Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 271 Rocket Launch (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
"Old Song, don't look so grim. With my calculation skills, even if something unexpected happens, I can still bring the spaceship back based on the situation at the time."

"If it were someone else, things might not go so well."

Lin Ran found Song Nanping's expression amusing. "It's the last three days. I need to adjust my mindset."

See you on the moon then.

Lin Ran's unparalleled test results made it difficult for the Chinese side to say no, even if they wanted to.

With the first lunar orbit test as a precedent, in a sense, the risk factor of this lunar landing has indeed been reduced to a level that China considers barely manageable.

Finally, after reporting to the person at Hengshan Hotel, the other party said:

"Young people are always arrogant. If they weren't arrogant, would they still be considered young?"

I think Kobayashi is quite good. What has he done that no one else has accomplished? Isn't every single one of his achievements a miracle?
Since you've already promised, don't go back on your word. I believe he'll pull off another miracle.

Let him be.

The old man waved his hand, and just as the middle-aged man who had come to ask for his opinion was about to leave, the other party spoke again:

"Hey, you guys must have drawn blood for testing when you had Kobayashi's physical exam. What were the results?"

"Aside from all his physical indicators being healthy, there are no other abnormalities, and his DNA is also human DNA."

After asking the question, the old man waved his hand and said, "Okay, I understand. What I mean is that since his performance is unparalleled, let him go."

The middle-aged man left, and only then could be heard the old man's voice behind him:
"The sordid past is not worth boasting about."
Today, my thoughts are boundless and unrestrained.

Riding the spring breeze, the horse gallops swiftly.

"See all the flowers of Chang'an in one day"

The old man sang of "seeing all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day," but in his heart he was thinking, "Today I hold the long spear in my hand, when will I bind the azure dragon?"

The middle-aged man turned and stood still, while the old man waved his hand to indicate that he could leave.

"Professor Lin, have a safe journey," Song Nanping said expressionlessly.

Seeing that Song Nanping had only said this much, Lin Ran knew that China had agreed. He smiled and said, "Old Song, don't worry. We still need to cooperate to spread Apollo technology throughout the solar system. This is just the beginning."

If you're worried about this and that even going to the moon, how can you go anywhere further?

Although Lin Ran said this and the Chinese side agreed, it was kept highly confidential until the moon landing.

On one hand, one of the five Apollo astronauts was selected as a reserve to go with him, named Wei Xuhang. However, he did not perform the lunar landing; instead, he performed lunar orbiting, which was the same job Collins did during the Apollo moon landing.

On the other hand, the work on the moon landing has been ongoing, but the identity of the astronauts is kept highly confidential in order to prevent the US from causing trouble again.

Although the news was completely blocked from the outside world due to the transfer of Chinese astronauts Li Cong and Li Guang, various rumors still circulated.

At this time, Zhihu's anonymous posting function was still online, and some new answers appeared under the question "How to evaluate the two Apollo astronauts contracting COVID-19":

"I work at Apollo Technology, and all I can say is that our lunar landing mission is proceeding smoothly. If the giant rocket doesn't launch on December 25th, I'll offer my head in return. Listen to the dragon's roar!"

"Chinese astronauts have arrived at the site and are undergoing emergency training. The lunar landing mission is expected to proceed as planned."

There are many anonymous answers like this.

However, most netizens don't believe it.

"Emergency training? You think going to the moon is like going downstairs for a bowl of noodles, where you can just do some emergency training and get there!"

"Can we cancel the anonymity feature before we can hear the dragon's roar? I'm tired of hearing the dragon's roar. This kind of thing doesn't work anymore! I want to hear the eagle's cry after China lands on the moon!"

On platforms like Xiaohongshu, there are also posts from family members of Apollo Technology employees:
"I thought that with the moon landing postponed, my husband could return to Shenhai from Wenchang, but he's still out of contact there. We can't reach him at all. Mr. Lin, isn't this a bit too much? He can't go up there and you're keeping him locked up so he can't come back!"

This Xiaohongshu user, who had previously posted their payslip, lamented that while Apollo Technology appeared prestigious, the actual take-home pay was similar to that of a state-owned aerospace institute, implying that Lin Ran was also a heartless capitalist, thus making them highly credible.

The posts on Zhihu have given some Chinese people, who were paying unprecedented attention to this matter, a renewed sense of hope.

Could it be that, just to teach the Americans a lesson, they're still going to go through with the moon landing as planned?

However, even the boldest guesses at this moment would not have led to the conclusion that Lin Ran would personally go up.

"Ranran, are you really going?"

The night before the moon landing, Lin Ran's parents were picked up at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, marking their first meeting in many years since their divorce.

Lin's mother's face was full of reluctance, and after saying a few words, tears streamed down her face.

Lin Ran wanted to grin, but he held back and said in a deep voice, "Mom, don't worry, I never do anything I'm not sure about."

I mean, just in case, just in case something happens to me, my inheritance will be enough for you to live out your retirement.

Lin's mother slapped his arm twice: "Pah, pah, pah! Don't say that. Mom is not short of money. Even when I retire, I will have a pension. Take your words back."

I don't think anything bad will happen to you; I'm just worried about you.

Lin Ran grinned and said, "You know, astronauts undergo a medical examination before going up. I had at least five tubes of blood drawn. The most advanced technology now can actually support the induction of ordinary cells into embryonic stem cells, and then into germ cells."

I believe that if something were to happen to me, China would definitely use cloned products or in-vitro fertilization to create them.

Lin's mother's expression changed drastically. "Alright, stop talking! That's not you! I don't want to hear you speak anymore, you little mouth, shut up!"

Lin Ran turned around and walked to his father. He could tell that his father was suppressing his emotions. Although they did not live together, his father had always provided living expenses, including the opportunity to study for a PhD in artificial intelligence at Stony Brook University. Lin Ran knew that his father must have been a great help.

It's worth noting that in 2019, AI PhDs were a hot field, even Graph AI was still AI.

However, Lin Ran was not good at expressing his feelings: "Father, I will definitely come back safely."

"Okay." After saying that, Mr. Lin gave him a brief hug and returned to his chair.

The last person Lin Ran saw before leaving the hotel for her medical check-up was Li Xiaoman. "Ran, can you not go?"

Lin Ran didn't answer, but gave her a hug in return, whispering in her ear as he did so, "Wait for me to come back."

At 5:30 a.m., the two astronauts were already sitting in the dining hall enjoying a carefully prepared breakfast, which mainly consisted of porridge, steamed buns, dumplings, and some fresh fruit.

Bacon and pasta were prepared for Aldrin.

This was their last meal before launch, meant to provide energy and also to taste the flavors of home.

Aldrin and Wei Xuhang had arrived quite early.

Wei Xuhang felt like it was a windfall.

I thought I had no chance.

Unexpectedly, I still had a chance to go up.

Moreover, in case something happens to Aldrin, he could even complete the moon landing together with Lin Ran.

They're experts at finding bargains.

The two saw Lin Ran walk in. "Professor, I never thought that you would be the one to go to the moon with me in the end."

Aldrin grinned.

Wei Xuhang replied, "Professor, I definitely won't let you down."

Lin Ran smiled wryly and said, "Don't say that. It makes you seem very insecure. Besides, you don't need to feel any psychological burden."

You'll sit in the command cabin. It has automatic navigation. If anything unexpected happens and you need to operate it, I'll direct you. Your job is to follow my instructions exactly as I say. Don't have any of your own ideas. You're just a tool, understand?

Wei Xuhang nodded and said, "Yes, sir!"

Then came the physical examination. The medical check-up was at 6 o'clock, which was also the last medical check-up before going up.

The doctors meticulously checked their heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.

Lin Ran's pulse was steady and normal. He closed his eyes, feeling a little nervous: "My first manned space mission is to the moon. Fortunately, everything is under control."

The doctor said, "Professor Lin, please make sure you come back safely."

Wei Xuhang was slightly nervous, his fingers tapping lightly on the edge of the examination bed, but he tried to remain calm, thinking to himself, "This is a moment created by the perfect combination of timing, location, and people, I must not make any mistakes."

At 6:30, the astronauts entered the dressing room, where technicians helped them put on their specially designed "flying" spacesuits.

The cameras followed them until they entered the wearable room.

This is a professional photographer from the Wenchang Space Launch Center.

After filming, he provided these videos to documentary teams at CCTV and Bilibili, which were then edited into programs. The photographer shouldn't have spoken; he should have simply quietly recorded these final moments before the moon landing.

But before filming, he was given a final interview that would be broadcast on the 8 o'clock news program "News 30 Minutes". "Professor, is there anything you would like to say to the people of the whole country before you go up there?"

As he asked the question, he pointed to the camera.

Lin Ran looked up at the camera and waved his finger in front of it: "I want to say that a professor's life is all about success, not failure!"

"And Mr. Aldrin? Does he have anything to say?" the photographer asked in somewhat broken English.

Aldrin smiled and said, "I trust the professor. I have 100% confidence in our moon landing."

Finally, Wei Xuhang asked: "Astronaut Wei, as the last member to join the lunar landing trio, what would you like to say?"

Wei Xuhang's smile was somewhat stiff: "I, I, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"

The photographer didn't say anything more; he just gave a thumbs-up.

The process of putting it on is tedious but full of ritual, with technicians carefully checking every sealing point.

Aldrin helped Wei Xuhang adjust his gloves and instructed him, "Make sure they're sealed. The moon doesn't welcome astronauts who leak air."

Wei Xuhang nodded and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Doctor, I checked it three times!"

Lin Ran was adjusting his helmet in front of the mirror. He was filled with emotion, realizing that after so many years of hard work, he was finally going to go up there himself.

Lin Ran suddenly had a new understanding of what his father had told him a few years ago:

"Lin Ran, life won't wait for you to be fully prepared. Going to school, finding a job, getting married, having children, building a career, etc., nothing will wait until you are fully prepared before it happens."

Everyone is forced into situations where they have no choice but to face them. The more you accumulate experience in your daily life, the more composed you will be when things happen. However, this composure is relative; nothing is ever 100% prepared for.

One should always approach life with an optimistic attitude, even when facing potentially pessimistic scenarios.

Lin Ran smiled at himself in the mirror, thinking that the moon landing was the same; it didn't wait for him to be ready, it just happened so suddenly.

If I hadn't been prepared beforehand and hadn't carefully observed the astronauts' training, even if something had happened to Qian Fei and Zhao Jianguo, the Chinese side wouldn't have let me go up there.

At 7:00, dressed in their spacesuits, they walked through a glass corridor to their designated vehicle.

On both sides of the corridor, family, friends, and staff from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation saw them off through the glass.

Lin Ran's parents stood side by side waving.

Wei Xuhang's young son waved and shouted, "Dad, bring back a piece of the moon!"

He fought back tears and waved in response.

Aldrin was too old to have any elders or a wife, and his children were fighting.

Fortunately, NASA staff were standing on both sides of the corridor.

"Doctor, don't embarrass yourself!"

"Baz, you better not die up there!"

"Baz, we're waiting for you to come back and tell us all about how this trip was different from the last one!"

"Doctor, if Neil knew in heaven, he'd be green with envy!"

As Aldrin walked, he laughed and waved. He knew his old comrades envied him; they were comrades-in-arms 60 years ago, and they would be comrades-in-arms again 60 years later.

At 7:30, the three boarded a special shuttle vehicle and headed towards the launch pad.

Outside the car window, the trees in Wenchang were gradually replaced by the magnificent silhouette of the launch tower.

The staff around the rocket were busy but organized, and the air was filled with the faint smell of fuel.

Inside the car, Aldrin said in a low voice, "Professor, didn't we work together sixty years ago? Why does this moment feel so familiar?"

Lin Ran smiled but didn't reply.

Wei Xuhang said, "Doctor, are you not hallucinating? Is there something wrong with your brain? If so, we can still find someone else to replace you!"

Aldrin laughed and scolded, "You little brat, do you even know what the hippocampus effect is? Maybe the universe is a time loop. I remember in the last loop, I was heading to the moon with the professor!"
My nickname is "Doctor," and Randolph's is "Professor." We're practically natural partners!

After saying that, Aldrin turned to look at the rocket outside the window and murmured, "I can't believe we're about to fly to the moon."

Aldrin thought he had no chance this year, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better.

As an astronaut who had landed on the moon, someone from the Chinese aerospace industry approached him, hoping he could persuade Lin Ran not to go. They asked him to tell Lin Ran that he was not yet qualified to be an astronaut who wanted to land on the moon.

Aldrin replied with disbelief, "The professor isn't qualified? If the professor isn't qualified, then Neil and I shouldn't have gone to the moon back then."

"The professor is the most talented astronaut I've ever seen. To achieve this in just fifteen days, he's already far more mature than Qian and Zhao as an astronaut."

Looking at the Chinese version of Saturn V outside, Aldrin was filled with emotion.

At 8:00, the astronauts took the elevator to the launch tower and entered the command module of the Lunar Exploration Rover.

The cabin was cramped, filled with control panels, displays and switches, and the air smelled of new equipment.

They lay down in the custom-made seats one by one, with Lin Ran in the middle, Aldrin on the left, and Wei Xuhang on the right.

Technicians helped them fasten their seatbelts and closed the hatch, leaving only the three of them inside the cabin to maintain radio contact with the ground.

Lin Ran began to check the flight plan, flipping through the task list on his tablet.

Wei Xuhang was testing the communication system and said into the microphone, "Ground control center, this is Benyue, please respond."

Ground response: "Lunar mission, signal clear, system normal."

Aldrin was responsible for monitoring the life support system, confirming oxygen and temperature parameters, and muttering to himself, "Oxygen normal, pressure normal..."

The ground control center was immediately taken over by an official Chinese commander.

At 8:30, with one hour to go before launch, the astronauts entered the final system check phase.

Lin Ran checked the list item by item: "Navigation system?"

Wei Xuhang replied: "Online, calibration complete."

Lin Ran then asked, "Life support system?"

Wei Xuhang replied, "Life support system is normal."

The voice from the ground control center came through the headset: "T minus 60 minutes, all systems normal, good luck, heading to the Lunar Crew."

Lin Ran said in a deep voice, "Thank you for the ground. We are ready."

While waiting for the countdown to begin, Lin Ran said, "Baz, when I was a child, I always wondered what was on the moon. Now, I can finally see it with my own eyes!"

Wei Xuhang exclaimed with emotion, "Doctor, when I was little, I saw in picture books how you landed on the moon. Now I can actually do such a great step with you."

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. When I was a child, I saw this and dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

I thought I wouldn't have a chance, Professor, thank you so much for choosing me to carry out this mission!

Lin Ran smiled and said, "Doing a good job in the command module is the best way to thank me."

Aldrin added, "I don't care if I die on the moon, but the professor can't die."

Each astronaut carried a personal item in a small storage compartment next to their seat.

Wei Xuhang keeps a small pendant containing photos of his wife and son. Every time he sees it, he feels a sense of peace.

Lin Ran wore the Patek Philippe watch given to him by Jenny, a symbol of another time and space, and the best witness to his famous moment.

Commanding Gagarin's return to Earth, commanding Aldrin's moon landing, the Göttingen mathematical miracle, the New York Mathematicians' Congress, and countless other victories in a 1v8 chess game—this watch has remained quietly on his wrist.

This time, Lin Ran was no exception; he took it with him to the moon.

Aldrin also brought photos, including a group photo of himself, Neil, and Collins during his moon landing, and a family photo from before his wife and children left him. He only brought these two photos.

At 9:00, T was reduced by 30 minutes, and the atmosphere inside the cabin became increasingly tense.

The voice from the ground control center rang out again: "Lunar mission, T minus 10 minutes, preparing to enter automatic countdown."

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(End of this chapter)