Die on Mars

Orion 2 finally broke through the altitude of 10,000 meters.

The Orion 2 spacecraft has passed the most difficult and dangerous stage. The external temperature of the fuselage is decreasing, the engine thrust is normal, and the state is basically stable. The system computer commands each module of the spacecraft and works step by step. Lao Mao said that this time The simulation test was as confident as the Milky Way, and now it seems that it is really a sure thing.

The workstation's chassis was roaring, and the overall simulation of the Orion spacecraft was squeezing out its performance limits. The chassis shell was very hot to the touch, and Tang Yue had to bring ice cubes to cool it down.

"IMU data updated, radio navigation measurements are normal, Orion passes through the ninth waypoint, the landing ellipse is estimated to be 30×30km, and the landing point elevation is estimated to be 1.3km."

"Quality trim, track angle adjusted again, throttle adjustment normal."

"Dynamic pressure 880Pa!"

Tang Yue's heart slowly clenched again. Watching Orion 2 gradually lowering its altitude and about to enter the landing stage, his heartbeat accelerated involuntarily. The huge spacecraft weighing hundreds of tons exceeded the limits of people's imagination. Plunge down from an orbit more than a hundred kilometers high, pass through black barriers and flames, and cross many layers of life and death. If there is any journey in this world that is so close but so difficult to reach the sky, then it must be the journey of the Orion 2 spacecraft. Landing.

He, Lao Mao and Ophiopogon japonicus had worked hard for so long just for this moment.

"Altitude 6457.3 meters above sea level."

"Altitude 5107.9 meters."

"Altitude 4826.0 meters."

Every once in a while, the old cat reports on Orion's situation.

The altimeter is rolling rapidly, and Orion 2 has entered a state of uniform motion. Its flight speed at this time has dropped to less than one hundred meters per second.

"The altitude is 3989.4 meters." Old Cat's voice was low and steady.

Tang Yue sat on the chair, his palms full of sweat. The closer he got to success, the more nervous he became. Tang Yue had no intention of staring at the data on the monitor. The beating numbers had lost their meaning in Tang Yue's eyes. All he could think about was praying for the test. Can be a complete success.

Tang Yue stood next to a model of the Orion 2 spacecraft. He held the model with both hands and whispered: "God, please throw a six."

Orion enters the final thousand meters of altitude, and it enters the final stage of the descent process, the landing segment.

There is not much fuel left in the propellant tank, and the Raptor 10D rocket engine is a real fuel guzzler. These five engines can burn three hundred gallons of fuel per second. The system computer once again adjusted the rocket's flow rate, increased thrust, and the Orion 2 spacecraft began to decelerate for the final time.

Its current speed is eighty-seven meters per second, and Orion will reduce its speed to zero before landing.

"Miss Ophiopogon japonicus!" the old cat called Ophiopogon japonicus.

"Received." Maidong replied. She raised her wrist and glanced at the time. It was 720 seconds after re-entering the atmosphere. According to the plan, she would leave Orion at 745 seconds. The old cat's plan Very accurate, every moment is on point.

The Eagle lander is tied with an airbag and hung on the central module of the Orion spacecraft. The lander's static release limit is two hundred meters, which means that when released at a height below two hundred meters, the airbag can ensure the safety of Ophiopogon japonicus - but for Tang For Yue and Laomao, a height of two hundred meters is still too risky. The ideal and safest height should be thirty-five meters.

Because the distance from the lander docking port to the end of the spacecraft is thirty-five meters.

This also means allowing Orion to hover at almost zero height close to the ground, and then letting the lander break away from the spacecraft and land safely.

After dismantling, the Eagle lander is a big thing of twelve tons. Even within the gravity field of Mars, it is still a thing weighing nearly five tons. If it is dropped from a height of 200 meters, it is hard to say whether anything will happen. Problem - not to mention that the airbag on the lander has experienced a high temperature of 400 degrees, and its strength may have dropped significantly, so Laomao and Tang Yue are not worried.

The lower the breakaway height, the better.

Maidong looked at the time on his watch.

Seven hundred and forty seconds.

The Orion spacecraft is one hundred and twenty meters above the ground.

"The GNC system is normal, radio navigation is normal, UHF band communication is normal, X-band communication is normal, Orion's landing speed is twenty meters per second, it has entered the end of the landing section and arrived at the scheduled landing point! Attention, Ms. Maidong, countdown to escape!"

Seven hundred and forty-one seconds.

The Orion spacecraft is one hundred meters above the ground.

"The target attitude is stable, the RCS control is normal, the altitude is 100 meters, there is a weak crosswind, and the angle of attack is re-trimmed!"

Lao Mao and Tang Yue were in front of the same screen. The workstation had gathered all the data here. A large number of sensors were alarming. The Orion 2 spacecraft broke through many obstacles and arrived here. The whole body was already scarred, like a person who had crossed the line of fire. warrior.

It has its last breath left.

Less than five percent of the fuel remained in the propellant tank, enough to burn for another five seconds.

Seven hundred and forty-two seconds.

The Orion spacecraft is eighty meters above the ground.

"Code 1260 calls the police!"

"Code 1280 calls the police!"

"Code 1320 calls the police!"

Lao Mao and Tang Yue clenched their fists at the same time.

No matter how many warnings there are, it doesn't matter anymore. The Orion 2 spacecraft is about to complete its historical mission. It only needs to hold on for three more seconds before it can sail into history with glory and splendor, becoming one of the greatest and most legendary spacecraft in the world. One, remembered by human civilization and even the entire universe.

Seven hundred and forty-three seconds.

The Orion spacecraft is sixty meters above the ground.

Seven hundred and forty-four seconds.

The Orion spacecraft is twenty meters above the ground.

Seven hundred and forty-five seconds.

The spaceship icon on the monitor slowly ground down.

"The altitude is zero!" Lao Mao and Tang Yue shouted at the same time, "Now - leave!"

Maidong used all his strength to pull the lever under the command bench. The wire rope moved to trigger the fuse, and the pyrotechnics in the docking mechanism exploded at the same time! The weak impact of the explosion pushed the lander away from the crashing Orion, and the Eagle spacecraft fell along a parabola.

The Orion 2 spacecraft hovered in mid-air for the last second, until all the propellant was exhausted and the engine shut down. Like a mother, she held her child tightly in her arms, overcame many dangers, and finally reached the other side. , then gently let go of his hand.

The lander hit the barren ground of Mars heavily, then bounced up and rolled away. The airbags provided comprehensive and good protection. They compressed the moment they touched the ground and absorbed the kinetic energy of the collision.

The system computer directed the Raptor's engine nozzle to deflect in the moment before the fuel ran out, and Orion's huge body tipped in the opposite direction of the lander.

"SAFE LANDING."

Pop-ups appear simultaneously on all monitors.

The simulation test is over.

Tang Yue took a step back and slumped on the chair. He exhausted all his strength and was a little dazed.

"Successful."

"Yes, we succeeded." The old cat turned his head and smiled, "We really succeeded."

Tang Yue raised his head and looked at the white roof of Kunlun Station. He didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry, or what to say. His eyes turned red inexplicably. He wanted to get up and hug the old cat, but he couldn't use his limbs. I could only murmur and repeat: "We succeeded."

They finally succeeded.

Destiny finally rolled a six.

Maidong sat quietly on the command bench of the lander, blinked his eyes, and asked softly:

"Am I still alive?"

"You're still alive, girl, you're still alive."