I ask you to build tractors, but you build rockets?

At Qiongzhou Yangxian Military Airport, three J11BS landed on the runway one after another, next to a Z-9 helicopter that had started.

After Deng Lei jumped from the back seat of the fighter plane, he was almost carried by a group of people and put into the helicopter. The three people were quickly transferred to the plane within a few minutes and squeezed into the large back row.

Before his butt was firmly seated, the pilot pulled the lever to rise, tilted the nose of the aircraft and flew towards the launch site.

The launch management personnel sitting in the co-pilot shook his body and turned his head and said apologetically:

"I'm sorry, comrades, but there are less than two hours before the launch. We have to rush there as soon as possible. I hope you understand."

There happened to be a Z-9 at Yangxian Airport, so it was used to carry the three astronauts. The person piloting the plane was the flight captain of the Army Airlines to pay maximum attention to their safety.

The three people crowded together in the back row. Zhang Zhiguang sat in the middle, holding Deng Lei's shoulders and using his loudest voice to drown out the noise of the paddles.

"Logically speaking, if you haven't started a family yet, you can't go to space if you are in the space agency, especially this mission is very dangerous.

Although you are the only one who has flown the actual H1 machine, there are many people in the team who have flown the simulator, and the risks involved are no less than those of the rescued astronauts. "

"Brother Zhang, I was also a soldier. Although I do not belong to the astronaut brigade, this is also my responsibility and mission."

Zhang Zhiguang nodded and looked at Li Sheng again:

"The two of us are 100 years old together. I never thought we would be able to go on another expedition."

Li Sheng: "But this time, it is the most nervous I have been in many years. I have never encountered such an unexpected situation."

Zhang Zhiguang: "Some people say that the boundaries between countries and nations will become blurred in space. It is not known whether this is true, but now we are indeed on the basis of internationalism and humanitarianism, for the sake of three human beings who have no interests with us. , paying huge costs and risks just to ensure their safety."

It took only 27 minutes to reach the 150-kilometer distance with the helicopter flying at full speed. At this time, there were still 83 minutes left before launch.

The aircraft landed directly outside the assembly building. At this time, Xinyuan 2 was rapidly refueling, and the liquid oxygen caused white mist to surround it. The airflow created by the helicopter made the white mist even more chaotic.

As soon as the three of them got off the plane, a bunch of staff were waiting there, escorting them to run to change clothes.

While putting on the space suits in the cabin with help, the engineer next to them also explained to them the precautions:

"Xinyuan's new space suit backpack is detachable and has much better flexibility, so for your safety you must wear an extravehicular space suit.

After catching up with TMA-17M, Li Sheng and Zhang Zhiguang asked you to secure the life-sustaining backpack. Zhang Zhiguang left the cabin to control the robotic arm. Li Sheng was on standby to prepare to leave the cabin. Deng Lei communicated with the ground to operate the space shuttle. This is your division of labor. ,Understand? "

The three of them nodded. They already knew this on the way, and there would be people who would continue to guide them after going into space.

It took more than 20 minutes to change into the space suit. In the locker room, people from the Launch Administration nailed two red flags to the wall.

"Everyone, there are no reporters or interviews in this expedition ceremony. There is only one minute to swear an oath and take photos. The hope is all on you!"

Under the bright red flag, the three people quickly recited the oath, took a group photo together without smiling while wearing half-open helmets, and then were surrounded by electric on-site work vehicles and drove towards the launch building to prepare. Flying into space.

At this time, a few fast-moving media took pictures from a distance, watching the three serious-looking astronauts squeeze into the small electric car and leave.

"Engine self-check!"

"02 and 07 are normal, 03 and 06 are normal, 04 and 05 are normal; 01 is normal."

"All connectors are connected normally."

"Separator self-test is normal."

"The fuel filling progress is 92%, and the filling is expected to be completed in 32 minutes."

"H1 self-inspection completed, waiting for the command chief to re-inspect!"

"..."

The launch control center is still busy but not chaotic. Everyone is in a hurry, but they can't be in a hurry.

If Unity crashes again, there really will be no second space shuttle to rescue it.

A few kilometers away from the launch site, thousands of people had gathered on the beach where launches are often seen, watching in surprise this unpredicted launch.

"You haven't said anything about launching a rocket recently. Why is there no announcement at all?"

"I just saw the rocket being pulled out this morning. I should have known the news at least a week ago."

"Don't you all watch the news? One of Lucia's spaceships is dead, and the astronauts are waiting to die. This space shuttle must be there to save people!"

"ah?"

…

It is now 11:35 on August 2, 47 minutes before the scheduled launch time. The morning news and major media have publicized the TMA-17M accident. Many people already know what happened. .

Baikonur did not release the images and audio-visual data of Soyuz TMA-17M, but stated that "the three astronauts' vital signs are intact and the rescue is actively being carried out."

The space agencies of various countries are not in the mood to send out anything at the moment. Even if they do, they have to wait until the rescue is over before sending out, otherwise they will be easily attacked.

The official Weibo accounts of the space agency and Xinyuan Aerospace released only a few photos and a short video, in which the three astronauts quickly swore an oath under the flag, and then almost jogged onto an unserious electric car and headed towards A few hundred meters away, Xinyuan No. 2 was billowing with white smoke.

"Director Lin" actually released a brief message:

"In space, we only have one identity as human beings. Xinyuan Aerospace Power has the responsibility and obligation to rescue any humans in danger in space. This rescue is free and does not require any organization to pay any fees. It is completely within the ethics of human beings in space. .”

Lin Ju was so busy coordinating all parties that he had no time to post. However, Lao Ma actually posted more than a dozen tweets in a row. He could no longer sit idly by.

You must know that his purpose now is not only to successfully implement the rescue mission, but also to break the blockade and join the mission of the ISS International Space Station.

TMA-17M is an aerospace disaster, but it is also a huge opportunity. Lin Ju and Ma Yilong both realized this.

After this rescue, the ISS will open a hole, and in the name of aerospace safety, the rescuer will begin to undertake the launch mission of the ISS.

As an International Space Station project united by more than ten countries, it also cooperates with many countries. If you can get a hand in it, the task of transporting people and cargo alone is enough to support several small aerospace companies.

Otherwise, Lin Ju and Ma Yilong would really be overwhelmed by humanitarianism, and they would have too much money and no place to spend it...

In the original historical line, Ma Yilong's Dragon spacecraft was developed into the second generation and carried out many cargo missions before it was allowed to carry people. Moreover, it did not replace Lucia's Soyuz spacecraft in carrying out manned missions to the ISS.

As two of the world's leading commercial aerospace companies, Kongcha and Xinyuan are competing.

Both sides are competing. Whoever can successfully rescue the astronauts first will become famous and may get involved in the big cake of ISS.

However, judging from the progress of Ma Yilong's Falcon 9 that has not yet been erected, Unity gets +1 point.

I went to Sanjiang today with my family, and there are still two days to go on the shelves. I am shamelessly asking for some recommendation votes~ I have already saved 110,000 articles today~ (ToT)/~~~