Ever since the Apollo 17 lunar mission ended in December 1972, no one had ventured beyond Earth's orbit, and no one had set foot on the surface of the Moon. Skyglow was sailing in the cold, dark Earth-Moon transfer orbit. It was like a lonely boat in the middle of the ocean, enduring the baptism of loneliness.
It was dark outside the porthole. It was completely different from the dead and cold night on Earth. The darkness seemed to come from another world. It was like diving ten kilometers into the ocean and staring at the bottomless abyss below.
After nearly forty hours of sailing, the dark gray planet was finally getting closer and closer.
Nie Yun, who was holding the joystick, looked at the planet that was slowly approaching. He took a deep breath.
"This is Skyglow, we have entered the 12-hour orbit, approaching the Moon …"
Liu Zhengwen was sitting in the back seat. He stared at the planet getting closer and closer, and he felt his heart beating faster.
Half of it was because of excitement, and the other half was because of an indescribable feeling.
After about five minutes, he suddenly remembered something and subconsciously said.
"Speaking of which … Who's going first?"
Liu Zhengwen's face felt a little hot when he asked this question. Although he didn't mean to snatch the credit or covet the fame, he felt that he was doing it by asking this question. In fact, he just felt that it was better to ask about this kind of controversial matter before the mission began.
However, when Nie Yun heard this, he smiled nonchalantly.
"You can go first."
Liu Zhengwen spoke awkwardly.
"No, you go first."
After all, he was the one who drove Skyglow.
Nie Yun smiled and said, "I have to stay on Skyglow, I'm afraid I can't go with you guys."
During the Moon landing mission, the main pilot had to stay on Skyglow to ensure that the various systems on Skyglow were operating normally. After all, even though it could switch to cruise mode and automatically orbit a predetermined orbit, the machine was not always reliable. An experienced pilot was still needed to stay on it during critical moments.
Therefore, on this glorious and great occasion, he could only watch from above as they planted their flag on the ground.
But it didn't matter, he didn't care about this.
Liu Zhengwen asked nervously, "Am I going up alone?"
Nie Yun raised his thumb and pointed at Nie Yan, who was sitting beside him. "Don't worry, she will go up with you and bring you back."
Liu Zhengwen immediately said, "Then why don't she go up first?"
"Don't worry about me, it doesn't matter if I go first or second," Nie Yan said with a smile. "No matter what, I'm the first woman to step on the moon."
Nie Yun looked at her in surprise. "Are there no female astronauts on Apollo?"
Liu Zhengwen: "… I don't think so. All 12 astronauts are male."
Nie Yun nodded in understanding.
"I see."
No wonder the higher-ups wanted to select a female astronaut.
The significance of the space race, in addition to investing in the future, was to compete for first place.
However, does this count as taking advantage of the Americans?
…
Even though the Moon was close, it was impossible to drop the lunar module at Skyglow's current speed.
After a 12-hour orbit, Nie Yun piloted Skyglow. With the help of the ground command center, they quickly completed a 3.5-hour to 127-minute orbit change. At the same time, Skyglow's orbit around the Moon became a near-circle, and the speed and direction were adjusted to a relatively safe level.
Nie Yun reached out and pressed his helmet. He took a deep breath and spoke.
"This is Skyglow. We have successfully entered the 127-minute orbit and will arrive at the landing site in 25 minutes. Requesting approval to drop the lunar module."
"This is the ground command center. Moon landing approved."
"Roger that!"
Nie Yun turned around and looked at Liu Zhengwen, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
"We'll land on the Moon in 25 minutes. You guys go prepare."
"Okay!"
After unlocking the life support system, the two astronauts helped each other change into spacesuits. Under Nie Yun's supervision, the spacesuits were inspected.
"Activate oxygen supply system!
"Check oxygen balance.
"Oxygen balance of 100%, four hours of extravehicular activity!
"Test the active ejection system."
"Yes, sir!"
Just like what he learned during training, Liu Zhengwen hooked the hook on his waist to the bar next to him. He then reached out and pressed the button on his left arm. The backpack behind him made a soft sizzling sound, and a gentle force pushed him forward.
However, this gentle force didn't push him too far. With the help of the hook, he quickly stabilized his body.
"Active ejection system is working!"
Nie Yun nodded and looked at Nie Yan, who was standing next to him.
Nie Yan also completed all the testing procedures and said, "Everything is working."
Nie Yun nodded.
"Start boarding the capsule, good luck!"
"Of course."
With a smile on her face, Nie Yan bumped her brother's fist and walked through the hatch.
Liu Zhengwen nodded to Nie Yun and followed closely behind Nie Yan.
Nie Yun looked at the closed cabin door and went silent for a while. He then slowly raised his right hand and saluted.
Then, in a voice that only he could hear, he solemnly said.
"Take care!"
Success or failure depended on this.
After five minutes of flight, Skyglow arrived at the target airspace. The cabin door opened, and a black egg-shaped object separated from the belly of Skyglow.
With the help of two pairs of chemical fuel engines, the falling lunar module was like a meteorite. It drew an arc in the sky above the moon and fell on the barren lunar soil.
Billowing Moon dust rose.
Whether it was Nie Yun, who was sitting on Skyglow, or the people in the ground command center 380,000 kilometers away, they all clenched their fists. They were all nervous.
Slowly, the hatch of the lunar module opened.
A figure stood at the door of the cabin.
Everyone held their breath.
Except for Liu Zhengwen, who was standing at the cabin door, who took a deep breath.
Then, he gently jumped out of the cabin.
His body was as light as a goose feather, and he fell along with the floating Moon dust.
The moment the soles of his boots touched the Moon soil, he felt like the blood in his body was boiling.
At the same time, the moment he stepped onto the moon, deafening cheers erupted in the command center more than 380,000 kilometers away.
People hugged each other with tears in their eyes.
They did it!
They successfully landed on the Moon!
At this moment, they wrote history!
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