Chapter 408

The big screen in front of the podium.

Following a huge roar, a dazzling fire flashed.

The Long March 3B carrier rocket slowly lifted off carrying the Chang'e 4 probe.

The entire ground command center held their breath the moment the detector took off and stared at the big screen without blinking.

Gu Lu raised his head and looked at this exciting scene nervously.

The Chang'e-4 probe, tasked with exploring the far side of the moon for the first time in human history, was launched from the Jiuquan Launch Base in Xichang at exactly 30:30 in the morning on December 12, 2018!

There is no live broadcast online or on TV this time.

Therefore, the only people who could witness this scene were less than a hundred people in the entire command center.

Gu Lu stared at the screen without blinking, for fear of missing any detail.

And the entire command center, after being silent for a few seconds, started to get busy again.'

"Report the data!"

Wu Zheng supported the podium with both hands, held the microphone and shouted loudly.

"Yes, the rocket speed is 1.5 kilometers/second, the altitude is 10.25 kilometers above the ground, the temperature is 158.25 degrees Celsius, and the remaining fuel is 4.21 tons. The data is all normal!"

A data monitor quickly reports the data.

All data are within normal values.

But everyone in the command center was not in a hurry to be happy.

Because this just means that everything is normal during the launch process.

Compared with the entire Chang'e-4 detection plan, this is just a simple step.

Every thirty seconds, the data monitor reports the data.

122 seconds after the launch of the Long March 3 carrier rocket...

Wu Zheng issued the order in a deep voice.

"Booster separation!"

After Wu Zheng issued the order, the booster engine at the tail of the launch vehicle was shut down.

The explosive bolts and separation nuts used for connection are unlocked respectively, and the solid small separation rocket installed on the booster is ignited, pushing the booster away from the rocket core stage, and the booster falls freely to complete the separation.

At this time, the launch vehicle's flight speed reached 4.2 kilometers/second.

"The first and second levels are separated!"

Twenty seconds later, Wu Zheng issued another order again.

The engine of the first stage is shut down, the main engine of the second stage is ignited, and the explosive bolt connecting the two stages is detonated and unlocked.

In this way, the first sub-stage is pushed away by the high-speed gas flow ejected by the second-stage engine, and the first sub-stage and the second sub-stage are separated.

"Cowl throw!"

"Second-level, third-level separation!"

Section after section of the launch vehicle trunk was separated.

When the third-stage engine ignited again, the rocket's speed had been increased to 7.9 kilometers/second.

7.9 kilometers/second.

This is the value of the first cosmic velocity.

After that, the rocket continued to accelerate again, driven by the engine.

The height keeps rising.

20 minutes later.

The rocket carried the Chang'e-4 probe out of the Earth's atmosphere.

The launch vehicle will soon complete its final mission.

After the last engine ignition was used to push the Chang'e-4 probe into the predetermined orbit, the rocket completely separated from the probe.

The rocket debris will become space junk floating in space.

"What's the orbital deviation?" Seeing that the launch vehicle and Chang'e-4 probe were completely separated, Wu Zheng turned around and asked.

The staff on the side quickly came up with the data, "The specific deviation distance is 0.87 kilometers and the angle is 3.25 degrees."

"Start orbit correction!"

"yes!"

The staff entered a bunch of parameters.

As you can see on the big screen, Chang'e-4 has begun to move onto its predetermined orbit.

Everyone in the entire command center breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

Because they know that the Chang'e-4 lunar exploration project was considered a smooth success from the launch of the probe to the entry into Earth's orbit.

"Prepare for Earth-to-Moon transfer!"

The next stage is the earth-moon transfer process.

The Chang'e-4 probe moved from above the Earth to near the moon.

The distance between the Earth and the Moon is more than 384,000 kilometers.

According to the current operating speed of Chang'e-4.

The entire earth-moon transfer process will last four days.

"The probe successfully entered the scheduled Earth-moon transfer orbit. Will it start the Earth-moon transfer?"

"Yes!" Wu Zheng took a deep breath and spit out this word.

Ten seconds later.

Seeing the picture of the probe slowly flying towards the moon according to the predetermined orbit shown on the big screen, the originally tense and depressing atmosphere in the command center cleared up a lot.

Every researcher has a happy smile on his face.

As for Gu Lu, Director Zhou was the first to stand up and applaud.

Then there was a wave of applause in the entire command center.

After the applause stopped, Wu Zheng, the chief engineer, said with a smile, "Although the whole process is going well so far, we must not take it lightly, because there are greater challenges waiting for us later!"

"Four days later, when our probe successfully lands on the moon, I will toast with you at the celebration banquet!"

Wu Zheng is telling the truth.

The probe successfully entered the Earth-Moon transfer orbit, which is just the first step in the entire project.

Next, there are two problems waiting for them: near-lunar braking and probe landing on the moon.

So...there is no need to relax at all!

After finishing his speech, Wu Zheng came to the seats where several leaders were sitting.

After exchanging pleasantries with several leaders, Wu Zheng walked next to Gu Lu.

"Professor Gu, how do you feel?" Wu Zheng asked with a smile.

Gu Lu's eyes had not yet left the big screen in front of the podium.

After hearing what Wu Zheng said, Gu Lu nodded, "It's shocking!"

"Eleven years ago, when the Chang'e-1 probe landed on the moon, I was there. To be honest, the scene at that time still left an indelible impression in my heart! That's why I devoted myself to aerospace without any hesitation.

Career. As someone who has been there, Professor Gu, I understand how you feel!" Wu Zheng patted Gu Lu on the shoulder.

Wu Zheng raised his wrist and looked at the time on his watch.

One fifty!

Twenty hours have passed since the launch at 30:30 in the morning until the probe successfully entered the Earth-moon transfer orbit.

After nearly an hour and a half of intense concentration, not only Wu Zheng, but also the rest of the people in the command center were also feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

But at this time, they must still stick to their posts.

"Professor Gu, it's getting late now. Do you want to stay here with us, or should I ask the driver Xiao Liu to take you back?" Wu Zheng asked Gu Lu for his opinion.

"Can I still go back?" Gu Lu was stunned for a moment.

Gu Lu thought that since he stepped into the building of the National Space Administration, he would not be let go until the probe officially landed on the back of the moon!

"Of course." Wu Zheng laughed and waved his hand, "Professor Gu, we will not put you under house arrest here."

"You can go back here first, but you will need to come over again when the detector enters the moon landing phase in four days."

Gu Lu agreed, "Of course there's no problem with that!"

No need to remind Wu Zheng.
Chapter completed!