Chapter 517 Forerunner

On the morning of May 24th, the sky over the northwest Gobi Desert was a clear blue.

The scorching sun poured down, baking the vast expanse of sandy land and causing the air to slightly distort.

After approval from the military, Song Ci's special plane landed smoothly on the runway of Dingxin Airport in Dongfeng Aerospace City.

This airport is one of the largest military airports in China and even in Asia. On weekdays, only fighter jets roar here, and civil aviation flights need special approval procedures to take off and land here.

The richest man's car was also allowed to land here through the Beihang University channel.

The aircraft taxied to the designated apron, the cabin door opened, and the ladder was lowered.

Song Ci stepped out, and a dry and hot wind instantly blew in his face, carrying with it the unique smell of sand in the Gobi Desert.

Looking down, he saw his mother Liu Xiaoxian, his capable subordinate Zhang Xiaoping, as well as several key scientific research personnel from Dewen Manufacturing's Aerospace Science and Technology Division and core members of Beihang University's rocket recovery project team were already waiting there.

Behind the crowd, several dark green off-road vehicles were parked quietly, ready to welcome the young richest man.

"Mom! Xiaoping!" Song Ci smiled and hurried down the gangway.

When Liu Xiaoxian saw her son, her eyes were filled with the tenderness of a mother and the composure of a scholar. "I saw the weather forecast and it said there was going to be heavy rain in Peking. I thought your flight would be delayed."

Zhang Xiaoping said with great energy: "Mr. Song! Welcome to the world-renowned aerospace science capital, Oriental Aerospace City!"

The resounding voice echoed across the empty apron, carrying with it a sense of pride. This is the holy land of dreams for countless astronauts.

Song Ci was also overwhelmed with emotion when he thought that soon he would witness with his own eyes the "Pioneer 1", a rocket that embodies countless efforts and advanced concepts, completing its first hovering recovery test.

After smiling and exchanging a few words with his mother and Zhang Xiaoping, his eyes inadvertently swept across the crowd of people waiting to welcome him at the airport and suddenly stopped on a figure.

She was a young girl wearing a light blue scientific research uniform and a neat ponytail.

She stood a little further behind Liu Xiaoxian, with an upright posture, a pretty face, and a cold temperament that was out of tune with the surrounding environment.

Among the group of mature and calm researchers around her, she stood out, like a delicate little flower that accidentally bloomed in the Gobi Desert.

That face! Song Ci felt somewhat familiar at first glance, and when he took a closer look, he was suddenly filled with surprise. Isn't this Chen Duling?

My mind suddenly flashed back to when Tengda Culture was preparing to shoot "The Left Ear". The final information of the female lead candidate submitted was this pretty and lively face.

At that time, I felt that the world is full of wonders. After many twists and turns, the role finally fell on Chen Duling.

I was suddenly filled with doubts. I thought she would take advantage of this opportunity to enter the entertainment industry and start her road to stardom.

How could it appear in this Gobi Desert, which represents the country's highest level of aerospace technology?

Liu Xiaoxian turned sideways, followed her son's surprised gaze, and waved, "Duling, come here."

Upon hearing this, Chen Duling took a deep breath and walked forward slightly awkwardly under the envious gazes of several senior students around her.

At this moment, face to face with this handsome idol whom I had only seen in the news, complex emotions flickered in his clear eyes.

There is curiosity and admiration for top entrepreneurs, joy in seeing dreams come true, and also the awkwardness that young students feel when meeting industry giants.

"Song Ci, let me introduce her to you." Liu Xiaoxian chuckled, her words revealing a preference for the little girl.

"She is the youngest member of the project team, Chen Duling, a very talented and thoughtful child."

He paused, his eyes moving between the two of them: "Come to think of it, you two have a little connection."

"Hello, Mr. Song!" Chen Duling's voice was clear and crisp, with a girl's unique purity, and she bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I... I really like your song 'Left Ear'."

As soon as these words were spoken, the little girl's cheeks couldn't help but blush slightly.

It seems that he realized that it was inappropriate to mention a literary work in such a serious aerospace occasion.

But this is indeed her truest thought. In her mind, the image of Song Ci is three-dimensional.

He is not only a tech tycoon and business magnate to be looked up to, but also the author who wrote the story of "Little Ear" and touched her heart.

Song Ci smiled gently. "Hello, classmate Chen Duling. Ma Xin mentioned you to me when we were filming The Left Ear and he praised you highly."

His tone paused slightly, revealing surprise and emotion. "I just didn't expect you to appear here, and to become my mother's student. Fate is truly wonderful."

Chen Duling heard the hidden meaning in Song Ci, which was surprise at her life choices.

He raised his head, his eyes firm and serious: "Mr. Song, I think exploring the starry sky is more challenging than interpreting stories, and it can also better realize my personal value.

Thank you, Professor Liu, for giving me the opportunity to join the project team, and thank you for your strong support for the aerospace industry."

The words were concise, but revealed a clear ambition.

Song Ci secretly praised her. Regardless of the reason, a young woman who gave up the glamorous avenue of fame and chose the thorny path of scientific research was worthy of admiration.

"Exploring the starry sky and telling stories are both acts of creation and spiritual pursuits." Song Ci's smile deepened, his words filled with encouragement and expectation. "Welcome to join this space adventure."

After a brief conversation, Liu Xiaoxian reminded him, "Let's go, Song Ci. Dean Wang and the others are ready at the launch site."

Everyone quickly got into the car, and the convoy drove out of the airport and sped towards the rocket launch base deep in the Gobi Desert.

Outside the car window is an endless desolation, with rugged rocks and gravel intertwined, forming an unchanging picture.

Inside the car, Zhang Xiaoping took the time to report the final preparations to Song Ciyu.

"The Pioneer 1 rocket has been erected on the launch pad. The final joint check of all systems was completed early this morning and the data is normal."

"Today's weather conditions meet launch requirements, with wind speed and visibility within acceptable ranges."

"The hover program has been successfully loaded. The focus will be on testing the rocket's vector thrust control and precise fuel management during the low-altitude phase..."

Song Ci listened quietly, but his eyes occasionally swept across the magnificent and desolate scenery outside the window.

About an hour later, the convoy arrived at its destination.

In the distance, a rocket that is not very tall but has strong lines stands quietly on a simple launch pad, and the white body of the rocket reflects dazzling light under the scorching sun.

On the rocket, the blue letters "Pioneer 1" are clearly visible. It is the carrier of everyone's dreams, the crystallization of countless people's efforts and expectations.

After everyone got off the car, Song Ci stood there, staring at the rocket for a few seconds, his eyes so deep that it seemed as if he was silently communicating with this steel creature.

Then he took a deep breath, turned around and followed everyone to the command and control center.

As soon as you enter the control center, the environment suddenly changes.

A huge electronic screen occupies the entire wall, with dense data, real-time jumping curves, and close-up images of key parts of the rocket scrolling continuously.

The sounds of keyboard tapping, command confirmation, and the slight hum of equipment running are intertwined.

Song Ci saw Academician Wang sitting there, stepped forward quickly, and greeted him respectfully: "Academician Wang, thank you for your hard work! I'm sorry for you personally supervising the battle."

Academician Wang had a gentle smile on his face and shook Song Ci's hand vigorously: "Mr. Song, welcome to the Dongfeng site."

He then briefly briefed the "financial sponsor" on the base's current operations. "This base's system has stood the test of years and its reliability is top-notch. Now it all depends on the performance of the 'Pioneer'."

After a brief conversation, the atmosphere in the command center became increasingly solemn.

In the communication channel, calm and clear reports from various positions sounded one after another, linked together, pushing the process forward.

Everything was in order. Song Ci, Liu Xiaoxian, and Zhang Xiaoping stood behind the command seat, while Chen Duling and other young researchers stood in the observation area a little further back.

"Ten minutes to prepare!"

"One minute to prepare!"

"...Ten, nine, eight, seven..."

The countdown echoed through the loudspeaker system in every corner of the control center, striking at everyone's heartstrings.

Song Ci could clearly hear the strong beating of his own heart. His face remained calm, with only his slightly narrowed eyes and tense jawline revealing the turmoil in his heart at the moment.

"...Three, two, one! Ignite!"

As the command was given, blazing flames and thick smoke suddenly spewed out from the tail of the rocket on the screen!

The huge roar could be heard faintly even through the thick sound insulation and a distance of one kilometer, shaking the earth.

The Pioneer 1 rocket, with a dazzling tail flame, rose steadily and firmly from the ground, broke free from the earth's gravity, and climbed towards the blue sky!

The control center was silent, with only the slight hum of various instruments and the sound of operators reporting data.

"Takeoff is normal!"

"Procedure turn!"

"The flight attitude is stable!"

"Altitude 500 meters... 800 meters... 1000 meters..."

The rocket continued to rise along the predetermined trajectory, leaving a beautiful white smoke trail in the sky.

Everyone's heart was hanging in the balance as the light continued to rise.

When the real-time data screen shows that the altitude reaches about two thousand meters and the speed reaches the preset value, the key command is issued!

"Hover program activated!"

On the screen, the rocket that was originally accelerating upward suddenly stopped, and the shape of the tail flame changed significantly, no longer spraying downward with full force.

Instead, through fine-tuning of multiple thrust chambers, the rocket's attitude is changed from a vertical upward position to a nearly hovering state.

Pioneer 1 seemed to be held in mid-air by an invisible hand, firmly fixed there, achieving a delicate balance with the Earth's gravity.

In the control center, suppressed low cries suddenly rang out, a mixture of shock and ecstasy.

Although I have seen it countless times in simulators, the visual and psychological impact of witnessing the behemoth hovering statically in the real sky is unparalleled!

Hovering! This is the most critical step in rocket recovery technology, and it also tests the technical prowess the most!

The rocket remained hovering at the predetermined altitude for twenty seconds.

These short twenty seconds, however, felt as long as a century, and were the best proof of the sensitivity of the vector thrust control system, the flight control computer algorithm, and the accuracy of the navigation and guidance system.

"Hover deviation value is much lower than expected!"

"The fuel consumption rate is in line with the model predictions!"

"Prepare for vertical descent!"

New instructions were issued, and an even more amazing scene appeared.

The rocket, which was several stories high, began to descend slowly and vertically at an almost graceful speed!

It's no longer a free fall, but a controlled, purposeful return.

The engine adjusts its thrust again to counteract gravity and ensure the stability of the rocket's posture.

The descent is even more thrilling than the ascent, as any slight deviation could lead to the loss of all previous efforts or even damage to the arrow itself.

However, Pioneer 1 performed exceptionally well, precisely following the preset descent trajectory and landing steadily towards the designated recovery area on the ground.

The altitude is getting lower and lower... one hundred meters... fifty meters... ten meters...

Finally, as everyone held their breath, the rocket "stood" steadily and lightly in the center of the recovery site!

The bracket touched the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust, and the engine shut down.

After a brief silence, deafening cheers broke out in the control center!

“Success!”

“We did it!”

"The hover recovery test was a complete success!"

Liu Xiaoxian showed a smile of relief and immense pride on her face. She turned around and patted her son's shoulder heavily. Thousands of words were expressed in this one pat.

Zhang Xiaoping's eyes instantly turned red, and he took off his glasses to wipe the corners of his eyes; Chen Duling stood in the back row, her cold face flushed red, and she clapped her hands vigorously.

Song Ci's clenched fists slowly loosened, and a huge sense of joy and accomplishment filled his chest, and his heart was surging.

The test commander excitedly announced: "The Pioneer 1 rocket's low-altitude vertical takeoff and landing and hovering tests were a complete success! All scheduled subjects have been completed and data collection is complete!"

The applause at the scene was thunderous and lasted for a long time.

After calming down a bit, Academician Wang walked towards Song Ci with a smile: "Mr. Song, this success also proves that the technical solution proposed by Dewen is very superior.

Pioneer 1 chose liquid oxygen-kerosene propellant rather than the more aggressive methane, and in hindsight, this was the right choice.”

Zhang Xiaoping added at the right moment: "Mr. Song, the liquid oxygen-kerosene combination has three major advantages: first, high propulsion efficiency and mature technology.

Second, kerosene is liquid at room temperature, and its storage and use are more convenient and safer than liquid oxygen and methane, which require extremely low temperature storage, and is suitable for technical verification and rapid iteration.

Third, the combustion products are clean, which can effectively control engine carbon deposits and facilitate detection and reuse after recovery."

Song Ci listened carefully and nodded, "Thank you all for your hard work. The success of this land test proves the feasibility of the technical route and marks the most solid first step."

Looking out the window, it seems as if you can see through the boundless Gobi Desert and see the blue ocean in the distance.

"But this is just the first step. It's just about getting the rocket to 'stand steady' and 'learn to walk' in a relatively simple, static environment."

Turning around, facing Academician Wang, his mother, and Zhang Xiaoping, he spoke in a resounding voice: "The future focus will be on testing the offshore recovery platform.

Unpredictable winds and waves, the swaying of mobile platforms, and the corrosive environment of high salt and humidity are all new variables that need to be overcome."

The current success in the Gobi Desert is just a beautiful starting point. Only on the turbulent sea can the Pioneer Rocket grow into a mature product that can support a business empire.

Academician Wang's eyes were filled with anticipation: "Don't rush, don't rush. First, complete the land tests, then go to sea. We must proceed steadily and steadily! China's aerospace industry needs the courage to take risks and move forward steadily."

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(End of this chapter)