Chapter 121: First Orbital Mission

The maiden flight mission of "Blue Sky-1" was endowed with expectations far exceeding conventional tests.

It was not only to verify the rocket itself but also to demonstrate Longyin's overall strength in low-cost rapid space access and space applications.

The day before the launch, Wang Hao squatted beside the launch site in the Gobi Desert, looking at the "Blue Sky-1" already standing on the simple launch rack, muttering to himself:

"Old partner, give it your all; we're going to be broadcast globally tomorrow, don't drop the chain at the critical moment."

"Haozi, can you say something auspicious?" Li Yang's voice came from behind; he had just finished checking the docking interface between the rocket and the payload.

"'Torch Dragon' has self-checked seventeen or eighteen times, and Zhao Gong has led people to re-tighten every bolt; stop being a crow's mouth here."

Wang Hao jumped up and patted the sand on his butt: "I'm just... nervous!"

"This is our 'Space Truck's' first time on the road!"

"And we have to send three 'little guys' into the sky in one go; the mission volume is comparable to the Spring Festival travel rush!"

The "little guys" he spoke of were the other major highlight of this mission.

Three low-cost "Sky Patrol" verification satellites deeply developed based on "Mechanical Butterfly" and "Mechanical Spider" technologies.

They were compact, highly integrated, and covered with thin solar sails, looking more like three exquisite metal insects.

Chen Guang was in the measurement and control vehicle, performing final signal coordination, his voice coming through the communicator:

"Sky Patrol One to Three, self-check passed."

"Cluster intelligent network protocol loaded, 'Torch Dragon' space-based relay link clear."

Feng Yan stood on the observation deck, looking at the "Blue Sky-1" that was simple and carried a bit of industrial rugged beauty.

This mission, codenamed "Sky Eye Opens," was of great significance.

The next day, the launch window arrived.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the launch site was already bustling.

In addition to the Longyin team and Space Administration experts, there were several authoritative domestic media outlets specially permitted to enter, with various long guns and short cannons aimed at the rocket in the distance.

Even more eye-catching was that the "Torch Dragon" system took over the official media's live broadcast signal.

It would present this launch in real-time to the whole country and even the whole world through multiple ultra-high-definition cameras installed at different angles on the arrow body and the ground.

"One-minute countdown preparation!"

The countdown came over the broadcast, and everyone's heart was in their throat.

"Ten, nine, eight... three, two, one!"

"Ignition!"

With a low, thick, yet powerful roar!

At the bottom of "Blue Sky-1," three "Dragon Core" vector engines erupted with ghostly blue exhaust flames, pushing the arrow body to leave the launch rack steadily and accelerate upward!

The live broadcast image was extremely clear and stable, even allowing one to see the water vapor and ice crystals condensed on the arrow body during the ascent.

The vector nozzles made tiny adjustments to ensure the rocket ascended in the optimal posture to penetrate the atmosphere.

"Program turn normal!"

"First and second stage separation normal!"

"Second stage ignition successful!"

"Payload fairing separation!"

One critical node after another was passed smoothly, and the atmosphere in the command center shifted from tension to excitement.

"Star-arrow separation!" When the final command was issued.

When telemetry signals showed that the three "Sky Patrol" satellites had been successfully ejected into the predetermined orbit one by one, a suppressed cheer erupted in the command center!

But the mission was only half done.

Everyone's eyes turned to a split screen on the main display.

It was the camera tracking the re-entry of the "Blue Sky-1" first-stage rocket.

The arrow body that had completed the pushing mission, under the precise control of "Torch Dragon," adjusted its posture, and the engine ignited again to decelerate.

Like an obedient elf, it dived toward the designated landing field in the Gobi Desert.

The closer it got to the ground, the slower it became.

The recovery legs at the bottom had long been deployed, and at the last moment, the engine erupted with short, powerful flames for the final buffer.

"Ssh—"

A slight dust cloud rose.

That ten-meter-plus rocket first stage stood steadily and straight in the center of the landing field!

The posture was so perfect it looked like it had been gently placed there!

"Vertical recovery... successful!" The field commander's voice carried unbelievable excitement.

"Yeah!!!" Wang Hao was the first to jump up, grabbing Li Yang beside him and shaking him hard.

"Success! Brother Li! See that! Our 'truck' drove itself back! And it's unmanned!"

Li Yang was dizzy from being shaken, but a brilliant smile of relief appeared on his face.

Chen Guang reported quickly: "Rocket first stage structure intact, preliminary inspection shows all systems normal, meeting reuse standards."

"'Sky Patrol' One, Two, and Three signals confirmed, solar sails deployed normally, establishing initial attitude."

Feng Yan let out a long breath, feeling that the heart that had been hanging for a long time finally fell back into his stomach.

He looked at the live broadcast camera, knowing that countless viewers were witnessing history with him at this moment.

Just then, Wang Hao had already snatched the microphone from the field communicator.

With his signature loud voice, he shouted excitedly to the camera and the entire command center:

"Report to headquarters! Report to the people of the country! 'Blue Sky Express,' first order mission, signed for!!"

"Pfft—" Zhao Kaiyuan, who was drinking water, almost sprayed it out, and a bigger burst of laughter and applause erupted in the command center.

Even the usually serious Chief Zhou pointed at Wang Hao and shook his head with a laugh: "This Wang Hao..."

A few minutes later, the signal source on the main screen switched.

The first batch of real-time images from the "Sky Patrol One" satellite was transmitted back!

It was a view of the Earth from 500 kilometers high.

The arc of the blue planet, the swirling white clouds, and the outlines of the continents were clearly visible.

Immediately after, "Sky Patrol Two" transmitted dynamic scanning images of specific areas, while "Sky Patrol Three" began testing high-speed laser communication links between the other two satellites.

"Image resolution reached 0.5-meter level!"

"Multispectral scanning data normal!"

"Inter-satellite laser communication link established, data transmission rate exceeding traditional radio frequency methods by ten times!"

Every piece of data Chen Guang reported was like a heavy hammer hitting the hearts of every professional present.

One launch simultaneously verified three core technologies: low-cost reusable rockets, high-performance micro-nano satellites, and intelligent satellite cluster networking!

This efficiency, this cost-effectiveness, this degree of technical integration.

Enough to make those national space agencies that still cheered for a single successful launch and had satellite R&D cycles of several years feel suffocated.

A young expert from the Space Administration looked at the data stream of the three "Sky Patrol" satellites running freely in orbit and couldn't help but sigh to his colleague:

"My god... these people at Longyin, they not only redefined how to get into space, they are also redefining what can be done after getting up there..."

"This 'Blue Sky Express' isn't delivering ordinary packages; it's delivering the 'eyes' and 'nerves' of the future battlefield!"

Feng Yan didn't join the celebrating crowd; he walked to the edge of the observation deck, looking at the deep blue sky.

As if he could penetrate the atmosphere and see those three "metal insects" that had just entered orbit and were quietly changing the balance of power.

He knew that the "Sky Eye" had opened, and some people who were used to peeping in the dark were probably going to start feeling uneasy.

He took out his encrypted communicator, which had a brief message from Brigade Commander Gao: "Well done! The 'eyes' are here, and the 'claws' must follow quickly."

Feng Yan replied with an "Understood," his gaze fixed on the distance, where the core module of the "Heavenly Clerk" arm was waiting for its "Space Truck" ticket. ===== CHAPTER 122 =====

Feng Yan replied with an "Understood," his gaze cast toward the distance, where the core module of the "Heavenly Clerk" arm was waiting for its "space truck" ticket.