I built an armada.

Meanwhile, the ground control center was completely silent.

Reeves could even hear his own heartbeat.

Although Miller is a female astronaut, her skills are so advanced that she is in no way inferior to any man's.

There were pilots on the ground more skilled than Miller, but the originally scheduled pilot encountered an accident.

This is entirely due to that damned political struggle.

Reeves had no choice but to select the best among the less qualified candidates, taking into account factors such as age and skills, and ultimately chose Miller as the female astronaut.

He now only hopes that Miller's driving skills will not disappoint him.

"Distance 20 meters... 15 meters... Capture arm extends... Target locked..."

Miller was completely focused, and beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead.

Her pressure was no less than Reeves' on the ground.

Reeves was more worried about his own future.

But if he fails, Miller will be burdened with the lives of two astronauts.

Putting aside the fact that the mission failed and how much public criticism she would face, she herself couldn't get over that mental hurdle!

Under Miller's control, the robotic arm slowly extended, and the capture device at the end opened its mechanical hand.

"10 meters... 5 meters... Ready for contact... Situation good, proceed with formal contact!"

A slight vibration was felt as the robotic arm successfully gripped the outside of the International Space Station.

Miller breathed a slight sigh of relief, but she knew the mission was not completely over.

Due to limited conditions, the stability of the grip points that the two astronauts attached to on the outer shell of the International Space Station could not be estimated.

If the attachment point is not securely connected, the rescue operation could very well fail.

Miller pressed the button without hesitation, and immediately the rigid docking adapter extended and pressed against the docking port of the space station.

She then activated the sealing ring, which created a temporary hard connection and pressurization channel at the connection point.

The process had some minor fluctuations, but the final result was still satisfactory.

While not a perfect integration, it is sufficient for personnel relocation and to provide basic stability support given the current situation.

"Connection confirmed! Channel pressurization in progress!"

A suppressed cheer erupted from the control center.

Reeves leaned heavily against the sofa and let out a sigh of relief.

For dozens of hours, he dared not leave the control center, fearing he might hear some bad news.

Only when the connection was finally successful did he finally feel relieved.

A few minutes later, Mark and Elisa, wearing extravehicular activity suits, climbed into the rescue spacecraft from the International Space Station through the temporary passageway.

This process was extremely slow and was a real ordeal for Miller.

Having remained in space for too long, the two astronauts' movements had begun to become distorted.

In addition, to avoid any accidents, both astronauts wore extravehicular activity suits, making the whole process extremely difficult.

Miller was finally relieved after the two astronauts successfully completed the transfer.

Normally, once you've picked up the person, you should leave.

But Reeves wasn't satisfied with that.

He not only had to bring the two astronauts back, but also ensure the continued stable operation of the International Space Station.

Therefore, this connection process will continue for more than four hours.

This time is reserved for the engineers aboard the rescue spacecraft to repair the International Space Station and replace the damaged parts.

Miller really wanted to disconnect and leave immediately.

But with a mission to complete, she had no choice but to patiently wait.

Fortunately, the engineers sent by Reeves were quite skilled, and the progress was very smooth.

The repair process even ended twenty minutes ahead of schedule.

After this repair, the International Space Station will likely be able to continue operating stably and will not face the prospect of being scrapped.

Without a doubt, if they successfully return to Earth, Reeves will become the undisputed space hero of the entire Eagle Tribe.

After all, he was the one who led the entire project.

As for the pilot of the rescue spacecraft and the two astronauts who had to stay on the International Space Station for a year... they probably won't get anything.

When the rescue spacecraft's hatch finally closed and it detached from the International Space Station, thunderous applause erupted in the control center on Earth.

Satisfied, Reeves left the control center and dialed the Great Chief's contact information.

"I think we can now contact the media to announce this good news."

……

Dozens of hours later, the rescue spacecraft carrying two exhausted astronauts and three rescue team members embarked on its journey home.

The return capsule successfully landed in the designated area of ​​the Pacific Ocean, and rescue ships arrived quickly.

As Mark and Elisa were helped out of the return capsule and onto the swaying deck, feeling the force of Earth's gravity, they both staggered and could barely stand.

Their faces were pale, their eyes sunken, but the expressions on their faces were incredibly excited.

A year later, they finally felt gravity again, and no one could truly understand what they were going through.

This feeling of being grounded was more wonderful than any moment in their previous decades of life.

Mark knelt down in excitement and kissed the deck.

Even though the deck was swaying, the solid feeling from gravity brought tears to his eyes.

On the rescue boats, media personnel carrying cameras and microphones were already prepared.

When Mark stood up, the microphones were almost shoved into his mouth.

Facing the camera, the two astronauts finally showed their first real smiles in 365 days.

Unlike any of their previous interviews where they had forced smiles, this time their smiles were genuine and heartfelt.

Can you share your thoughts?

"Having been stranded in space for a year, what are your biggest feelings now?"

Do you two believe that staying in space for such a long time could cause irreversible damage to your bodies?

"Can you share your thoughts?" Faced with numerous questions from the media, the two astronauts simply answered a few pre-prepared questions.

When the rescue boats reached the shore, there was a group of media interviewing them.

However, the media on shore were not as mild-mannered as the media that had been arranged on the rescue ships.

The two astronauts answered only a few pre-prepared questions. After a brief welcoming ceremony, they posed for the camera a few times before being taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The report quickly spread around the world.

The two astronauts, who had been stranded in space for a year, have finally returned home.

To the surprise of many, netizens in the Longxia tribe did not express any negative opinions about this matter.

The greater concern is about the physical condition of the two astronauts.

Some netizens were utterly speechless after seeing the on-site reports.

The two astronauts were stranded in space for a year. After finally being brought back, shouldn't the first thing to do be to send them to the hospital to check their health?

These people actually have the mind to put on a welcoming ceremony?
The entire welcoming ceremony didn't seem very long, but it still took almost an hour.

During the hour, both the High Chief and Levi gave speeches, while the two astronauts waited quietly on the sidelines.

If such a thing happened in the Longxia tribe across the ocean, it would be unimaginable.

But when applied to the Eagle Tribe, everything seems so reasonable.

……

After the welcoming ceremony, the two astronauts were sent to a specialized hospital for long-term isolation, rehabilitation, and comprehensive medical examinations.

The reason why the Eagle Tribe was so proactive in providing medical care to the two people was not because they had a change of heart, but because these two people were excellent subjects for experimental observation.

After all, to date, no other astronaut in the world has stayed in space for up to a year.

Especially considering that these two individuals are a man and a woman, the experimental sample is quite abundant.

Preliminary examination results indicate that the health conditions of these two individuals are worrying.

Significant muscle atrophy, bone loss, cardiovascular dysfunction, and spatial anemia...

The doctor even suspected that both individuals had experienced some irreversible changes in their neurocognitive abilities, which would require further detailed and comprehensive examinations and evaluations.

After seeing their test results, the two astronauts fell silent.

But in the end they made no statement.

After all, those gentlemen were already willing to provide them with free medical care, so they didn't dare to ask for more.

If they really don't know what's good for them, it's hard to say whether they'll even exist in this world once this wave of popularity passes.

In any case, even though the road to recovery is very long, they have finally gone home.

At the same time, the official propaganda machine of Eagle Pineapple also went into overdrive, praising this epic rescue effort.

Of course, the one who stole the show in this wave of publicity was the Great Chief.

After all, he personally approved the rescue plan and personally selected Reeves.

If it weren't for the wise decisions of the Great Chief, how could this rescue operation have gone so smoothly?
As for your question about what to do if the rescue operation fails... obviously, the blame for the failure will definitely be placed on Reeves.

After all, he's the one in charge, isn't he?
Reeves was naturally unwilling to let the Grand Chief steal all the limelight.

Therefore, in this wave of public opinion campaigning, Reeves also used some of his connections to leave a considerable impression on the public.

His company's stock price also rose accordingly, and all sorts of cooperation intentions flooded in.

Reeves was not blinded by this superficial honor.

It is necessary to carefully distinguish which ones are genuinely seeking cooperation and which ones are just trying to gain traffic.

In addition, Reeves also has to deal with pressure from the Great Chief.

Although the rescue mission is over, Reeves' mission is far from over.

After all, the International Space Station is still in orbit. Even though Reeves has completed the initial repair work, no one can guarantee that the space station will not have problems again until a complete inspection report is released.

Therefore, Reeves also needs to send his professional team to conduct a thorough overhaul of the International Space Station to ensure that it can continue to operate.

Humans are such greedy creatures.

Before the two astronauts were taken off the plane, the chief was thinking that all he needed to do was get the two of them off the plane.

But these two people were accepted, and the Grand Chief wanted to ensure the stable operation of the International Space Station.

Reeves was actually quite reluctant to work on repairing the International Space Station.

Unlike rescue missions, which not only bring him fame but also a large national order from which he can make a considerable profit, rescue missions are different.

Repairing the International Space Station is a different story. Reeves not only has to reluctantly cooperate with those established aerospace companies, but the profits are also meager.

As for the fame one can gain, it's better than nothing.

Even though it was a losing deal, Reeves had no choice but to accept it.

A week later, a repair team consisting of engineers from Eagle Tribe Aerospace Company and experts sent by Reeves was formed.

Leveraging Reeves' launch experience and close-in operation techniques, the research team quickly developed a comprehensive maintenance and repair plan.

The plan was not difficult and the cost was relatively controllable. After some bargaining, Reeves only bore part of the cost, while the other part was passed on to Congress.

As for how many of them made a fortune from this, that's another matter entirely.

In short, a month later, a specially modified cargo spacecraft was launched.

The spacecraft carried a large number of replacement parts for the space station, as well as various specialized tools.

The entire overhaul process lasted thirty-eight hours!
You won't know until you check, and what you find when you do is shocking.

There are many damaged or short-circuited cables and pipes on the International Space Station, and the attitude control thrusters have also encountered some problems.

Some of the locked robotic arm joints were also replaced.

In short, after this overhaul, the International Space Station should have no problem operating for another ten or eight years.

Although some minor systems may require a thorough repair in subsequent missions, all core systems have been restored to normal operation and are fully capable of continuing scientific research.

The Grand Chief even brazenly declared at a press conference that the International Space Station had been given a new lease on life!
"...This demonstrates our unparalleled troubleshooting capabilities and unwavering spirit, and I pledge that the International Space Station program will continue to operate, serving the scientific exploration of all humankind!"

You know what, those voters actually buy into it.

At least after this incident, the Chief's approval rating has reached a new high.

In conclusion, this extremely absurd space crisis, which lasted for nearly a year, ended in a relatively satisfactory manner. (End of Chapter)