Chapter 90: Perfect Success
The news of the successful test launch of Star-2 only maintained heat globally for a very short time before it was completely overshadowed by another piece of news.
Spitz Company issued an announcement that it will officially launch the ‘Mars Project’ in the near future.
Phase One of the plan invests 10 billion, to complete the construction of the launch vehicle and spaceship, and accelerate the research and development of the life support system.
And conduct unmanned exploration, Mars communication, construct the Mars synchronous orbit space station command headquarters, as well as the Mars base site selection construction planning solution.
Phase Two project invests 50 billion, plans to launch a manned spacecraft to Mars for long-term stay missions, while completing the initial construction of the Mars base, and further assessing the Mars environment, to ensure that during the subsequent Phase Three project, a large number of immigrants can be transferred to Mars, building a permanent Mars settlement, a city belonging to humanity on Mars.
This time, President Mark is different from the past empty promises to attract investment; he immediately put up real money and officially started Phase One of the ‘Mars Project’.
And for this reason, the stock price of Spitz Company, which had been plummeting, soared again.
So much so that people in Great Xia domestically have quite a few opinions about the Lunar Exploration Project that Xinghai is currently carrying out.
Compared to the ambitious ‘Mars Project’ of Spitz Company, which mentions building a city on Mars in the future and permanently stationing immigrants.
The Earth-Moon Engineering that Xinghai is currently carrying out seems too petty.
“
While improper remarks about Xinghai gradually fermented online, Xinghai Aerospace Base, under General Manager Fan’s leadership, was methodically carrying out the final preparations before Star-2 officially executed its launch mission.
He knew that the current public opinion environment was extremely unfavorable to Xinghai.
But to be honest, Fan Ren really doesn’t care about these things. After all, Xinghai Technology is a private company with no stock price fluctuation pressure.
He couldn’t possibly recklessly make the secret of the tri-titanium alloy public, right?
Xinghai, holding numerous technology patents, is the absolute upstream enterprise in the industrial chain in multiple related domains, and has source pricing power for several technologies that have gradually penetrated into human life.
Of course, Fan Ren would not arbitrarily raise prices to profit from this either.
Therefore, Xinghai will continue to steadfastly carry out the Lunar Mining Plan.
“Second Brother, Third Brother, it’s about time. Just go to the Command Hall and watch my performance.”
Li Jian, wearing a heavy spacesuit and holding his helmet under his arm, waved to Fan Ren and Liu Jun, showing no trace of nervousness on his face.
“Boss, heroes wish you all smooth sailing.”
“Boss, keep it up. Waiting for you to come back and drink.”
Fan Ren’s eye twitched, and he took Liu Jun away from the scene. This was not the moment for sentimentality.
Arriving in the Command Hall, the young Chief Commander was moving between the various workstations, conducting the final meticulous checks.
“General Manager Fan, no problem. I’ve checked many times, and everyone already has experience from once before. This time it’ll be a piece of cake.”
He came before Fan Ren, his young face beaming with a confident smile.
He is called Zhang Yuanda, a top student from Great Xia Aerospace Academy.
Fan Ren has always firmly believed in leaving professional matters to professionals, so apart from the major planning aspects, he did not provide any specific layman’s guidance on the entire rocket base.
The same applies to the commander.
“I believe you; you’re the professional in this area. Go ahead.”
He nodded and walked toward the observation room.
“Second Brother, this kid seems to have this innate air of full confidence, we’ve really dug up a treasure.”
Fan Ren nodded. Liu Jun’s words were spot on without a single flaw.
Others are true academic overlords who got in through various top scholar exams all the way, and if it weren’t for Xinghai’s several epoch-making technologies attracting him, there would be no chance to bring this guy over at all.
“Only A’dai could compare with him.”
“Hey, you know, that’s actually true.”
The two exchanged a smile and then entered the observation room.
In the previous test launch, the Star-2 rocket body was not repainted, or it could also be said that the Star-2 rocket shell was never painted at all.
At this time, it was no longer towering as majestically as that silver giant sword-like appearance during its first debut.
The dark gray scorch marks all over its body actually gave this rocket, which had only been used once, a somewhat weathered look.
“Launch countdown, 10, 9, 1, ignition.”
Without the initial tension, the engineers followed the operation steps. Under Zhang Yuanda’s calm and composed command, the rocket slowly lifted off, gradually accelerated, and finally disappeared into the horizon.
“First stage separation, second level ignition.”
“Second level separation, spaceship ignition.”
“Arrived at Immortal Palace Low Earth Orbit, expected to dock with Immortal Palace Space Station in thirty minutes.”
At this point, Fan Ren no longer had much to worry about. During the rocket launch, the most dangerous phase was liftoff. Once it reached the final stage of the spaceship’s autonomous propulsion, the danger level would greatly decrease.
Meanwhile, the Xinghai series’ spaceships employ a large amount of automated intelligent technology. In general, such tasks as orbit maintenance, route selection, and even space station docking operations can all be autonomously completed by the intelligent system designed by A’dai.
Soon, the spaceship approached near the Immortal Palace Space Station.
Although he had already seen it several times through the live footage from the previous launches by the Great Xia Aerospace Department, Fan Ren was still shocked to see the Immortal Palace Space Station on the screen again.
Several huge, perfectly round modules are tightly connected together, surrounded by glowing solar batteries that resemble banana leaf fans, their size even exceeding that of the space station itself.
However, Fan Ren felt that these solar panels would all be replaced once controlled nuclear fusion technology research and development succeeds in the future.
While he was lost in wild thoughts, the spaceship smoothly docked with the space station.
“This launch mission has been successfully completed.”
Zhang Yuanda’s voice sounded, and after his words fell, the hall was once again filled with thunderous applause.
This was Xinghai Aerospace’s first truly independent passenger carrying launch mission.
For the young engineers on site, this launch held great significance.
Fan Ren stood up and went with Liu Jun to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the happy expressions on the faces of the cheering engineers below, and he also smiled.
“Second Brother, it feels just like a dream.”
Liu Jun gazed at this scene, and in his mind appeared the image of Fan Ren, back in their dormitory days, drawing designs alone on the computer late into the night before resting.
And now, he was the Chairman of Xinghai Technology, holding patents worth trillions in market value.
Just four years.
That boy who once shared a dorm with him was now striding steadily toward space with steady steps, and leaving his footprints behind.
Fan Ren nodded; he too felt like he was dreaming. Although his face always wore a steady expression, every time he saw the company’s huge progress, it felt like a lifetime ago.
“Immortal Palace report, flight data is all normal, over!”
Li Jian’s steady voice was transmitted to the launch hall via the remote sensing satellite, interrupting everyone’s cheers.
Under Zhang Yuanda’s command, the young engineers returned one by one to their work posts.
“Aerospace City received, congratulations. Over.”
