38: Chapter 38 Assembling the Stars

Low Earth orbit, altitude 420 kilometers.

There is no up, down, left, or right here, only eternal weightlessness and profound darkness, along with the curvature of the Earth covering half the field of vision, emitting a soft azure glow. Starlight here is undisturbed by the atmosphere, cold and clear, but at this moment, its brilliance is overshadowed by a gestating, even more massive man-made object.

That is the core hub module of the "Kunlun" Space Station, codenamed "Tianshu." It is a silver-gray cylinder approximately twenty meters long and five meters in diameter, its surface covered with neatly arranged solar panels and radiator grilles. Multiple docking ports and hatches are like joints on a mechanical behemoth, quietly waiting to connect with other parts. Floating about fifty meters away from the "Tianshu" module is an even stranger-looking structure—the "Intelligent Assembly Module," the core of this orbital assembly mission.

The main body of the assembly module is a cubic frame measuring about fifteen meters in length, width, and height, constructed from lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber composite materials. The interior of the frame is filled with guide rails, power interfaces, and data connection points. Most striking are the six eight-meter-long robotic arms mounted on different faces of the frame. These robotic arms are not simple replicas of industrial robots; their design is full of biomimetic ingenuity. The joints use a fused design of harmonic reducers and torque sensors, ensuring movements are both precise and possess sensitive force feedback. End-effectors can be quickly swapped based on mission requirements, ranging from fine gripping claws and multi-functional wrenches to welding and coating tools. Each robotic arm's "shoulder," "elbow," and "wrist" integrate high-resolution stereoscopic vision cameras and laser rangefinders, giving them nearly 360-degree blind-spot-free perception. The "brain" of all this is a dedicated photonic computing array based on the simplified architecture of "mystic light-1" at the core of the assembly module, along with autonomous control software driven by the "Nuwa" secondary AI.

By now, seventy-two hours have passed since the "Tianshu" module was launched into orbit and completed its self-check. Dozens of official space agencies and hundreds of amateur astronomy organizations worldwide are pointing telescopes and radars at this patch of sky. Dragon Country officially announced it would conduct a "technical verification of modular on-orbit assembly for space stations" and would broadcast it live globally. Everyone wants to see how the people of Dragon Country will "play with building blocks" in space without any astronauts performing extravehicular activities.

In the command hall of the "Chasing Light" headquarters, the atmosphere is even more solemn than during a rocket launch. If a launch is a brief explosion, then orbital assembly is a long and precise dance; any minor error could lead to a catastrophic collision or structural damage. Lin Shen sits at the main control console, before him real-time footage from the assembly module's multi-perspective cameras and a three-dimensional virtual scene generated by "Nuwa" that fuses all sensor data. He is not the direct operator, but the final monitor and decision-maker.

"All systems self-check complete."

"‘Nuwa’ (assembly module sub-unit) autonomous control program loaded."

"Relative navigation link with ‘Tianshu’ module established, positioning accuracy at the millimeter level."

"Robotic arm calibration complete, end-tools confirmed."

A series of crisp reports ring out through the channel.

"Begin," Lin Shen's voice is calm and steady.

The command is issued. The live broadcast switches, focusing on the assembly module.

The six robotic arms, like metal octopuses awakening from slumber, begin to move slowly and fluidly. They do not move randomly all at once but follow the optimal movement sequence planned by "Nuwa," coordinating with each other and avoiding space conflicts. Two of the robotic arms' ends switch to gripping claws with buffer pads, gently and firmly grasping the first connecting node module released from the most recent "vermilion bird-1" "space bus" mission—a silver-white body three meters in diameter and six meters long, shaped like a short, thick dumbbell.

"Capture complete. Commencing maneuver to preset docking coordinates."

The robotic arms begin to move, carrying the node module along a virtual trajectory that only "Nuwa" can precisely perceive, slowly moving toward a docking port on the side of the "Tianshu" module. Moving heavy objects in a weightless environment seems easy but is actually full of challenges: even a tiny force will cause the object to drift and rotate, requiring continuous attitude compensation. However, the robotic arms' movements are exceptionally stable; the node module is as if pulled by an invisible guide rail, with almost no shaking.

Engineers watching the live broadcast globally hold their breath. This level of precision in teleoperation would be extremely difficult even for an astronaut manually operating from inside a module, yet Dragon Country is relying entirely on AI and robots!

The node module gets closer and closer to the "Tianshu" module's docking port. When the distance shortens to ten centimeters, the robotic arms' speed decreases further, entering the most delicate micro-adjustment phase. The active docking probe at the head of the module and the receiving cone on "Tianshu" begin sub-millimeter alignment, aided by visual guidance and laser ranging.

"Contact!" the system prompt sounds. The probe slides precisely into the cone.

"Capture locking mechanism activated... Capture confirmed!"

"Sealing ring compression test... Passed!"

"Data and power interface connection... Confirmed!"

"Node module ‘Yuheng’ docking successful!"

A round of restrained applause breaks out in the command hall. The first module, successfully docked! But this is only the beginning.

The next forty-eight hours become a technological spectacle broadcast watched by space enthusiasts and the general public worldwide.

The assembly module's robotic arms work tirelessly. From the "space bus" cargo modules arriving one after another, they take out various forms of prefabricated components: rectangular experimental modules, spherical power modules, cross-shaped truss structures, and even folded skeletons for large flexible solar arrays intended for future expansion. These components are precisely grasped, transported, positioned, and connected in space by the robotic arms.

The welding robotic arm's end emits a dazzling plasma arc, silently welding alloy trusses into place in the vacuum; the fastening robotic arm uses a special space wrench to precisely tighten high-strength titanium alloy bolts to preset torque values; the wiring robotic arm, like a skillful tailor, pulls data and power cables of various thicknesses from prefabricated conduits, precisely plugging them into various interfaces and securing them with space-grade tape and zip ties; there is even a dedicated inspection robotic arm, carrying multiple probes, to perform non-destructive testing and leak tests on every completed connection point.

The entire assembly process presents an almost artistic sense of order and efficiency. The six robotic arms coordinate seamlessly, their movements as fluid as flowing water, with almost no pauses or waiting. Their control over their own strength has reached an uncanny level: they can steadily lift modules weighing several tons, yet also use their claws to pinch a floating tiny bolt that could pose a threat to precision equipment. In the live stream chat, comments from experts around the world are full of amazement:

"My God, how is their path planning done? They've completely avoided all possible collisions!"

"Look at that welding process! The plasma arc control in a vacuum is so stable, the weld bead is as uniform as if it were machine-printed!"

"They can even handle emergencies themselves! A small piece of insulation material just floated over, and one robotic arm directly paused its current action, used its end tool to gently flick it away, and then seamlessly continued its original task! This AI's real-time decision-making capability is terrifying!"

"This isn't just automation anymore; this is ‘intelligent construction’ in space!"

Voices of doubt followed, especially from official commentators of the Empire and the Federation, who repeatedly raised questions such as "whether the video was accelerated or edited," "whether astronaut assistance was hidden," and "whether such complex AI control is safe and reliable." To this, the Dragon Country broadcaster did not respond directly but added a corner to the live screen showing the real-time load rate of the assembly module's photonic computing array, the robotic arm joint torque data stream, and a summary of the "Nuwa" sub-unit's core decision logs (sensitive parts having been redacted). These cold, real data streams became the most powerful response.

At the seventy-second hour, when the last section of the main truss was installed and the final experimental module, "Yaoguang," completed docking and system integration self-check, the main structure of the "Kunlun" Space Station was declared complete.

The live camera zooms out, showing a magnificent complex composed of multiple modules and massive trusses, floating quietly against the azure background of the Earth. Its scale has already surpassed the International Space Station currently in orbit, and its structure is more modular, with huge expansion potential. The silver-white modules shine brilliantly in the sunlight, and the massive solar panels unfold slowly like angel wings, preparing to harvest the star's energy.

"The first-phase main structure of Dragon Country's ‘Kunlun’ Space Station has completed on-orbit assembly. All systems have passed self-check," the official narrator's voice carries uncontrollable excitement. "From the first module entering orbit to the completion of the main structure, it took a total of one hundred and sixty-eight hours. During this period, it relied entirely on an autonomous intelligent assembly system, without any astronaut extravehicular activities. This marks a milestone breakthrough for our country in the field of on-orbit space construction."

The world is in an uproar.

If the "space bus" demonstrated cheap entry capability and the "vermilion bird" recovery demonstrated reusable economic viability, then the intelligent assembly of "Kunlun" demonstrated Dragon Country's massive leap in long-term space presence and construction capabilities. This means they can not only send things up but also build large, complex space facilities up there with extremely high efficiency, low cost, and low risk. Future space factories, large observation platforms, deep space ship transit stations... the blueprint seems to have unfolded before their eyes.

At the Imperial Alliance Space Agency, Vincent looks at the now-scaled "Kunlun" station on the screen, his face ashen. The report before him shows that the first logistics module of "Zeus Station" has only just completed ground testing, at least two months away from launch. Meanwhile, the people of Dragon Country have already built a larger "outpost" in low Earth orbit! The gap in speed was cruelly laid out on the table.

"It seems the demonstration of ‘Star Shield’ didn't scare them," a subordinate whispered.

"No, they've picked up the pace," Vincent said coldly. "They know the cornerstone of defense is existence itself. With this station, they have an unsinkable aircraft carrier and forward base in low Earth orbit. Tell those below to speed up the ‘Zeus Station’ progress, and at the same time... initiate the close-range surveillance plan for the ‘Kunlun’ station. I want to know the detailed function of every one of its modules, especially those that look like interfaces for weapons or energy arrays."

Back at "Chasing Light" headquarters, the joy of success did not last long.

Just after the celebration meeting ended, Lin Shen was invited by Zhao Zetao to a small encrypted meeting room.

"Two things." Zhao Zetao got straight to the point, pulling up an intelligence summary. "First, the Imperial Alliance's ‘Sentinel-7’ platform and several reconnaissance satellites have adjusted their orbits to strengthen continuous monitoring of the ‘Kunlun’ station. Their ‘Star Shield’ prototype recently conducted several high-maneuverability drills in adjacent orbits, getting as close as less than a hundred kilometers to ‘Kunlun.’ Although they haven't crossed the line, the intent to provoke and test is obvious."

Lin Shen nodded; this was expected. "Tell the space station control center to activate all external monitoring sensors and record detailed data of every time they approach. At the same time, move external activities of non-core modules indoors or avoid the direction of their surveillance for now. Don't give them any excuses."

"The second thing," Zhao Zetao's tone became even more serious, "the specialized data link for the ‘Moon Palace’ project's precursor probe detected abnormal disturbances during its first high-bandwidth test attempt."

"What kind of disturbances?"

"It's not electronic interference; it's more like... a slight distortion of the spatial link itself." Zhao Zetao pulled up a complex signal waveform diagram. "The ‘Magpie Bridge’ No. 2 data relay satellite responsible for the relay reported extremely weak but abnormally regular phase jitter on the quantum encrypted link directed toward the Moon in a specific frequency band. After analysis, ‘Nuwa’ believes this does not come from any known human interference source; its characteristics... have a certain spectral harmonic correlation with the weak space-time ripple signals monitored at the lunar south pole void."

Lin Shen's gaze suddenly became sharp. "You mean when we tried to establish a deep data link to the Moon, we ‘awakened’ or ‘touched’ something over there? And it ‘responded’?"

"It's impossible to determine if it's a response or just some kind of passive ‘resonance’," Zhao Zetao said heavily. "But the correlation definitely exists. ‘Nuwa’ suggests that before the ‘Moon Palace’ probe is launched and begins substantial exploration, we should suspend high-intensity active signal testing in that direction to avoid unpredictable chain reactions."

Lin Shen took a deep breath and looked out the window, as if he could see through the clouds to that quiet but mysteriously laden satellite.

The success of the "Kunlun" station is a brilliant victory for humanity's construction capabilities in low Earth orbit.

But at the same time, the feelers pointing toward the shadows of the Moon seem to have felt a certain unfathomable "pulsation" from ancient times.

Construction and competition in space are reaching a fever pitch.

And deeper cosmic mysteries are slowly unveiling a corner of their veil along with the ripples of human activity.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhao Zetao: "Adopt ‘Nuwa’s’ suggestion and suspend active testing. But passive monitoring cannot stop; collect all abnormal data. Also, speed up the launch preparations for the ‘Moon Palace’ probe even more. We need to get first-hand information as soon as possible, no matter what is down there."

Peaceful construction and intense maneuvering intertwine in low Earth orbit.

And in the distant shadows of the Moon, ancient echoes seem to be becoming increasingly clear.