Three Hundred and Ninetieth IX Sail

"Five, four, three, two, one—launch!" The host shouted passionately, bright flames shot out from under the buttocks of the space shuttle on the screen, and then turned into a jet of flames, standing firmly on the launch pad The space shuttle in front of it took off slowly, then became faster and faster, and turned into a sharp arrow piercing the sky in a blink of an eye.

Hundreds of millions of viewers watched the launch through the live broadcast. Everyone watched the aircraft soaring into the sky on the screen intently, with expressions of worry or expectation.

Flying into the sky is only the first step in the launch. There are many precedents for the space shuttle to disintegrate or explode in the air after launch. Only by flying into space can the launch be considered successful.

Thirty seconds later, the space shuttle broke through the sound barrier, and two minutes later, the flame stream under the solid rocket booster disappeared and successfully separated from the main body.

Subsequently, the space shuttle gradually changed from a vertical ascent to a horizontal flight to the east. Eight minutes later, the main engine was turned off, the external storage tank was separated from the main body of the space shuttle, and Houston announced that the launch was successful.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world who followed the progress of the launch rejoiced.

However, the space shuttle was only initially successfully launched. After more than 40 minutes, the space shuttle started the thrusters under the remote control of the ground, began to correct the orbit, and finally stabilized the space shuttle in a near-circular orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometers.

The launch and orbit change of the space shuttle have been extremely rigorously calculated. After the orbit is stabilized, its position is just not far below the International Space Station. After a period of position adjustment, the space shuttle slowly approaches the International Space Station like a homing bird.

The International Space Station stretched out its slender robotic arm in time, firmly grasped the approaching space shuttle, and fixed the space shuttle under the space station.

The space station issued a command to open the hatch, and the cargo hatch of the space shuttle opened to both sides. Astronauts and engineers who had entered the space station a few days in advance collectively rushed out of the airlock, dragging the safety rope and slowly drifting towards the space shuttle.

It was not until they successfully arrived at the space shuttle that everyone cut the safety rope and entered the cabin to take over the control of the space shuttle.

Then the manipulator on the space station sent the reactor in place in advance to the space shuttle, and the personnel on the space shuttle immediately started to fix the reactor, connect the lines and the control system.

After the reactor installation was completed, the space shuttle closed the outer hatch, and the space station handed the electromagnetic rail gun to the space shuttle, and the crew on board fixed it on the back of the space shuttle by spacewalking.

In order to reduce weight, the electromagnetic gun has removed all unnecessary burdens. Except for the main body, there are only two and long guide rails laid flat on the back of the aircraft, almost extending from the tail to the nose.

This electromagnetic gun was originally not so long, but it was temporarily strengthened in order to increase its firing power.

Fortunately, there is no interference such as gravity in space. Engineers only need to consider the bearing capacity of the orbit itself, and do not need to study the influence of gravity on ballistics.

After the installation of the reactor and the electromagnetic gun, the test machine began immediately. The news of the normal operation of the reactor was transmitted to the earth. The heads of state were relieved at the same time.

Finally, the space station installed the experimental electromagnetic thruster from Tiangong for the space shuttle. So far, the four-day assembly project has been successfully completed.

Although it is only made up of space shuttles, nuclear reactors and electromagnetic rail guns, the refitted space shuttle, although extremely crude, is still the first actual space battleship in human history. History, renamed Globe.

The Yankees originally planned to name this crude warship the USS America, but it was unanimously opposed by all the allies, so they had to compromise and give it a name after the earth, a more distinctive symbol.

The successful assembly means that the plan is half successful. After the engineers leave, only two astronauts from the United States are left on the space shuttle to operate it-this is one of the minimum conditions proposed by the United States. In exchange, the United States completely abandons the other space shuttle control of the aircraft.

Earth then left the space station and docked with dozens of spacecraft in orbit.

Receive the ammunition materials on the spacecraft, and fix various functional modules on the surface of the Earth one after another.

At the same time, another space shuttle was launched and docked with the Tiangong. The technicians originally stationed on the International Space Station also left the space station in the spaceship, and docked with the Tiangong after changing orbit. Fully refitted, this space shuttle was named Humanity after the refit was completed, and it was operated by an astronaut from each side of China and Russia.

At this time, there is still one and a half months before the asteroid swarm flies to the earth, and the asteroid swarm is still 150 million kilometers away from the earth, and is flying to the earth from the direction of the sun.

The Earth, which was the first to complete the modification, set off immediately, facing the direction of the asteroid group, and set sail with indomitable determination.

A few days later, Humanity set sail.

The remaining two space shuttles were not originally planned to be launched, but after the Earth and Human beings were refitted, there were a lot of materials left in orbit. After the five major countries got together to study, Britain and France cooperated in depth to purchase a Chinese nuclear submarine. The reactors in active service also bought electromagnetic guns from the United States, and made some compensation for the launch of the space shuttle.

As for whether the reactor was dismantled from the submarine, no one knows—China is a powerful regional power with a strong foundation, so it is not impossible to take out even a single reactor. Is it important where it came from?

A few days later, the third space shuttle successfully lifted off. The refitted control right of this space shuttle was owned by Britain and France, and it was finally named Victory.

However, China only has two electromagnetic thrusters, and the traditional propulsion method is too fuel-intensive. The Victory without power cannot sail far, and can only stay in high-altitude orbit, acting as the last barrier for mankind.

The Russian side tried their best to fight for the ownership of the fourth space shuttle. Although the Russian side did not say it clearly, the camel is bigger than a horse. Even if it is difficult to modify a space shuttle independently, it will purchase part of the equipment or even exchange technology with the Chinese side. Equipment is a good choice.

After arduous negotiations, Russia and the United States reached an agreement to sell the last space shuttle to Russia.

However, although the space shuttle was successfully launched, something went wrong during the orbit change, and it fell into the atmosphere helplessly.

Afterwards, the Russian side accused the US side of deliberately damaging the space shuttle, but the US side argued that there was absolutely no such incident.

The two countries were already full of conflicts, and the relationship that had been eased due to cooperation against the asteroid group became tense again, casting a heavy shadow on international cooperation. (To be continued.)