Chapter 543: Wait, where is the third stage rocket?
Translator: _Min_ Editor: Rundi
Celestial-1, the red letters were engraved onto the body of the rocket.
The declared launch project was a meteorological satellite. The use of meteorological satellites as the first launch was undoubtedly easier compared to other launch projects. But even so, for a small country without fundamental space technology, the first launch with satellite would be considered difficult to begin with.
Not only did the United Nations sent observers, but about thirty local or foreign journalists were also invited to the launch site as this exciting moment should be shared by people around the world. They were specifically allowed to enter the barracks, stand on the sentry tower, and film the launch process
For Xin, it was bound to be a historic moment.
An aerospace superpower?
The uneducated islanders never thought this would be a reality, but when they saw their new neighbors from all around the world discussing the problem with looks of disbelief, the original settlers of Pannu Islands felt a strong sense of proudness.
How is a country unity formed? It is through witnessing one’s own country achieving things that other countries wouldn’t believe and completing the unthinkable feat.
Who would have thought that a small sea island country that just finished a regime change with a total population of less than one hundred thousand people could become one of the few countries that possessed the ability to launch satellites independently? It was unbelievable.
But this unbelievable moment was destined to be recorded in history.
“A launch pad 30 meters in height? Are you joking? Mr. Calvin.” Henry scanned the rocket outside nervously before looking toward Calvin, who was completing the last inspection with the workers.
30 meters high launch pad and Henry visualized the height of the rocket which was 32 to 34 meters or so. Celestial Trade would obviously not provide them with the specific design drawings of the rocket, but with his experience in the field of aerospace, he could deduce the specification of the rocket.
The miniature launch vehicle was not non-existent, but there was no way Henry believed that this tiny could have the capability to launch a miniature launch vehicle. Taking into account the rocket fuel push ratio, as well as the size of the rocket engine nozzle, to estimate the rocket thrust, he didn’t think the rocket design was scientific at all.
Disregarding if the rocket could accelerate to the speed to overcome the Earth’s gravitational pull or not. Henry was skeptical if the rocket could even fly out of the atmosphere or not.
To respond to the skepticism of the United Nations’ observer…
“Do you think I’m joking with you?” Calvin raised his eyebrows and looked at the observer.
“Based on the structure of the rocket, I know this thing won’t even lift off.” Henry scorned.
“That just means you’re ignorant. You will never know our rocket engine—”
“Ahem.”
When Calvin heard Jiang Chen coughing, he immediately stopped talking. The NDA of Celestial Trade was no joke, and he realized he almost leaked some information.
Jiang Chen then looked at Henry.
“Mr. Henry, I remember you are an observer of the United Nations and not the technical consultant hired by Celestial Trade. If you think the firecracker outside the window won’t fly up, you can go back on the boat. I promise, when you go, there won’t be any soldiers stopping you.”
Henry’s expression changed indefinitely with a mixture of emotions appearing.
Obviously, he won’t run back to the boat now, or the media outside would capture his facial expression and put it on the headlines tomorrow along with the name scaredy cat. If the rocket launch failed, there would be no problems, since it would just mean that he had the foresight. But if the launch really succeeded, he would have slapped his own face.
Since Jiang Chen dared to stand there, that meant even if the launch were to fail, safety was not of concern. So Henry recollected himself and no longer spoke.
If Jiang Chen knew what he thought, perhaps he would burst out laughing.
There were no precautionary safety measures at all. The reason he dared to stand there because he was not concerned with the launch failing.
But some people obviously thought otherwise.
Henry shut his mouth, but the other observers were still whispering amongst themselves exchanging opinions.
“I can guarantee that this thing won’t reach the stratosphere. The first stage launch vehicle is too short, even with NASA’s technology, it would be impossible to do this. I suspect that they may have been off by a decimal during the design phase and no one realized it even after the rocket was built,” A slightly chubby man turned his head and whispered to his colleague.
“Ah ha, other than the first part of the sentence, we share the same opinion,” A female with curly hair spoke in a grave tone.
“The first part? You think they could fly it out?” The man in disbelief raised his voice by a notch.
“At most troposphere, if the launch experiences no technical difficulties.” The woman mocked.
“Haha—”
Calvin glanced at the United Nations observers with infuriated flames in his eyes. Although he didn’t design the rocket, it still took him a lot of effort to understand the technology behind it. As a researcher that seek the truth, he would not permit anyone to humiliate this launch technology with monumental meaning.
Calvin clenched his fists and was just about to go off at them.
But then, Jiang Chen patted him on the shoulder.
“Prove to them. Remember you are a scientist, not a boxer.”
When Calvin heard Jiang Chen’s words, he realized he was too emotional. Seeing Jiang Chen nod at him, he took a deep breath, forced the discontent out of his mind, walked to the control panel, and turned on the radio.
“Report rocket status.”
“…Roger, currently compiling information… Rocket check work is complete! The rocket is prepared to launch!”
“This is the command center, attention all personnel, initiate launch sequence!” Calvin commanded into the radio and then looked at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen nodded, walked beside the launch location, opened the tempered glass cover, put his hand above the launch button. Calvin turned on the radio again with his eyes locked onto the rocket outside of the window.
The launch center’s atmosphere began to tense up. Henry hid away the arrogance in his eyes, and the United Nations observers stopped whispering as they all focused their attention on the launch pad outside.
“Launch countdown initiated! 5!”
“4!”
“3!”
“2!”
“1!”
“0! Ignite!”
The instant Jiang Chen heard zero, he pressed the red launch button.
Grey smoke instantly covered the launch pad outside of the window. At the same time, a blinding red light broke through the smokescreen. The rocket separated from the launch pad, with the thrust of the ignited booster, the rocket began to accelerate and pierced into space.
Jiang Chen then casually stood aside.
Calvin’s palms were covered in sweat as he anxiously stared at the numbers on the control panel.
Henry glanced at Jiang Chen completely calm and then peeked at the control panel. When he saw the height, speed, and acceleration increasing, the contempt in his eyes turned into sternness.
“Height 48 km, through the stratosphere!”
“Height 81 km, arrived in the warm layer, beginning to turn!”
“219 km! Celestial-1 successfully turned, first stage rocket beginning to separate!
“Separation successful! Arrived at the first universe speed…”
“Height of 483 km, successfully broke through the atmosphere!”
“Height 1000 km, the rocket is continuing to accelerate!”
“…”
“Height of 35,000 km, the rocket is approaching the synchronous orbit! Second stage separate!”
On the screen, the second stage launch vehicle connected to the camera’s secondary rocket slowly stalled, with the rocket head separating. At the same time, the rear end of the rocket head ignited, moving toward the farther orbit with the propulsion of the jet.
At this moment, everyone gazed at the slowly rising height of the control panel.
When it stopped at 35785 km, everyone held their breath!
It stopped!
It stopped! Not the slightest error!
“We have arrived at the synchronous orbit! We have succeeded!”
Followed by the exciting shout, all the workers inside the launch center threw their documents into the air in celebration. Calvin was as excited as a little kid as he threw his fists in the air and hugged his colleague.
Henry stared at the control panel as if he had just seen a ghost without a single word coming out of him.
Because of the atmosphere, Jiang Chen proudly smiled and leisurely walked to the United Nations observers that believed there was no way the launch would succeed.
The chubby man opened his mouth wide due to the shock. Someone could even fit an egg inside. Jiang Chen walked beside him and the female as he ridiculed.
“I am sorry that our rocket didn’t experience a launch failure. The rocket not only went through the atmosphere, but it also arrived at the synchronous orbit.
At this point, Henry reacted as his soul finally returned to his body. He stared at Jiang Chen in disbelief.
“This, this is impossible … wait, where is the third stage launch vehicle?”
“Third stage launch vehicle?” As if he had just heard something comical, Jiang Chen began laughing.
When it seemed like he had laughed enough, he paused, in front of the Henry with a stiff expression and said contemptuously
“We don’t need that stuff.”
