Chapter 318 A pretty but useless pillow
USA, Florida.
In this vast, seemingly sun-kissed Cape Canaveral launch site.
The Musk manned spacecraft stood proudly on the launch pad like a giant forged from steel.
Its slender rocket body was surrounded by countless spotlights, the intense light intertwining to outline its cold and high-tech silhouette!
Every weld and every joint seemed to tell the story of the crystallization of human industry and technology!
It waited quietly for that historic moment about to unfold!
At this moment, the rocket officially entered the launch countdown that the whole world was holding its breath for!
The site was already packed with people; spectators from all over the world had surrounded the area, leaving no room to pass.
They held binoculars and cameras, waiting expectantly.
Meanwhile, across the globe, billions of eyes were focused on this scene through live television and internet broadcasts, witnessing this grand event together.
The three astronauts who stood out from millions of applicants were undoubtedly the cream of the crop.
They stood as straight as pines, dressed in flawless white spacesuits, stepping toward the spacecraft with steady and confident strides.
Each step fell like a beat on the drum of history, emitting a solid and powerful echo that drew everyone's attention. Then, they turned around and nimbly filed into the spacecraft cabin!
The top officials of the USA gathered in the ground control room; the spacious and bright hall was now filled with a suffocating, tense atmosphere.
They, who usually pointed out the direction of the country with high spirits in the political arena, were now grave-faced, with fine beads of sweat on their foreheads, their hands clenched together unconsciously until their knuckles turned white from the effort.
The Secretary of State bit his lip, his eyes darting between the big screen and the documents in his hands, lifting his hand from time to time to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
The Secretary of Defense straightened his back, but his slightly trembling legs betrayed his inner tension; his eyes were fixed intently on the rocket parameters, as if he wanted to see right through them.
After all, this operation concerned national glory and interstellar hegemony!
Once it failed, the glory of the past would become a thing of the past!
They were truly terrified, not daring to take it lightly at all.
Musk was also highly focused, as if everything in the world had faded away, and only the various parameters of the spacecraft on the screen before him were real.
He stood in front of the console, leaning forward, his hands supporting the surface, his eyes fixed on the jumping data like a hungry wolf staring at its prey, not letting any subtle change escape him.
It was he who had made solemn vows to the media, patting his chest and boasting, certain that this launch would be a success!
Now the pressure was crushing down like a mountain; every tiny detail was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, allowing no room for error.
"Ten, nine, eight..."
"Three, two, one, ignition!"
As the launch command cut through the silence, the bottom of the rocket instantly spewed out raging flames!
The orange-red firelight was like a surging wave of fire, roaring toward the clouds with an overwhelming force!
Rolling heat waves swept across the surroundings, causing the air to tremble and distort.
The earth seemed unable to bear the burden and trembled slightly; the seawater around the launch pad was shaken into layers of huge waves, with white spray and firelight reflecting each other, forming a shocking scene.
President Biden closed his eyes, pressed his hands together, and his lips trembled slightly as he prayed silently in his heart:
"It must go smoothly! God bless, don't let anything go wrong."
Perhaps this piety truly touched the God of Fate!
The rocket's ascent was like a perfect mechanical ballet, smooth and steady.
Propelled by the flames, the rocket body rose straight up; as it broke through the atmosphere, the "sky curtain," thin as gauze yet incredibly tough, was easily torn by the rocket, setting off layers of magnificent halos.
Every link was tightly connected without any blockage, and the roar of the engines echoed in the sky.
Soon, a deafening cheer erupted in the ground control room!
People hugged and high-fived each other, eyes brimming with tears; years of hard work and persistence after countless failures finally saw the dawn at this moment.
Musk was flushed with excitement, the veins on his neck bulging, his voice trembling slightly with excitement as he shouted to President Biden: "Mr. President, our spacecraft has entered the scheduled orbit!"
President Biden let out a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves instantly relaxing, his body going limp like a deflated ball, his face full of disbelief as he muttered to himself:
"It actually succeeded!"
The news of the successful launch of the USA spacecraft instantly spread to every corner of the globe.
The comments in the live stream were refreshing as crazily as snowflakes, and the whole screen was filled with praise for the USA!
Various emojis and exclamation marks seemed to want to burst the screen.
"As expected of the former hegemon of Blue Planet! The USA actually succeeded!"
"Musk's company has gone through thousands of aerospace tests; this is truly hard work paying off, and the technology is pure! Every failure was a precursor, and this time it has finally soared into the sky!"
"This time, the USA's technology has finally stood above the Dragon Kingdom. Hmph, the Dragon Kingdom's aerospace technology is usually boasted about fiercely, and they have some Space Mecha, but why is there no movement at the critical moment? They don't even dare to land on Mars; it's probably just for show!"
"It's just an embroidered pillow, good to look at but useless. The USA still has real skills!"
"What 'don't dare'? I think their technology simply can't reach it; it's purely empty shouting, just putting on an act for people to see!"
"USA is mighty! Hurry up and land on Mars, give the Dragon Kingdom a good lesson, and let them know who the boss in the aerospace field really is!"
"As a noble American, I can finally hold my head high! This interstellar stage must be dominated by us! We were suppressed by the Dragon Kingdom before, feeling stifled for too long, but this time we finally got our own back!"
President Biden watched the reversal of public opinion in the live stream, the corners of his mouth rising slightly; the feeling of comfort in his heart was like drinking iced cola in the dog days of summer, making him feel refreshed all over.
He straightened his collar, cleared his throat, and hurriedly asked Musk: "When can we reach Mars?"
Musk's expression eased slightly; he raised his hand to push up his glasses and patiently explained: "Mr. President, do not be anxious. Although we are on the right track, it will still take a long six-month flight to reach Mars."
"This is actually quite lucky. With the advantage of the launch window, if we had missed this excellent opportunity, it might have taken nine months."
"The universe is vast and boundless, and the distances between celestial bodies are measured in light-years. This is already the most optimized flight plan under many limitations."
President Biden frowned, smacked his lips, a trace of displeasure flashing across his face, and muttered unwillingly: "Six months, that's too long!"
"That Space Jump technology of the Dragon Kingdom, it is said that it can cross galaxies in the blink of an eye, yet we still have to endure the passage of time."
But helplessly, he could only nod: "Alright, we can only wait patiently from here on."
The live stream host immediately announced solemnly to the whole world: "The landing on Mars will be realized in six months. Please wait for this interstellar feast!"
When the audience heard the duration, their enthusiasm was like having a basin of cold water poured on it; it cooled down instantly, and complaints arose one after another.
"Why does it take so long? How far is it to Mars, anyway! These days of waiting are too hard to bear; I hope nothing goes wrong."
"If we had that Space Jump technology from the Dragon Kingdom, we could probably get there in the blink of an eye. It's a pity the Dragon Kingdom is hiding it; they have advanced technology but don't use it, wasting it in vain! They are just afraid of us surpassing them, selfish guys!"
"The Dragon Kingdom might as well contribute the Space Jump technology to the USA. Anyway, they don't have the ability to use it well, and it's a waste in their hands; it would be better to lend us a hand! Exploring the universe together, what a good thing, yet they insist on some kind of technology monopoly."
In the Dragon Kingdom, Su Chen was currently curled up on the sofa in his living room with his sister Su Youwan, staring intently at the live broadcast screen, his face full of astonishment.
Su Chen's brows were tightly locked, his eyes full of confusion and contemplation: "I didn't expect them to actually succeed in the launch?"
"But it taking six months to reach Mars is too slow!"
"If I remember correctly, the Aerospace Carrier reaches Mars in just two Space Jumps, which is a matter of about twenty seconds."
Time flew by like a white horse passing a crack!
Six months passed in a flash.