novelslam Chapter 163 Launch Plan
Chapter 163 Launch Plan
Sixty days to go.
Li Guodong wrote these five characters in red marker on a whiteboard at the end of the research institute's corridor, drew a thick horizontal line below it, and wrote the date below the line. Next to the whiteboard was an A3 sheet of paper with the satellite assembly schedule, with the arrival status of each component marked by a different color: green for arrival, yellow for en route, and red for delay.
There aren't many red tiles, but every single one makes your heart race.
"The last batch of solar cells will arrive next Tuesday." Qiu Pei stood in front of the whiteboard, holding a red marker. "The power amplifier module for the microwave transmitting antenna has completed environmental testing and passed all tests. The cold gas thrusters for the attitude control system were delivered by Aerospace Science and Technology five days later than expected, but this won't affect the overall schedule."
Li Guodong leaned against the wall, listening without saying a word. His gaze was fixed on the five red characters on the whiteboard, his lips slightly pursed.
"What about the onboard computer?" he asked.
"Shen Yiming has already burned in the firmware, and the adaptive beam optimization algorithm has undergone three rounds of on-orbit simulation tests." Wei Jia pulled out a data sheet. "In the simulated synchronous orbit environment, the algorithm's response time to weather changes is less than four seconds, and the beam pointing error does not exceed 0.05 degrees."
"Four seconds." Li Guodong repeated the number, then nodded. "Okay."
Zuo Cheng walked over from the other end of the corridor. He was holding a cup of coffee, and his footsteps were particularly clear in the quiet corridor.
"What did Deputy Chief Engineer Su say?"
Han Lu followed behind him, scrolling through the message history on her phone.
"The launch window is tentatively set between the 15th and 20th of next month. The Long March 2C rocket will be launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center," said Han Lu. "The internal approval process for the aerospace technology company has been completed, and the official documents will be issued next week."
"What about the weather?" Zuo Cheng asked.
"The meteorological team at the Jiuquan launch site has given a preliminary assessment, indicating a greater than 75% probability of clear skies within the launch window. Accurate forecasts will be available a week in advance."
Zuo Cheng took a sip of coffee and stood in front of the whiteboard for a while, looking at the progress chart.
Is there any news or activity internationally?
This question made Han Lu pause for a moment.
"Yes." She put down her phone. "Japan's JAXA restarted their space photovoltaic research project last week, suddenly re-funding it after being shelved for six years. NASA has also issued a new tender for preliminary technology research."
"Because of our news," Zuo Cheng said calmly.
"Pretty much. After the media exposure, several international institutions are reassessing the feasibility of space photovoltaics." Han Lu paused for a moment. "The German Aerospace Center (DLR) even published a paper citing our simulation data."
Zuo Cheng placed the coffee cup on the windowsill. Outside the window was the April sky over Hangzhou; the plane trees had just sprouted new leaves, and sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled patterns on the corridor floor.
"Let them catch up," Zuo Cheng said. "We're at least two years ahead."
Forty-five days to go.
Satellite assembly entered its final sprint. Li Guodong divided his team into three shifts, and the laboratory lights never went out from morning till night. The corridors were piled high with parts boxes and testing equipment, and the air was filled with the mixed smells of solder and cleaning agents. Qiu Pei was responsible for the final confirmation of the orbital parameters, and he spoke with the Aerospace Science and Technology Measurement and Control Center at least once a day. Wei Jia led the atmospheric data database team in the final round of calibration, reviewing data from hundreds of ground weather stations.
Shen Yiming transferred two people from the AI division to support the debugging of the onboard computer. He built a simulated on-orbit environment in the lab, using three servers to simulate the communication latency and computing resource limitations of a geostationary orbit. The onboard AI algorithm ran continuously for seventy-two hours in this simulated environment without any anomalies.
"How lightweight is this algorithm?" Yu Ying asked casually one evening as she passed by the lab.
"Keep the model size under two megabytes." Shen Yiming didn't even look up, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "The onboard computer has limited memory, so it can't run large models. But its strength lies in its refined strategies, allowing it to make optimal decisions with minimal computation."
Yu Ying stood behind him and watched the data stream on the screen for a while, then said nothing more.
Thirty days to go.
Ten verification satellites completed environmental testing. Vibration testing, thermal vacuum testing, and electromagnetic compatibility testing all passed on the first attempt. Li Guodong's hand trembled slightly as he signed the test report. Not from nervousness, but from having worked over a dozen consecutive all-nighters.
"The final hurdle is the overall satellite testing," Li Guodong said, handing the test report to Zuo Cheng. "Once it passes, it can be transported to the launch site."
The comprehensive testing of the entire satellite took another five days. All modules were powered on together, simulating the entire process from launch to orbit insertion to deployment and operation. The test site was set up in a shielded laboratory on the first basement floor of the research institute, with walls covered with absorbing material to isolate all external interference. The first satellite passed on the first try. The second satellite had a minor signal attenuation problem, which was investigated for two days and found to be a faulty connector. Replacing it solved the issue. The third through tenth satellites all passed on the first try.
"Ten stars, all in good condition." Qiu Pei put a heavy checkmark on the test report. When he put down his pen, his fingers were a little red, marks left from tightening screws for three consecutive days.
Fifteen days to go.
Satellite launch.
Three special transport vehicles departed from Hangzhou, escorted by military vehicles at the front and rear of the convoy. Han Lu had coordinated the travel permits along the route a week in advance. The convoy traveled entirely on highways, making only brief stops at two service areas along the way.
Zuo Cheng did not go with the convoy. He stayed in Hangzhou to handle the last batch of documents and prepare for his departure to the launch site next week.
"Have you booked your plane tickets?" he asked Han Lu.
"Booked. Early the day after tomorrow, flight to Lanzhou, then transfer to Jiuquan."
Is Yu Ying going?
"I'm going. She said she wants to be there on launch day." Han Lu glanced at Zuo Cheng. "What about you?"
Zuo Cheng didn't answer, only looking out the window. The sky in Hangzhou was very blue, without a single cloud. He remembered when he started his business in this city two years ago, the sky was just as blue. Back then, he had nothing, only the technical roadmap he had accumulated in his previous life and a system that appeared out of thin air in his mind.
Now he has a team of 600 people, six major business divisions, a research institute, a ground station under construction in the desert, and ten satellites about to be transported to the launch site. Even Lin Jianhua's attempts to block him have become distant background noise.
These satellites will be launched in less than fifteen days.
Zuo Cheng took a deep breath and opened the window a crack. A warm spring breeze, carrying the scent of flowers and grass, blew in. Downstairs in the parking lot, Chen Hao was loading several boxes of equipment into his car. Fang Ze emerged from the lab, carrying a document covered in stamps. Liu Wei stood at the door, talking and laughing happily with a deliveryman.
They are all his people.
"Let's go," Zuo Cheng said, "to Jiuquan."