Free Web NovelChapter 1384: Chapter 659: The Mars Rover with Infinite Power_2
As the spacecraft continued to orbit Mars, the live broadcast certainly couldn’t continue, as no broadcast can last for dozens of hours, especially not a television broadcast. Additionally, the spacecraft needed to conserve energy, rather than spending it on communication.
Soon, the live broadcast was interrupted.
The television station occasionally updated the progress of the Mars Mission, but they did not broadcast live video footage anymore. The next extensive live broadcast would take place after the spacecraft had landed on the surface of Mars.
After the interruption of the live broadcast of the Mars Mission, public opinion around the world still carried on with discussions.
"The Mars exploration mission is really impressive, it reached Mars in just a dozen seconds, the space shuttle part must have been successful."
"The astronauts and the spacecraft haven’t received any impact, showing that space shuttling is harmless to the human body."
"This has already been tested; otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent people directly. Various animals have gone through space shuttling with no effects."
"It’s still unknown whether they can return safely. Compared to reaching Mars, the difficulties of returning are even greater."
This was without question.
The Mars-1 spaceship ascended from Earth relying on an anti-gravity propulsor for transportation, while ascending from Mars, it could only rely on the spaceship itself.
From an energy perspective, the gap was clear.
Taking off from Mars depended on the spacecraft’s own energy along with supplemental solar power. It was certain that the solid fuel carried by such a large spacecraft would definitely not be sufficient to reach space.
Therefore, the supplementation of solar energy was very important.
But even solar energy provided by space-optical power transmission technology was definitely no match for the explosive energy of solid fuel.
Mars has an atmosphere, similar to Earth’s environment. Air resistance and air movement also had to be considered.
To begin with, during the descent, the spacecraft would be affected by the Mars atmosphere because, as it approached the Martian surface, the impact of air would become very significant. It was fundamentally impossible to deploy the tree-branch-like compressed single-crystal blades, so they had to consume solid fuel to operate the propulsors.
This process required the consumption of some solid fuel.
So, how much solid fuel was left?
When the spacecraft was about to take off, it certainly needed to use space-optical power transmission technology for a long time, continuously supplementing with solar energy to start the anti-gravity system. At the same time, the spacecraft had to reserve some solid fuel to support the high consumption of deploying the space dome.
Wait.
Calculating everything, the spacecraft had extremely limited solid materials to consume during the takeoff process.
When the first phase of work was over, the Aerospace Bureau’s internal team was also working seriously. The senior leadership then asked about the energy for the return. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Zhao Yi explained, "Theoretically, relying only on solar energy supply, the spacecraft could ascend, but it would take a long time."
"The spacecraft’s solar energy supply could maintain the operation of an anti-gravity system while also sustaining a small propulsor."
"That small propulsor is located directly below the spacecraft, and its thrust is very limited."
"So the upward force of the spacecraft also had to rely on the upward push of the air."
"This process would seem somewhat slow. On the first day, it could only ascend about a kilometer, and the speed would increase gradually afterward."
"And we found during the research and development process that the main difficulty was centered on keeping the spacecraft balanced."
"Balance is a big issue."
"Conventional anti-gravity propulsors rely on several nozzles on the periphery, working together to achieve the overall balance of the spacecraft."
"With Mars-1, during take-off, relying only on a central propulsor, maintaining balance becomes not so easy."
"We rely on a newly developed Intelligent Sensing System, as well as the contraction function of the balance net located above the thrusters."
"Once the balance net contraction function is activated, it allows the tiny thruster nozzles to continuously operate in the direction of the gravitational source."
"This is the key to maintaining balance."
"In special circumstances, such as when a storm occurs on the Martian surface, or when there’s an especially strong wind from one direction, the thrusters on the side with higher energy consumption would be activated. They always operate opposite to the direction of the wind."
The balance design definitely isn’t as good as smart control with several thrusters working together. The direct impact is that, when encountering less intense air flows, the interior of the control cabin will sway left and right, ascending slowly as if sitting on a rocking boat. However, the advantage is that, in the absence of strong air flows or severe conditions, the solar energy provided by space light transmission is enough to allow the spaceship to ascend into space.
——
Two days later, at three in the morning, capital time.
The live broadcast of Mars exploration resumed, with various TV station hosts announcing for over half an hour. The eagerly anticipated live broadcast feed finally connected.
In front of the audience appeared a vast expanse of dark yellow plains, desolate as far as the eye could see. The camera quickly switched to a spaceship that had landed on the Martian surface, with a one-meter-plus high, disc-shaped object placed next to it. This circular "house" was even carved with the image of a flag.
It was a supply device to be installed on Mars during the mission, containing life supplies, oxygen-making equipment, as well as some electronic devices.
Three astronauts were busy around the supply device, unfolding the attachment’s stabilizing brackets and driving the front ends into the ground so that the circular supply device could withstand strong winds without being blown away.
After being busy for half an hour, they completed the task of securing the supply device. One astronaut returned to the spaceship, and soon two more came out, one of whom was carrying a flag.
The flag was planted next to the semi-circular supply device, and several astronauts stood together for a photograph with the flag.
This moment was very memorable, marking the official Mars landing of the team representing their country and the planting of the national flag.
Then, it seemed like ’free activity time.’ The astronauts were walking around on the ground, some even hopping and jumping, but regrettably, they couldn’t jump very high. The primary reasons were the weight of the space suits and the fact that the gravity of Mars is not low—only 2.67 times less than Earth’s.
This difference, coupled with the burden of the space suits, meant that the astronauts couldn’t leap very high on Mars.
Soon.
The astronauts resumed their work, walking and looking around, grabbing Martian soil with their hands as they conducted sample collection.
According to the established plan, they were to collect ten soil samples and place them in the specially designed recesses at the end of the spaceship’s mechanical arm.
The task of collecting soil samples took approximately ten or so minutes.
The farthest distance the astronauts ventured out was only about a hundred meters from the spaceship, beyond which there could be risks.
At the same time, they needed to constantly monitor the data to anticipate any impending storms.
This was the most dangerous aspect of the Martian surface.
If a storm suddenly arrived, they had to return to the spaceship immediately and close all the hatches to ensure they could get through safely.
Once the mechanical arm collected the samples and brought them into the spaceship, the astronauts’ work was nearly finished. What followed was controlled by commanding the spaceship to carry out tasks.
For example, deploying a Martian rover.
This particular rover was specially made, weighing around eight hundred kilograms, with the bulk of its weight consisting of a light energy reception converter, and then space transmission devices.
The rover was an ’Unlimited Power Automobile’ and could be controlled simply through space transmission equipment. As long as it didn’t encounter an extremely adverse environment causing damage to the rover’s linking system or energy system, the rover could operate continuously and transmit messages back to the Aerospace Bureau’s control room in a timely manner.
After the Mars-1 spaceship deployed the rover, the host continuously introduced the rover, while also amazing everyone in front of their televisions with the rover’s powerful capabilities.
Real-time control from Earth, instant information transmission, unlimited power—
It was as if a rover that could only exist in the imagination had actually appeared and was deployed on the surface of Mars!
