, "The lights aren't off, how can we sleep?"

Zhao Jianguo said, "In the last moments before I was desensitized, I video-called my wife and daughter and told them that Dad would be the first civilian astronaut from China to set foot in space."

Of course, we are all number one, there's no distinction between first and last.

This is what Aldrin told them: don't worry about being number one or not, it's meaningless. I've been ruined by this title of "number one" for so many years, so you guys should stop doing this. The official line should be that everyone is number one.

Because Aldrin was originally considered to be the first person to walk on the moon, but Armstrong beat him to it when it came time to carry out the mission.

This is becoming his inner demon.

Even on the moon, they want to cause trouble and make their presence felt.

Aldrin repeatedly emphasized this point when he was leading this group of astronauts.

After all, not everyone who causes trouble can be easily remedied.

If something similar happens again, we'll die together on the moon.

"I am very emotional now. If you had told me a year ago that I would become an astronaut, I would never have believed it."

And just one year later, we're going to space.

There were only 5 people left in the same group. Qian Fei and Zhao Jianguo were going to carry out the mission together again. They were very familiar with each other's conditions.

Qian Fei's son has already graduated from university and is staying at home preparing for the postgraduate entrance examination, the civil service examination, and the IELTS exam. He will take whatever exams are available. Qian Fei got married early.

Zhao Jianguo's daughter is still in junior high school. Before the mission, Lin Ran promised that if anything unexpected happened, he would raise his daughter until she started working.

This is also a way to reassure them.

"We've always been traversing the stratosphere, but this time we finally have the chance to see the world beyond the Kármán line and even beyond the atmosphere!"

Zhao Jianguo's voice trembled slightly, and Qian Fei knew it was from excitement, not worry.

"Yes, I always thought that even if people are different, how big can the differences be?"

Now I understand that some people are born to do things differently. Listening to Mr. Lin's lecture on orbital calculations, watching him repeatedly explain things he considers obvious, I wondered if, fifty years ago, when Qian Xuesen returned to China and faced students with weak academic foundations, he also possessed the same patience.

Lin Ran's performance easily reminds Chinese people of Qian Xuesen, who laid the foundation for China's aerospace industry.

Zhao Jianguo agreed: "Professors can always do things that others can't."

In mathematical calculations, I have seen more than once that the calculations of professors and computers are almost identical, the only difference being the precision. The professor calculates to four decimal places, while the computer can calculate to several decimal places according to your requirements.

However, if both methods use the last four digits, the professor's calculation and the computer's calculation are exactly the same.

Lin Ran knew very well that the human brain had not been fully explored to even one ten-thousandth of its potential. No matter how he performed, it could all be explained by his genius and intelligence.

Such unusual behavior, if reported to the relevant authorities in China, would only result in him receiving more resources, rather than being imprisoned.

No country has ever come to this point.

Einstein's brain was also cut into 240 pieces after his death.

After Leonardo da Vinci died, his tomb was excavated, and his skull was found missing.

After learning about the fates of these powerful figures, Lin Ran resolved that when he was about to die, he would use the door to go somewhere where no one could find him.

"Therefore, I am very confident about this mission."

Is it really impossible for us to accomplish what America did fifty years ago, in 2021?
Our countless training sessions, simulations, and strategic thinking on the ground are the cornerstones of our success.

“Yes, go to sleep,” Qian Fei said loudly.

"It looks just like it, so much like it!"

Pony could only see the model and blueprints, not the command module, but he recognized it immediately – it was definitely the Apollo command module.

They look exactly the same.

Ever since Burning One was successfully launched, and Lin Ran went to Shenhai to meet that person, Pony has been incredibly eager.

After all, this is his company, and Tencent owns 30% of it. Even if those 30% of the shares are to be given to Lin Ran in the future, they are still his now, aren't they?
In addition, Lin Ran is undoubtedly a representative figure of high-tech development in contemporary China.

A shrewd person like Pony knows exactly what Yanjing needs and how he should act.

That's a very good attitude.

For every critical launch and key milestone, you must call me. That's what Pony and Lin Ran said.

Of course, Pony also made a profit. The 30% stake he bought for $50 million is now being offered for $100 million by investment institutions.

It has doubled in less than six months.

However, Pony felt that the offer was an insult to him.

He went back on his word and broke his agreement with Lin Ran just to earn this fifty million US dollars?

Lin Ran grinned and said, "They only look alike on the outside, but they're completely different inside."

Pony, do you know about the really popular "anti-corruption" edition PC case lately?

Pony shook his head.

Lin Ran explained, "It's the appearance of a very old computer case from many years ago, completely sealed off, but the internal components are actually the most expensive CPUs, graphics cards, memory, and so on."

Ours is similar.

We internally named this command module "Benyue".

It only maintains the same appearance and weight as the Apollo moon landing.

It also weighs 5560 kilograms.

But there are basically no identical parts inside.

This time, our astronauts will complete a series of missions in Earth orbit in one go, including...
The Mercury program aimed to validate human survivability in space and test life support systems and reentry and recovery procedures.

The Gemini mission will be a long-duration flight, approximately 14 days long, including rendezvous and docking, extravehicular activities, and a precision landing.

The Apollo 7 mission tested the command and service module systems, including the service propulsion system and astronaut performance during long-duration missions.

Its internal components, and even the materials of its outer shell, are completely different from those of the original. This is because we used the Saturn V, and we needed to maintain the same weight during the final launch.

Otherwise, we wouldn't even need to maintain consistency in appearance and quality.

Pony nodded repeatedly, clearly very satisfied.

In his view, it was both innovative and followed the launcher used during the Apollo moon landing.

Is the technology replicated? Yes, it's replicated, but not completely.

The next day before the launch, the Burning One rocket at the Wenchang launch center stood on the launch pad, just like the last time, yet different.

What they have in common is that the fairings are all printed with logos.

The last batch of apps printed were all Tencent apps, such as Bilibili, WeChat, and QQ.

In addition to Tencent, this time there are also logos from two major state-owned banks and two leading liquor brands.

That can be considered as letting them cut in line.

Lin Ran wasn't quite clear about their negotiations with Bilibili, but judging from the way Li Xiaoman talked about Li Ni smiling when she came to Apollo Technology, he knew it wasn't a small sum of money.

The silver-white arrow-shaped body contrasts with the conical outline of the "Tianzhou" spacecraft.

On the launch tower, technicians were busy inspecting fuel lines, circuits, and communication equipment.

Inside the control center, a large screen displays real-time rocket data, and dozens of engineers are focused intently on it.

Lin Ran stood in front of the command platform: "All systems are entering the final check. One hour countdown."

This is the first time in the 20-dimensional spacetime.

He was not in charge of the launch of Burning One.

Lin Ran felt as if he had been transported to another world.

The screen is clearer, the data is more accurate, the microphone is more advanced, and even the light bulbs overhead are much brighter than in the 60th timeline, but why does he feel like there's no difference?

The moment he stood on the command platform, he felt as if he had commanded here hundreds or thousands of times, a feeling that was both familiar and strange.

In the astronaut preparation room, Qian Fei and Zhao Jianguo had already put on white spacesuits made by China Aerospace, with the Chinese national flag and mission badge embroidered on their chests—a bright moon reflecting off the spacecraft.

Standing outside, Aldrin spoke into the microphone and into the pre-arranged intercom: "This mission is the starting point of our lunar dream. Stay focused."

Qian Fei replied, "Doctor, we are ready!"

After he finished speaking, he and Zhao Jianguo exchanged a glance and found that neither of them was nervous at all.

While adjusting the device on his wrist, Zhao Jianguo calmly said, "I've checked the spacecraft data three times, there's no problem."

After getting dressed, the two boarded a special vehicle and headed to the launch pad.

Outside the car window, the rocket gradually became clearer.

"The mission is finally about to begin!"

After arriving at the launch tower, they took an elevator to the spacecraft entrance.

Inside the spacecraft, a control panel comes into view, a touchscreen displays the system status, and the life support system emits a slight hum.

"It's just as advanced as the training simulator we use," Qian Fei exclaimed.

The two men took their positions, fastened their seatbelts, and awaited the launch command.

This launch has attracted nationwide and even worldwide attention.

Because they are too similar.

If it's an accident that the Luna 1 engine and the F-1 engine have the same parameters, how do you explain that the command module used in this mission also looks the same?

Even before the launch, CCTV and various other media outlets had already begun to publicize it.

Photos of the Luna spacecraft to be launched have also been widely circulated on the internet.

It's everywhere on Twitter too.

Everything can't be the same, can it?

Moreover, the Americans discovered something: this Chinese-owned private company called Apollo Technology seemed to be genuinely serious about replicating the Apollo moon landing.

And it's getting more and more real.

This made the Americans feel uneasy. For this lunar module, NASA's top officials even stayed up late at night to watch the YouTube live stream together via video conference.

The Democrats are in the White House right now, and it's during a pandemic, so everyone's working from home.

They won't gather in the meeting room to watch it.

A well-known YouTube channel specializing in aerospace content has acquired the live stream source from Bilibili.

NASA executives gathered online late at night, their eyes glued to their screens.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson sat at a long table, his pajamas sleeves rolled up, his brow furrowed, a cup of coffee that had gone cold beside him.

On Zoom, Deputy Director Pamela Melroy sits in a New York hotel with the Empire State Building in the background.

Kathy Ludes, the head of the manned space program, was in a hotel in Hawaii, with a swimming pool illuminated by lights in the background.

Senior advisor Jim Bridenstine, a former NASA administrator, is in a simple living room with a print behind him, the artist of which is unknown.

Everyone looked tired, but they couldn't hide their focus on the screen.

In addition, there were Chinese Americans in the conference room who provided simultaneous interpretation to ensure that the commentary from the live broadcast studio in China could be translated into English and understood by these NASA executives as soon as possible.

They were very familiar with the launch tower at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center during the YouTube live stream.

In the past, we often saw pictures or introductions about this launch tower at meetings.

However, the towering Burning One is a new thing; they only know the parameters, not the more specific technical details.

In the live broadcast, the commentator introduced the mission background in Chinese: "The Lunar Exploration Mission will complete a large number of pre-landing tests, including rendezvous and docking and extravehicular activities..."

The Chinese introduction was translated into English and entered everyone's ears.

The countdown ended, the rocket ignited, flames shot out, and a huge roar was broadcast live as the rocket slowly ascended into the sky.

“They’ve started,” Casey Ludes said softly, tapping her fingers on the table while her eyes were glued to the screen.

The first-stage rocket separated, the second-stage rocket ignited, and the live broadcast switched to the interior of the spacecraft.

Two astronauts, dressed in modern spacesuits, are operating the system and checking its parameters.

The images clearly show that the interior of the command module is completely different from the design of the Apollo era.

“Their command module looks just like Apollo’s, but the interior is completely 21st-century,” Jim Bridenstine said, squinting. “This is no simple replica.”

“Yes, they’re serious,” Pamela Melroy chimed in. “This isn’t just some random model to fool people; their goal is clear: to land on the moon.”

Bill Nelson picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, put it down, and frowned. "I always thought their Apollo replica was just a publicity stunt, but this launch is getting more and more real."

A sense of unease flashed through his mind: China's space program has made rapid progress in recent years, but if just any private space agency can achieve a lunar landing, where will NASA put its face? If we don't accelerate, America's leading position in returning to the moon will be in jeopardy.

In the live broadcast, the spacecraft entered Earth orbit and began rendezvous and docking with the target spacecraft.

The astronauts operated the equipment skillfully, and the screen displayed real-time data of the docking process.

Kathy Ludes stared at the screen and said in a low voice, "They condensed the Apollo test missions into a single launch and added modern technology. NASA wasn't that bold back then."

In fact, NASA on another timeline was also quite bold; Gagarin's approach to the moon landing was incredibly daring.

However, the leader of that timeline wasn't the bunch of parasites sitting in this Zoom meeting room, but a professor who would never fail.

NASA engineers haven't been corrupted by LGBT issues; they're still so innocent.

“Highly efficient, and even more ambitious,” Jim Bridenstine said. “Look at the docking precision, less than a centimeter off. If this technology were used in lunar orbit…”

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood what he meant.

Pamela Melroy turned to Bill Nelson: "Director, we need to speed up our Artemis program. Will we still be able to meet our 2024 targets?"

Bill Nelson paused for a moment, then rubbed his temples: "We have to do it."

China is moving too fast. If the Tianzhou spacecraft succeeds this time, they won't be far from landing on the moon.

He thought to himself: If those congressmen in Washington keep delaying the budget, NASA will really be cornered.

"You have to pay more!"

The others all said in unison.

“Yes,” Bill Nelson nodded. “I’ll contact Congress tomorrow. The budget must be in place! We need to let the world know that America is not inferior to other agencies in the moon race!”

But after they finished speaking, a weak, unfamiliar voice rang out: "More money?"

Bill Nelson frowned and noticed an extra person in the Zoom meeting room besides them, the translator, and the assistant: "Who are you?"

　The atomic rain scene wasn't written by AI.

　　It is an adaptation of a poem by Yu Guangzhong:
　　"You've entered the constellation, you're with Fei Changfang."

　　You go back to the troposphere

　　And left me in a rain of atoms, breathing in dust.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)