Chapter 408

A large screen in front of the podium.

With a loud roar, a blinding flash of fire flashed.

The Long March-3B carrier rocket carried the Chang'e-4 probe into space.

In the entire ground command center, the probe held its breath the moment it was launched, staring at the big screen without blinking.

Gu Lu raised his head and looked at this exciting scene with the same nervousness.

The Chang'e-4 probe, the mission of exploring the far side of the moon for the first time in human history, was launched at the Jiuquan Launch Base in Xichang at 30 a.m. on December 12, 2018!

This time there was no live online or TV broadcast.

Therefore, only the less than 100 people in the entire command center can witness this scene.

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

And the entire command center, after a few seconds of silence, began to get busy again. ‘

"Report the data!"

Wu Zheng propped up the command platform with both hands and shouted loudly with the microphone.

"Yes, the rocket speed is 1.5 km/s, the altitude above the ground is 10.25 km, the temperature is 158.25 degrees Celsius, the fuel is 4.21 tons left, and everything is normal!"

A data monitor quickly reports the data.

All data are at normal values.

But the people in the command center were not in a hurry to be happy.

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

Compared to the entire Chang'e-4 exploration program, this is just a simple step.

Every 30 seconds, the data monitor reports the data.

122 seconds after the launch of the LM-3 launch vehicle......

Wu Zheng gave an order in a deep voice.

"Booster separation!"

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

The explosive bolt and the separation nut for connection are unlocked separately, and the solid small separation rocket is ignited on the booster, and the booster is pushed away from the rocket core stage, and the booster falls freely to complete the separation.

At this time, the launch vehicle flew at a speed of 4.2 km / s.

"The first sub-level and the second sub-level are separated!"

Twenty seconds later, Wu Zheng gave another order.

The first sub-stage engine is shut down, the second sub-stage main engine is ignited, and the explosive bolts connecting the two stages are detonated and unlocked.

In this way, the first substage is pushed away by the high-velocity gas flow ejected from the engine of the second substage, and the first and second substages are separated.

"Fairing thrower!"

"The second sub-level and the third sub-level are separated!"

Section after section of the launch vehicle trunk was separated.

By the time the three sub-stages ignited again, the rocket's speed had been increased to 7.9 km/s.

7.9 km/s.

This is the value of the first cosmic velocity.

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

The height is constantly rising.

20 minutes later.

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

And the launch vehicle will also be close to completing its final mission.

After the Chang'e-4 probe was pushed into a predetermined orbit with the last engine ignition, the rocket completely separated from the probe.

The wreckage of the rocket will become space junk floating in space.

"What is the orbital deviation?" Seeing that the launch vehicle and the Chang'e-4 probe were completely separated, Wu Zheng turned his head 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 orbital correction!"

"Yes!"

The staff crackled and entered a bunch of parameters.

On the large screen, it can be seen that Chang'e-4 has begun to run into a predetermined orbit.

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

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

"Prepare for the Earth-Moon Transfer!"

The next stage is the Earth-Moon transfer process.

The Chang'e-4 probe moved from the Earth to the vicinity of 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 transition process will last four days.

"The probe has successfully entered the predetermined Earth-Moon transfer orbit, will it start the Earth-Moon transfer?"

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

More than ten seconds later.

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

Each researcher had a happy smile on their face.

On Gu Lu's side, Director Zhou was the first to stand up and applaud.

Then the entire command center was filled with a wave of applause.

After the applause stopped, Wu Zheng, as the chief engineer, said with a smile, "Although the whole process is going smoothly at present, we must not take it lightly, because there are bigger challenges waiting for us behind!"

"Four days later, when our probe has successfully landed on the moon, I will raise a glass with you at the celebration banquet!"

Wu Zheng was telling the truth.

The successful entry of the probe into the Earth-Moon transfer orbit is only the first step in completing the entire project.

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

So...... No slack!

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

After exchanging a few words with several leaders, Wu Zheng walked to Gu Lu's side.

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

Gu Lu's gaze had not yet left the big screen in front of the command platform.

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

"Eleven years ago, when the Chang'e-1 probe landed on the moon, I was at the scene, and to be honest, the scene at that time still leaves an indelible impression on my heart! That's why I devoted myself to the aerospace industry without hesitation. As a person who has come over, Professor Gu, I understand your feelings very well!" Wu Zheng patted Gu Lu on the shoulder.

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

1:50 a.m.!

It has been a twenty-hour period from the ignition launch at 30 a.m. to the successful entry of the probe into the Earth-Moon transfer orbit.

With a high level of mental concentration for nearly an hour and a half, not only Wu Zheng, but the rest of the people in the command center were also deeply exhausted.

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

"Professor Gu, it's not too early now, are you going to stay with us, or will I ask the driver Xiao Liu to send you back?" Wu Zheng asked Gu Lu's opinion.

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

Gu Lu also thought that since he stepped into the building of the China National Space Administration, he would not let himself go until the probe officially landed on the far side of the moon!

"Absolutely. Wu Zheng smiled and waved his hand, "Professor Gu, we won't put you under house arrest here." ”

"You can go back first, but you'll need to come back again when the probe enters the moon landing link in four days. ”

Gu Lu responded, "Of course this is no problem!"

No need to be reminded by Wu Zheng.

Gu Lu has long been clear about this.