Chapter 651 - 635: Long Voyage

"The Isaac Newton spaceship successfully implemented artificial gravity in space, providing gravity for astronauts."

"Pedro Dick: ’Gravity is as essential as water in space.’"

"NACA has announced more plans for artificial gravity devices, including a tens of thousands of tons spinning space city."

"The Russia Space Agency stated that the ISS rotating gravity chamber segment is progressing satisfactorily and will be launched soon."

"Space experts: Humanity has broken through one of the prerequisite technologies for deep-space travel."

...

March.

Li Sheng floated unhurriedly in the command cabin’s control room, scrolling through the news.

Although March was factually the first artificial gravity device to be finished, it had not yet been activated, not even once; over the past nearly three months, it had been constantly undergoing various tests and checks, and the astronauts had not had one idle moment.

But as the commanding officer, Li Sheng had been involved in nearly all ground discussions related to March and knew that the day was not far off. The current plan on the ground was to evacuate all astronauts by February 20, and to conduct a rotation test on the space station on February 22.

March would undergo at least two months of repeated unstaffed testing before allowing astronauts to re-enter. However, during this period, there was no need to worry about minor problems; the space station’s six robotic stewards could handle them.

Although it would be at least two or even three months before he would be the first Chinese astronaut to experience artificial gravity, he was not in a hurry, nor did he envy the two aboard the Isaac Newton.

After all, the usable space on that ship was only a little larger than the astronauts’ single-person dormitories. Even if the flexible gravity system could achieve a higher gravity force, the difference between 0.3G and 0.5G was not significant in space. The main purpose was to significantly prolong the astronauts’ mission duration.

Thinking this, he touched the instrument panel in front of him, which was covered with dense screens and various buttons, requiring one to lie on it to reach everything completely.

This was the command cabin’s flight control console, currently only a small part of its basic functions were activated. Its main task was actually to provide navigation services for long-duration deep space voyages, and it was currently not put into active use.

However, Li Sheng was exceptionally familiar with it, often utilizing learning mode for various drills. Thinking of the recently hot topics of Jupiter II and Titan, he entered the simulation mode and activated the console. Immediately, an incomplete Solar System Star Map was projected in front of him.

Using simple hand gestures, he dragged Saturn closer, zooming in with two fingers, and quickly found Titan, the only moon with a substantial atmosphere.

In the colored laser holographic projector’s display, details on the surface of this moon were a bit blurry, partly due to a lack of production materials and partly because holographic projection technology was still imperfect.

When they actually control flight, they would wear HUD glasses that cover half of their face, showing highly realistic three-dimensional effects, far superior to the rough laser projections.

But Li Sheng didn’t care about these details. He let his finger linger on Titan for a moment, then set it as the destination in the pop-up menu and confirmed to initiate route planning for immediate departure.

The virtual star map suddenly shrank to fully show both March’s current coordinates and the destination. At the same time, two flight paths lit up in the void: one using Jupiter’s gravity for acceleration and the other relying on the spaceship’s own power.

Above the illuminated first route, it displayed a calculated estimate of travel time:

"Estimated arrival time: September 13, 2019, 05:22 AM, estimated duration: 593 days, 17 hours, 58 minutes;

Estimated fuel consumption: 216,000 kg, remaining fuel: E00;

Overall supplies remaining: E00;

Overall status: Good (Simulation)."

days—that’s almost 20 months.

According to the flight manual, the calculation error unaffected by unforeseen circumstances doesn’t exceed 1%.

For astronauts, this duration isn’t considered too lengthy, but taking into account the execution of the mission and the return trip, if they were to depart now, it would be the second half of 2021 by the time they returned, totaling close to four years.

This is nearly longer than the long ocean voyages of the past, with Zheng He’s longest journey lasting two years and ten months, and Magellan circumnavigating the globe taking three years. In this way, space travel does share many commonalities with The Age of Great Navigations.

However, back then, captains going on expeditions needed a group of skilled old sailors and their own abundant experience, always vigilant at sea.

But commanding the March was exceedingly simple. In theory, all Li Sheng needed to do was issue commands to the AI and ensure there were sufficient supplies and fuel, and the flight computer would safely take everyone to their destination.

Li Sheng closed his eyes and imagined that he had already traversed nearly 2 billion kilometers to reach Saturn. Through the porthole, he could look down upon the magnificent Saturnian rings and the supermassive planet that nearly filled his entire view. Its surface was home to flowing super storms, each large enough to contain Earth. The March, in comparison, was like an insignificant speck of dust.

He emerged from his reverie after a long while, shutting down the study mode while he couldn’t help but continue to daydream.

Unlike the Tiangong Space Station, the March had strong spacecraft characteristics, and the highest-ranking officer, the commandant, was still being trained as a ship captain, while other astronauts were also becoming familiar with their roles as crew members.

In a space station, it wouldn’t matter if everyone were rookies, as long as they had undergone basic training to prevent chaos. But for deep-space missions, a united and well-disciplined team, well-acquainted and well-coordinated with each other, was necessary.

During the long mission duration of several years, even maintaining contact with Earth couldn’t conceal the absolute loneliness. Perhaps the only ones who could understand them were the crews of the far-traveling merchant ships of the age of sail, or those stationed on strategic nuclear submarines that lurked underwater for months or even half a year at a time.

During the lengthy journey, even a large space could become so familiar in every corner out of boredom that mentally it would seem as small as a cage. Even the most steadfast warrior couldn’t guarantee absolute sanity without emotional fluctuations.

Under long-term repression, perhaps just a trivial argument, a slightly unsatisfactory meal, or some sudden and unexplained irritability could set a person off, and then completely ruin the whole group.

Among the 26 astronauts, apart from Li Sheng, there was one with a doctoral degree in psychology. They had always quietly observed and recorded the states of others in the past, all to think of ways to avoid such situations from happening.

Li Sheng had initially been resistant to life assistants that blatantly offered color services, but now he gradually came to accept them. After all, regardless of the nature of the negative emotions, the majority of the time, they will ultimately be vented in the most primal way.

It might be through violence, or it might be through desire, so a proper outlet was important.

Li Sheng strived to become a qualified captain and lead his team on expeditions. He had already summarized quite a bit in the past and was ready to sort through it all during the more than two months of unmanned testing on the March.

Although the journey to Saturn or Mars was still a long way off, traveling to the Moon or leaving Earth’s orbit for a few flight tests was not that far-fetched, and he believed these experiences would be useful in the future.