Chapter 779 - 741 Shattering the Old Order

"I hope you all proceed with caution, as this is going to be the most expensive single spacecraft in history."

Inside the Houston launch command center, Robert had already asked for the third time for the launch pad to recheck the status of the rocket.

The "Artemis" artificial sun being launched by SL-X was more valuable than an equivalent weight of gold, roughly 150 tons of it. If it were to fall, it would result in an unprecedented huge loss, and the head of the space agency might even lose their job because of it.

Under his command, the staff at Kennedy Space Center meticulously inspected every detail of the rocket from their baskets, not even sparing the screws, with a level of attention that even surpassed lunar missions.

However, in some sense, lunar missions were actually not as critical as before.

Although the "Centaur" program, originally planned to conduct lunar missions every two months, did not fully execute, that was due to adjustments in the scheduling of lunar tasks. The preparation of the necessary rockets and spacecraft had reached and even exceeded expectations.

On September 26, a week before, Artemis VII and VIII spacecraft were launched from Kennedy Space Center and Boca Chica Starship, respectively.

Six astronauts and the inflatable habitat module manufactured by Bigelow Company landed on the surface of the Moon on September 31, actively carrying out their mission.

The two spacecraft launched at the same time also made progress, as their command modules were those used in the Artemis V and VI missions, refurbished and reused, significantly reducing costs.

The spacecraft and rocket for mission nine were already basically ready, and mission ten was progressing rapidly. NACA had indeed fulfilled its initial promises.

After several successful landings, NACA swiftly re-familiarized itself with lunar landing procedures. America began to regard this as a sign of NACA’s rebirth, and started praising John’s three acts as having an undeniable pushing effect.

From the "Gemini" mission of the 1960s to the "Centaur," no one can now say that NACA has made no progress.

However, in Robert’s heart, it was time for a change in the Centaur program. At least if next year’s space cooperation with the Chinese People came to fruition, such efficiency would not be able to play a very conspicuous role.

"One hour preparation!"

It had reached the final moment of the Artemis launch. All personnel related to the launch had already evacuated, and Robert’s heart tightened bit by bit, holding his breath waiting for the moment of ignition.

...

"Long live!"

"Aaaah..."

"We did it! We made it!"

Hovering above the Non-Euclidean Continental Border, an unprecedented massive artificial body was operating at an altitude of 390 kilometers.

Artemis was still in its contracted state, but after entering space, it first performed several rounds of self-inspection of its electrical equipment and found no issues.

Ground control personnel let out a collective cheer, celebrating their victory.

Artemis was the largest artificial object in the world, and possibly the future too, in terms of surface area, only slightly smaller than the "Chengdian-1" Space Station.

In terms of weight, Artemis was not as heavy as one shipment of solar panels from Chengdian-1.

By the end of July, and again at the end of September, two New Yuan No. 3 rockets had lifted over 510 tons of solar panels into space, and the in-progress Chengdian-1 had already reached a mass of 660 tons, making it the largest artificial spacecraft besides the March.

The only consolation was that Chengdian-1’s completion was to be delayed until 2019, and it would also take a few months before it officially commenced operations, generally lagging behind Artemis by half a year. During this period, it would be the main stage for the artificial sun.

In terms of technological content, both were actually on the same level; the artificial sun even exceeded in some aspects (referring to maintenance expenses).

"All employees have done very well; this month’s coffee expenses will be covered by NACA!"

Robert was equally elated, but didn’t forget to remind the Artemis operation team:

"Make sure to perform careful and comprehensive tests before it flies to the synchronous orbit, otherwise, we’ll lose the thread of this kite."

...

CBS: "America has passed a bill, officially recognizing the Wolf Clause as discriminatory and inequitable, and it is to be abolished immediately."

Bloomberg: "Former space agency head Claire Boden: The friendship between Huamei is reaching new heights and will work together in the future."

ABC: "Jesse Singh is about to start his visit, to discuss together—"

The Times: "A massive conspiracy surrounding the Pacific Ocean is forming; the world needs to be vigilant."

TASS: "The traditional friendship between the two nations is long and unbreakable, Ru-Chinese relations are as strong as gold."

Agence France-Presse: "The Huayin Organization’s routine meeting has achieved stage results, with the preparation for the Dawn VI mission actively underway."

"..."

Throughout the latter half of September, the tremendous progress made in silence in space did not occupy the top trending spot; earthly affairs still firmly captured the attention of everyone.

The first batch of America’s trade delegation left in early October, and although they did not disclose any trade details to the public, according to "informed sources," the deals reached totaled over 9 billion US Dollars and involved many sensitive technologies.

This undoubtedly further intensified the panic of the outside world. Other countries in Eurasia frequently sent out delegations to seek information, but so far, it seems they have achieved little effect.

...

"Hello, Director Truk."

"I’m pleased to meet you, young Lin."

Truk and Lin Ju shook hands, capturing a moment in the flash of cameras.

The two individuals shaking hands had their own thoughts: