Chapter 374: Lei Zong’s Moon Landing? No, It’s With Ran Tong!
Lin Ran knew that Lei Jun was wearing Xiaomi Glasses, and he also knew that the other party would definitely live broadcast the entire process.
Spending ten billion US Dollars on marketing is very normal.
It was just that Lin Ran didn’t expect Lei Zong to market so smoothly and naturally, directly winning to the point of numbness.
Analyzing this matter from the current perspective, Lei Zong has at least bought the entire public opinion arena’s traffic for half a year, performing a potential upgrade of consumer perception for Xiaomi Car’s brand image.
In other words, ten billion US Dollars is not only not a loss, but can also make money.
For Apollo Technology, it’s not a bad thing either; they and Xiaomi are not competitors, and their paid value-added services have fully proven their own value.
No one else could achieve the same effect as Lei Jun.
On the Chinese Internet, topic operation has always been a difficult problem for enterprises, and those who understand topic offense and defense are even rarer.
Almost only Xiaomi and Huawei, these two enterprises, are proficient in topic offense and defense in China’s public opinion arena.
Similarly as top mobile phone manufacturers, OV only knows how to freeze topics, which is quite a bit behind Huawei and Xiaomi.
Not to mention other new energy vehicle automakers, who are even further behind.
After Lin Ran finished speaking, the bullet screen was just as he guessed, flooded with Are you OK, and Lei Jun could only give a helpless wry smile after being teased.
Lin Ran continued, “Don’t worry, Lei Zong, this trip will definitely make it worth your ticket price.
This journey will absolutely be colorful enough to make you unforgettable for life.
It’s just, can Xiaomi Glasses run stably in the moon environment?”
Lei Jun was very grateful; the other party was giving him too much face.
Teasing to attract traffic and boost live broadcast room viewers on the front foot, then throwing a topic on the back foot for him to explain the advantages of Xiaomi products.
“I have great confidence in our Xiaomi products! I believe it can successfully complete the live broadcast mission on the moon!”
Not mentioning at all that the pair he was wearing was custom-made, and the Xiaomi Glasses for later external sales wouldn’t reach this level at all.
A year later, when Xiaomi Glasses were officially released, a bunch of Mi Fans directly blind ordered them, only to find upon unboxing that something was off—how come this glasses’ recording effect is not even as good as Lei Zong’s version from a year ago.
Then they all posted complaining that Lei Jun was too shrewd.
Shifting the perspective back to the launch site, after Lin Ran finished speaking, he continued, “I believe this time not only will make Lei Zong feel it wasn’t in vain, but also the audience friends watching the live broadcast won’t feel it was in vain.”
A flowery sedan is carried by everyone.
Lin Ran giving Lei Jun so much face, how could Lei Jun not play along: “Oh, General Manager Lin, what do you mean? My already expectant heart is even more expectant now.”
Lin Ran explained, “I believe for friends following Apollo Technology, you should have noticed that on the official website, for the past few months, we’ve been launching continuously; one moon landing window will launch at least three rockets.
One of them is manned, and the other two are fully automatic cargo rockets.
Now on the moon, there is a 3D printing factory using moon soil, waiting for us to complete assembly.
There is an unprecedented small fission power station on the moon waiting for us to connect it to the grid for power generation.
There are superconducting chips waiting for us to test.
There is an electromagnetic rail based on moon soil waiting for us to build its first layer of foundation.
Anyway, it will definitely not be in vain.”
Nuclear fission, not nuclear fusion.
The bullet screen is full of 666.
The nuclear fission power station has always been on Apollo Technology’s plan list; it’s a classic NASA plan and a project under construction by Apollo Technology.
(This was planned during Big T’s first term by the then-acting NASA Director Sean Duffy, a nuclear fission power station planned to be sent to the moon by 2030 and complete power generation, obviously a grandiose project planned to flatter Big T.)
But now, Apollo Technology has sent the latest planned, truly significant small fission power station from China’s nuclear power group to the moon.
Waiting in Shackleton Crater for China’s astronauts to personally assemble it.
Lin Ran spoke with passion surging, and the audience in the live broadcast room watched with equal passion.
Any project Lin Ran mentioned is far more interesting than the sum of decades of space research projects on the International Space Station.
“Holy crap, nuclear fission?”
“Why didn’t I see the concept diagram on the official website?”
“Such a surprise, huh?”
But Lei Jun was a bit dumbfounded; wasn’t it supposed to be visiting and touring the moon? Listening to this, there are so many projects—you two work, I can’t just stand by and watch, right?
Moreover, if not live broadcasting, he might slack off, but with the entire process live, there’s no room to slack at all.
You’re under thirty, in your prime, Wei Xuhang has astronaut qualities, he himself is at most a fit middle-aged person; after one trip down, he wouldn’t die of exhaustion on the moon, would he?
He cautiously said, “General Manager Lin, I’m old.”
Lin Ran quickly said, “Don’t worry about that, I definitely won’t arrange too heavy tasks for you.”
Only then did Lei Jun relax; with such a good partner relationship, they wouldn’t make him work hard on the moon.
But at this moment, he had a new worry: “General Manager Lin, a nuclear fission power station on the moon? Won’t there be leaks?”
Lin Ran shook his head: “Don’t know.”
Lei Jun: “Ah? You didn’t install detection instruments inside to ensure no leaks?”
Lin Ran smiled: “The moon itself is full of radiation, and our spacesuits are for avoiding radiation.
Alright, just kidding, there are definitely detection instruments; it’s doing fine, just waiting for us to go up and start it.
This small fission power station named FX-1 is a nuclear fission power station specifically for the moon environment, with built-in heat dissipation devices.
It will also be the foundation for our future expansion on the moon.
There’s only one base, but if we want to mine on the moon or explore outside the moon, the energy it provides is significantly better than solar panels in stability, continuity, and intensity.”
FX, the pinyin initials abbreviation for Fuxi.
Before launch, Lin Ran’s chat let the live broadcast audience see another side of him.
Showing the side of an ordinary person.
So much so that Mi Fans self-media bloggers posted: “Why do I feel from Ran Shen teasing Lei Zong that Ran Shen is also a Mi Fan?”
Of course, the Mi Hei stood up to say: “Your whole family are Mi Fans! Can you stop slandering Ran Shen? Does he even know he’s a Mi Fan?”
Lei Jun is like this; anything related brings its own traffic, and everyone can always find an angle to fight.
At the moment when Burning One Rocket detached from Earth’s atmosphere, Lei Jun felt the world upside down.
“Hello everyone, we have reached Earth Orbit. Lei Zong, what are your thoughts right now?”
Lei Jun hadn’t reacted yet; he answered after a moment: “The feeling now is very good, very emotional.
Really, starting from the 90s, there was something called Virgin Galactic back then, right? Sending Europe and America tycoons to space.
Later, quite a few tycoons experienced space tourism one after another; at most they went to the space station.
But that was enough to make me envious back then; foreign tycoons could go to space, but our China Aerospace hadn’t even sent astronauts yet.
Now, I actually have the opportunity to go to the moon, becoming the first Earthling to do moon tourism.
This makes me excited and thrilled while also full of emotion; our country’s technology has really progressed, progressed to a level many people didn’t expect.
And I am so fortunate to participate in China’s technology process, becoming one of the trendsetters.
And also very grateful to General Manager Lin for giving me the opportunity to sell me the ticket.”
Lin Ran’s gaze flickered in the slightly dim cabin; he thought, holy crap, Lei Zong is good, just experienced rocket launch, arrived in a new environment, and immediately gave such a standard answer.
Netizens calling you the god of marketing is well-deserved.
Speaking without a single flaw.
This also made Lin Ran more confident about having Lei Jun dust off on the moon later.
Outside the porthole was boundless darkness, dotted with twinkling stars.
Earth had shrunk into a blue-white sphere, suspended in the void.
After clapping, Lin Ran said, “Lei Zong, you can unbuckle the seatbelt and feel the zero gravity unique to space; this is the ultimate experience for others’ space tourism, but just the entry-level basic version for you.”
Lin Ran floated above the seat; after unbuckling the seatbelt, his body gently floated upward.
Lei Jun followed Lin Ran’s movement, unbuckled the seatbelt, then said, “Finally not simulation training; is this real space?”
His stomach started churning; bodily fluids shifting upward made him feel somewhat dizzy.
Lin Ran saw his bad complexion: “This is space adaptation syndrome; generally, the first 24 hours are the worst.
Lei Zong, if you feel bad, take deep breaths; you absolutely cannot vomit here.”
Wei Xuhang turned his head from the console and added, “Lei Zong, deep breaths.
Our life support system has a carbon dioxide scrubber and humidity control, can keep cabin pressure stable, much much better than my first time coming to the moon with the professor.
This feeling now is like emergency braking; my first time with the professor was like riding a roller coaster for a whole hour.”
Their voices were exchanged through the cabin walkie-talkie.
Lin Ran added, “Lei Zong, you can also consider drinking some electrolyte drink to adapt.
We’ll soon be on Hohmann Transfer Orbit; this is the most energy-efficient path, accelerating from low Earth Orbit to the moon, taking about 72 hours.
Ben Yue Hao’s propulsion system will ignite midway, providing extra velocity change to cruise at 11 kilometers per second.”
Lei Jun nodded; he felt the two’s voices were like floating from the void, so unreal.
Not only were the two’s voices unreal, his current situation was also very unreal.
Movements in zero gravity seemed particularly clumsy.
He gripped the handrail tightly, his gaze drifting to the porthole, watching the gradually receding Earth.
“Too unbelievable, I’m actually really going to the moon.”
On the first day of flight, the cabin environment was quiet and monotonous.
Only the low hum of ventilation fans and occasional data beeps.
During this, Lei Jun tried eating; a floating nutrition bar made him chase it in circles in the air.
Lei Jun looked at the live broadcast room feedback from Earth and felt a bit regretful.
Because netizens were already teasing that his show was called Traveling with Ran.
Originally thinking of promoting Xiaomi.
But because the glasses frame was on his ears, the camera was always facing Lin Ran, and Lin Ran became the protagonist of the live broadcast room.
On Weibo, with Xiaomi doing public opinion operations, there would be discussions about Xiaomi and Lei Jun himself; the heat was still there.
But in Douyin and Bilibili live broadcast rooms, the bullet screen’s first reaction was all Lin Ran, no Xiaomi, no Lei Jun.
Traveling with Ran was extremely popular on Earth; quite a few merchants had already started rushing to register the trademark.
“This is harder to catch than any Earth delicacy!” Lin Ran teased.
Lin Ran handed Lei Jun a fixed meal tray: “Adapting to zero gravity takes time.
Back in the 1960s, Apollo astronauts also complained about food; they ate dehydrated food, but ours is fresh synthetic protein.”
Earth’s bullet screen: “Ran Shen is so warm!”
“First time discovering Ran Shen is a warm guy”
“The all-around player with full five-star ratings is actually a caring warm guy too? I want to know if Ran Shen has gender requirements for dating?”
“Lei Zong, stop always looking at the porthole; what’s so good about the porthole? Honestly point the lens at Ran Shen, okay? I’ve already started treating it as a first-person perspective dating game!”
“+1, space travel edition first-person perspective dating game; this segment of live broadcast just needs a little editing plus VR footage conversion to become the best material”
The live broadcast room on Earth gradually derailed; female viewers’ proportion exceeded male viewers for the first time.
You know, generally for topics like aerospace, males hold an overwhelming numerical advantage.
Lei Jun couldn’t always see the live broadcast room bullet screen; he chewed, his thoughts turning to curiosity: What to do when bored midway?
He thought it would be playing card games; three people could play Landlord.
But unexpectedly, it was an examination.
“Before lunar orbit, we’ll do a mid-course correction burn; this is a small thrust adjustment to ensure we don’t deviate from the path.
Lunar gravity will pull us into an elliptical orbit, then we use retro-rocket to enter Lunar Orbit. Let’s calculate.” Lin Ran said.
Wei Xuhang started looking troubled; an orbital mechanics problem, no paper or pen, pure mental calculation to get the result.
Some key numbers and steps could be recorded on the spaceship’s computer, but the computer can’t be used as draft paper.
Wei Xuhang finally calculated it; if wrong, start over.
If correct, a new problem was thrown at him: calculate burn angle, estimated fuel consumption.
This time the warm guy turned into an unprecedented pushy version professor.
“Lei Zong, just look at the porthole, don’t look at Ran Shen anymore; keep looking and psychological trauma will emerge.”
“I’m here to relax, not take a math class!”
“Holy crap, finally back from the laboratory to the dorm wanting to lie down and entertain, but damn model calculations are still chasing me!”
“Lei Zong, quickly turn off the sound; I don’t even want to hear Ran Shen’s voice!”
Everyone is still very realistic.
On the second day, halfway to the moon, the alarm sounded lightly.
Wei Xuhang was finally relieved; he checked the instruments: “Solar activity normal; we’re now monitoring the impact of the Van Allen radiation belt; we’ve passed it, but residual particles still need attention.”
Lei Jun gazed at the porthole; the moon had enlarged from a small dot into a gray-white sphere, surface covered with craters and dark lunar seas.
“Indeed as desolate as in photos,” he said softly.
Lin Ran said, “Soon, our infrastructure has already started; I believe in ten years, when you come again, it will definitely be completely different.”
Lei Jun grinned and said, “Professor, borrowing your auspicious words; hope I can really come in ten years.”
General Manager Lin sounded a bit stiff; Lei Jun saw Wei Xuhang call professor, so he followed; professor is more respectful.
But the live broadcast room audience wouldn’t have it: “Calling professor makes the feeling of being taught even stronger!”
Lei Jun asked: “No atmosphere on the moon, temperature drastic change from 120 degrees Celsius daytime to minus degrees at night.”
Before he finished asking, Lin Ran started explaining: “Our spacesuits have thermal cycle systems; don’t worry about this, Wei Xuhang has been to the moon who knows how many times.”
Lin Ran continued, “Moon gravity is one-sixth of Earth’s, no air resistance, so landing process relies entirely on rocket deceleration.
Our Ben Yue Hao has variable thrust engines, able to reduce speed from 11 kilometers per second to zero.
And under the assistance of laser rangefinder and Doppler radar, the automatic navigation system will guide us to avoid rocks and reach the destination Shackleton Crater.
Moon landing technology is now very mature; the entire process is fully automatic, no need for manual operation at all.”
Third day morning; no day or night in space, still using Earth time here.
Ben Yue Hao entered the moon’s influence zone.
Gravity gently pulled, cabin body slightly vibrated.
“Feel it?” Lin Ran asked.
Body had slight weight returning.
“We’ve been captured by the moon,” Lin Ran said. “Now entering Lunar Orbit, altitude about 100 kilometers.
After one orbit, we’ll land.”
Wei Xuhang added, “Pay attention to the real-time data on the helmet HUD; it includes oxygen reserves, radiation levels, heart rate, etc.; all must be green.”
“Descent phase begins. Engines ignite, decelerating to 2 km/s.”
The descent process was tense and precise.
The engines jetted blue flames, thrust chamber temperature soaring to 3000 degrees Celsius, slowing the fall.
Lei Jun saw through the porthole the lunar surface approaching: dust-covered plains, jagged peaks, all the way to the light-dark intertwined Lunar South Pole crater.
“Shackleton Crater,” he thought.
Altitude 5000 meters, speed 300 m/s. Spaceship switched to hover mode.
Engines adjusted thrust; the lander hovered like a helicopter, dust stirred by airflow forming a moon dust storm, obscuring vision.
Radar completed lock.
Final 100 meters, engines gradually weakened, landing legs extended.
Touchdown instant, like a feather landing; buffers absorbed the impact.
“Touchdown smooth,” Lin Ran announced. “Engines off; we’ve landed.”
Lei Jun’s heartbeat calmed, gazing at the moon outside, gray dust shimmering in sunlight.
“We did it,” he murmured. “From Earth to here, holy crap, how does it feel even smoother than taking an airplane?”
