I live in the Martian wilderness!

Since it no longer carries return fuel, the huge payload bay that was freed up is now filled with three fully equipped "Vega 2" high-throughput relay satellites, as well as various supplies weighing several tons.

The rocket body has a diameter of 10.6 meters. After being filled with cryogenic liquid oxygen methane propellant, condensation white mist is generated on the outer wall of the tank due to the temperature difference, which is continuously discharged through the pressure relief valve.

"T-minus 10, internal pressurization is normal, sway bar retraction."

"Ignition process initiated."

"BOOM—!!!"

"3, 2, 1... Takeoff."

The 30 full-flow staged combustion cycle engines at the bottom of the first-stage booster ignite simultaneously.

The sound suppression system inside the guide channel sprays a large amount of water instantly to counteract the impact of high-decibel sound waves on the rocket body structure.

With a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 1.4, the rocket lifted off vertically from the launch pad. Its exhaust plume exhibited a standard Mach ring structure, and the high-speed jet violently impacted the atmosphere.

"Program changes direction, telemetry signal is normal."

"T+60 seconds, breaking the sound barrier."

"At T+80 seconds, the engine throttles through Max-Q (maximum dynamic pressure point), and the structural load is normal."

Three minutes later, the rocket reached an altitude of 80 kilometers and a speed approaching the first cosmic velocity.

"Main engine shutdown."

"Separation of Level 1 and Level 2 confirmed."

As the explosive bolts were released, the first-stage booster separated from the second-stage spacecraft. The second-stage vacuum engine then ignited, continuing its acceleration toward Earth's parking orbit.

At the same time, the first-stage booster began the return-to-base procedure.

"RCS attitude control activated, rocket body rotated 180 degrees."

"Grid rudders deployed."

Four titanium alloy grid rudders cut into the high-speed airflow and use aerodynamics to correct the falling trajectory.

The booster re-enters the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, and the surface of the rocket generates a high-temperature plasma sheath due to intense friction with the atmosphere.

"Re-entry deceleration ignition".

The central engine unit ignites briefly, using reverse thrust to forcibly suppress the descent speed below the thermal barrier threshold.

The landing procedure was automatically activated 1000 meters from the recovery platform on the sea surface.

"Landing retro-rockets ignition."

The central engine at the bottom of the first-stage booster restarted, and the nozzle began to oscillate violently to correct for the impact point deviation caused by wind shear.

The radar altimeter data dropped rapidly, and the speed plummeted from supersonic to near hovering.

Three seconds before touchdown, the four hydraulic landing legs instantly extended and locked in place.

"touch."

"Engine shut down."

The first-stage booster of the Long March 9 rocket landed vertically in the center of the recovery barge at sea. After the shock-absorbing legs compressed, they rebounded, and the rocket body's attitude remained stable.

"Recovery confirmed, Level 1 status is good. Level 2 successfully entered orbit."

This is a standard industrial launch procedure, which verifies the high-frequency delivery capability of the Earth-Moon round-trip system.

……

[Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin-Guanghan Palace Research Station]

[Time: 3 days later]

This is the far side of the moon, and also China's largest industrial outpost outside of Earth.

There was no air, no sound, only blinding sunlight and deep shadows.

The massive Long March 9 spacecraft is slowly landing at the Guanghan Palace base.

Looking out the porthole, the view here is enough to get any industrialist's blood pumping.

This is no longer a research station with a few flags, but a full-fledged interstellar factory.

On the edge of a crater in the distant, permanently shaded area, several massive Yutu-X heavy-duty ice harvesting trucks are working tirelessly.

Their enormous augers cut deep into the lunar soil, excavating water-ice-rich permafrost and sending it into sealed transport pipelines.

At the other end of the pipeline is the "Xihe" Energy Center.

There, a massive helium-3 fusion demonstration reactor provides virtually unlimited power.

Inside the oxygen production workshop, a high-temperature electrolysis furnace, reaching thousands of degrees Celsius, is operating at full power. The collected water ice is rapidly liquefied and electrolyzed.

Hydrogen is separated out and used as an industrial reducing agent or a light fuel.

Oxygen—the oxidizer that makes up 80% of the rocket propellant by weight—is continuously produced and, after cryogenic liquefaction, becomes pale blue liquid oxygen.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent [Methane Synthesis Tower], high-purity liquid methane is being continuously synthesized through the Sabatil reaction using a small amount of carbon source and hydrogen produced on the moon.

This is the ultimate significance of the moon as a "deep space refueling station"—turning Earth's heaviest burden of fuel into the moon's cheapest local product.

"Connect to the oil pipeline!"

With a command from Commander-in-Chief Ma Guoliang.

Several robust cryogenic refueling arms, like the blood vessels of a giant beast, connected to the Long March 9 supply ship that had just landed.

The white condensed mist sublimated rapidly in the vacuum environment, and thick frost flowers covered the pipe walls.

With the pumps roaring, thousands of tons of liquid oxygen and methane produced locally on the moon are being injected at an astonishing rate into the giant ship's empty fuel tanks.

Meanwhile, in the main control hall of the Moon Palace, Ma Guoliang was having a video call with Zhang Jianguo on Earth via an encrypted dedicated line.

"Old Zhang, is this the return gift you sent?"

Ma Guoliang pointed to the list of supplies that had just been unloaded from the cargo hold of the Long March 9 on the screen, his face beaming with joy.

"A brand-new 'Guanghan-IV' ultra-long-distance Earth-Moon communication array, plus three spare helium-3 extraction centrifuge core components. Wow, you've really pulled out all the stops!"

On the other end of the screen, Zhang Jianguo waved his hand, his expression solemn.

"It's what I should do, Old Ma. The Fire Seed Squad owes a lot to you. Not only did you fill up their tanks, but you also disassembled your 'Guanghan-III' spare terminals and gave them to them."

"Without that equipment for communication redundancy, their journey to Mars would have been like walking a tightrope blindfolded. Our Mars mission team will remember this kindness!"

"Hey, we're all family here, no need for formalities." Ma Guoliang laughed heartily. "But with your new equipment, I don't have to worry about not having a replacement if it breaks down on the moon."

After exchanging pleasantries, both men became serious, and the conversation turned to the second Long March 9 (YY3) rocket, which was currently being refueled.

Ma Guoliang said in a deep voice, "Refueling will take another 12 hours. Once fully refueled, it will take off directly from the moon to Mars orbit."

"Regarding the follow-up mission for this ship, Lao Zhang, what's your command's decision on it? Is there anything else I can do to help?"

Zhang Jianguo pulled up a complex interstellar tactical map and traced his finger across the Mars orbit.

"Its primary mission remains unchanged: to release and deploy the Vega 2 constellation immediately after entering orbit, to fully establish the Earth-Mars communication link and eliminate waiting delays."

"However," Zhang Jianguo changed the subject, "although this Long March 9 is an unmanned cargo version, it still retains a complete landing system and life support interface."

"We decided to make it a 'live card'."

"A live hand?"

"Yes. After the satellite is deployed, it will no longer be a dead satellite, but will serve as an 'on-orbit standby rescue station,' permanently moored in low Mars orbit."

Zhang Jianguo explained, "If the Fireseed Squad encounters landing problems a few months later, or if the 'Rock Base Airport' isn't repaired, this rocket will be their last resort!"

After Zhang Jianguo finished speaking, he did not display his usual confident and strategic demeanor. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat tired.

He rubbed his temples, his voice tinged with lingering fear: "Old Ma, to be honest... I'm scared."