When I am reborn, I just want to be a top student

In mid-December, the north wind in Jiuquan is as sharp as a knife.

The sand and gravel on the Gobi Desert were swept up by the wind and hit the silver-gray exterior walls of the launch center, making a fine and continuous rustling sound, as if someone was repeatedly polishing the entire building with extremely fine sandpaper.

With the launch window for Trailblazer 2 fast approaching, the entire team is in a state of high tension before launch.

Yang Anchao has been staying in the final assembly and testing hall for several days without getting a full night's sleep.

He personally oversaw the final system review, checking every single parameter before signing off.

The backdoor incident in the flight control system has just subsided. The engineer who was bribed by a foreign organization has been taken away by the security department, and all the contaminated code modules have been rolled back to a safe version.

Nuwa used a quantum computing platform to run a full code scan, comparing line by line every historical version of hundreds of thousands of lines of code, confirming that there were no backdoor remnants in the current version.

But the repercussions of this incident have yet to subside.

It was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, the ripples spreading from the launch center all the way to Beijing.

A team of experts, jointly formed by the China National Space Administration, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and several top universities, quickly assembled and flew from all over the country to this location within a very short time after receiving the notification.

The expert group consists of more than 30 members, covering multiple fields such as aerospace dynamics, flight control systems, materials science, communication engineering, life support systems, and space experiments.

There are elderly academicians with gray hair, as well as technical backbones in their prime.

Their mission on this trip has two objectives: first, to provide final-stage technical support for Pioneer 2; and second, to explore deeper cooperation mechanisms with GalaxySpace.

The reason is self-evident.

In just a few years, GalaxySpace has transformed from a private aerospace company into a major force in deep space exploration. Its Hercules engine, whole-rocket lunar landing program, quantum communication technology, superconducting coating technology, and AI autonomous navigation system are all capable of rewriting the global aerospace technology roadmap.

Not to mention, the West has been sending tentative messages through informal channels, which has made the national team realize that it must form a closer strategic partnership with Galaxy Aerospace as soon as possible.

When the first manned lunar landing was achieved, the outside world could say it was luck, a coincidence, or an exceptional case that was made at all costs.

But if it succeeds a second time, it will no longer be a coincidence. It will be a testament to the maturity of the technology, a demonstration of the system's capabilities, and a qualitative leap for China's aerospace industry from "being able to go up" to "being able to stand firm" and then to "being able to stay for a long time".

That's why this launch can't afford the slightest mistake.

Wang Donglai's private plane arrived on the same afternoon.

As he stepped off the gangway, the north wind of the Gobi Desert made the corner of his overcoat flutter loudly.

Yang Anchao, along with Lao Zhou and several core engineers, waited for him on the tarmac. His face showed the fatigue from working overtime for several days, and there were obvious dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes were still sharp.

Wang Donglai grasped Yang Anchao's hand and went straight to the point without any pleasantries: "The backdoor issue was handled very well, but this incident reminds us that every brick we build on the moon must be protected from all unseen hands, starting from the foundation."

Yang Anchao nodded, his voice hoarse but firm: "Don't worry, Mr. Wang. The flight control system has undergone seven rounds of cross-validation. Wa used the full computing power of the Tiangong platform to scan all historical versions, and there was no second backdoor. The engine underwent three additional tests, and the guidance simulation was rerun five times, each time set according to the most stringent boundary conditions, including the data from the previous problem with the magnetic field gradient in the pre-ionization chamber, which was also completely rerun. All results are within the envelope of the design specifications, without any deviation."

Wang Donglai nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Old Zhou behind Yang Anchao.

Chief Engineer Zhou stood half a step behind Yang Anchao. His hair had turned quite a bit whiter than when they last met, but his back was still ramrod straight.

He held a test report in his hand, the cover of which was marked as a data summary of the ninth additional test of the Lisu engine.

Wang Donglai took the report, flipped through it carefully, lingered for a few seconds on the columns for combustion chamber pressure fluctuation and turbopump speed stability, then closed the report and handed it back to Lao Zhou, saying only one sentence: "The data is impressive, but it's not due to luck, it's due to every sleepless night you've spent. I've seen all the work you've done."

That evening, the main conference room at the launch center was brightly lit.

More than 30 expert group members, along with Wang Donglai, Yang Anchao, and core engineers from Galaxy Aerospace, sat around a huge circular conference table.

A giant screen hangs on the wall, displaying a complete mission profile of Pioneer 2, from launch to Earth-Moon transfer, from lunar soft landing to horizontal rocket placement, from module docking to base modification, from scientific experiments to long-term stay, each node is clearly marked with a different color.

A thick stack of confidentiality agreements was placed on the conference table, and each participant was informed of the technical details and confidentiality level of the experiments involved in this mission.

However, Wang Donglai did not spend too much time on the confidentiality agreement.

When he entered the conference room, he only glanced at the stack of documents on the table, then went straight to the head seat and sat down, looking around at the experts present.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the mission objectives of Pioneer 2 have been clearly stated in the plan we sent you before. I will not repeat those numbers today. Among those present are veterans of the aerospace system, key personnel from various institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and theoretical experts from universities. You have come here from all over the country not to hear me read the plan again. So today, I will only talk about three things."

He held up three fingers, his voice not loud, but the entire conference room instantly fell silent, even the faint sound of the air conditioning vents in the corner was exceptionally clear.

"First, the backdoor incident taught us a lesson. Security reviews must be implemented at the forefront of every stage. It's not about plugging problems after they occur, but about building the walls before problems arise. Second, this launch is not a repetition of the first manned lunar landing; it's a completely new mission. What we're building on the moon isn't a temporary foothold, but a cutting-edge scientific research platform that can operate continuously, expand itself, and support long-term stays. Third, every experiment on this platform corresponds to China's long-term strategic layout in key technological fields. As you will see in the following discussion, these experiments are not isolated. Data from biological breeding will feed back into the life support system, the results of materials experiments will influence the construction plan for the next generation of base expansion, and once quantum communication is successfully implemented, the data relay for the entire deep space exploration will have a foundation."

He pressed the remote control, and a 3D model of a lunar base popped up on the screen.

After landing, the Pathfinder 2 rocket will be integrated with the Pathfinder 1 rocket via orbital docking to form a composite module.

The propellant tanks of the two rockets were connected, and the modules were docked to form a T-shaped layout. This is the first truly modular permanent base built by mankind on the moon.

The interior of the rocket was modified to increase usable space several times over, with the common area more than doubling in size. A floor made of lunar soil bricks was installed, and integrated environmental control panels were mounted on the walls. The control room was moved to the middle section of the T-shaped structure, and the original instrument compartment was transformed into a miniature medical room equipped with basic first-aid equipment and a telemedicine terminal.

More importantly, there are newly added experimental modules.

One section is dedicated to biological culture and materials preparation, equipped with a small centrifuge, a spectrometer, and a fully automated sample processing system, capable of completely recording every stage of crystal growth under lunar gravity.

Another section is dedicated to quantum communication and deep space exploration, and is equipped with the latest generation of quantum entanglement distribution terminals and a high-precision time and frequency system with independent power supply.

The two life support systems are redundant, and the water circulation and oxygen regeneration devices can simultaneously meet the needs of six astronauts when operating at full load.

Four Yugong robots have already begun excavating lava tube entrances near the Shackleton Pit Chain in preparation for the next phase of expansion. However, the expansion of the lava tubes takes a long time, and before they are completed, the T-shaped base will be the core carrier for all experiments.

Wang Donglai broke down each functional area of ​​the base, explaining everything from tank modification to compartment docking to energy distribution and data transmission, layer by layer.

No one interrupted him in the meeting room; the only sounds were the scratching of pens on paper and occasional hushed discussions.

He pulled up the second image, a detailed plan for the biological breeding experiment.

"The three types of legume seeds we sent to the moon—soybeans, mung beans, and alfalfa—were not chosen randomly."

He pointed to a comparison of the gene maps of the three crops on the screen and said, “Soybeans are a core source of oil and protein, and China imports nearly 100 million tons annually, making it highly dependent on imports. Mung beans are an important coarse grain crop, drought-resistant and tolerant of poor soil, suitable for promotion on marginal land. Alfalfa is a high-quality forage, and China's livestock industry is also highly dependent on imported alfalfa. What changes will occur in the gene expression of these three crops if they are grown for one season in the low gravity and high radiation environment of the moon? No laboratory on Earth can simulate this. After the astronauts bring the seeds back, we will conduct whole-genome sequencing in our laboratory in Tangdu to identify the gene fragments that are activated in the lunar environment, and then use gene editing technology to precisely replicate them. If this path is successful, the yield per mu of soybeans in China may reach a new level in the future.”

An expert from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who studies agricultural biology looked up, adjusted his glasses, and his eyes shone with an excited fervor.

Before coming, she had read Wang Donglai's brief description of space breeding and thought it was just a side project of this mission.

Only now does she realize that behind this "side project" lies a complete strategy from breeding to promotion, including seed selection, mutation, screening, gene locking, editing and replication, field trials, and regional promotion. Every step has already undergone preliminary research in Tangdu's laboratory.

"Quantum communication!"

Wang Donglai pointed to the third section on the screen and said, "Our quantum entanglement distribution terminal has already completed preliminary testing at the Earth-Moon distance on the Pioneer 1 spacecraft, and both signal attenuation and entanglement fidelity have met design specifications. The version carried by Pioneer 2 this time is an upgraded version, with an entanglement distribution rate increased by an order of magnitude and stronger anti-interference capabilities. If this system works at the Earth-Moon distance, the next step is to verify it at even greater distances in deep space, such as Mars, the asteroid belt, and even further. This lays the foundation for future deep space exploration communication networks. Without quantum communication, data transmission from deep space exploration can only rely on traditional radio frequency, and bandwidth and latency will become bottlenecks."

Materials Science!

He pointed to the fourth section and explained, “The vacuum environment and extreme temperature differences on the moon cannot be replicated simultaneously in any laboratory on Earth. This time, we placed seventeen alloy samples and nine composite materials on the extravehicular exposure platform, allowing them to be directly bombarded by cosmic rays. The irradiation aging data of these materials are irreplaceable fundamental data for the development of next-generation spacecraft structural materials and the first wall materials of nuclear fusion devices. The collection cycle for each set of data has been precisely calculated, and the astronauts will periodically retrieve the samples according to the mission schedule, package them, and bring them back to Earth.”

He paused for a moment, then brought up the last section: the biological circulatory system.

"What we're verifying this time isn't just physical and chemical life support, but a simplified bioregenerative closed loop. The carbon dioxide exhaled by the astronauts is converted into oxygen through a microalgae bioreactor; urine and wastewater are recycled into potable water through membrane filtration and distillation; and food scraps and plant waste are decomposed by microorganisms into basic fertility for the growing soil. If this system can operate stably for a period of time, we can extend the stay and increase the number of astronauts on the next mission. Every verification lays the foundation for the next step. When the biological cycle system can independently support the astronauts' survival needs, the lunar base will no longer rely on Earth for supplies, and that will be a true extraterrestrial settlement."

He placed the remote control on the table, his gaze sweeping across the faces of every expert present.

The meeting room was quiet for a moment, then applause broke out.

It wasn't the kind of polite, perfunctory applause, but rather heartfelt applause born from being deeply moved by a grand and clear vision.

Yang Anchao sat to Wang Donglai's right. He didn't applaud, but stared at the experimental system architecture diagram on the screen for a long time before asking, "President Wang, can these four sections be carried out simultaneously? Biological breeding requires observation of the entire growth cycle, material exposure requires a sufficiently long irradiation time, and the circulation system also needs stability verification. If these experiments are done in series, the timeline will be very long."

"We can proceed simultaneously, but resource allocation must be prioritized. The life support system is the top priority, and the safety of the astronauts is always the bottom line. If the life support system malfunctions at any time, all experiments must give way. Breeding experiments and materials experiments can proceed in parallel, and quantum communication can be tested using the window of opportunity without affecting the progress of other experiments. Engineer Yang, you and your experimental team should refine the specific timeline separately after the meeting and send it to me for signature tomorrow morning."

Yang Anchao noted this down in his notebook, then looked up and asked, "Should the nitrogen replenishment plan be run together with the first biological cycle test? Oxygen and metals can be extracted from lunar soil, but nitrogen is almost non-existent on the lunar surface. If we rely on Earth for replenishment, we'll have to bring nitrogen up specifically for every future mission, which is too costly."

Wang Donglai nodded slightly and turned towards the expert group.

An elderly academician in charge of the life support system took over, his voice hoarse but his reasoning extremely clear: "The most mature solution currently is to recover urea from astronauts' urine to decompose it into ammonia, and then catalytically crack it to recover nitrogen. This solution has been running on the International Space Station for many years, and its technical maturity is not an issue. However, there is a variable under lunar conditions: whether the nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the microalgae reactor can work stably in a low-gravity environment is currently unknown. We suggest that this time, we first introduce nitrogen-fixing bacteria on a small scale in the bioreactor to conduct preliminary activity tests, without directly integrating them into the circulation system. If the activity data meets the standards, we will formally integrate them in the next mission."

Wang Donglai wrote down each of the suggestions and then pulled up an encrypted report on the screen.

The cover reads: "Preliminary Research on Technical Routes for In-situ Utilization of Lunar Resources".

He opened the report, his tone calm but his pace clear: "Next, I want to talk about what happens after the mission. Once this base is built, it won't just be a platform for experiments; it will be humanity's first factory, first mine, and first self-sufficient outpost on the moon. Lunar soil contains oxygen, silicon, iron, aluminum, and titanium—elements that don't need to be transported from Earth. The Yugong robot is already testing the process parameters for sintering bricks from lunar soil. The first batch of sintered brick samples has already undergone structural strength testing in the ground simulation chamber, and the data is good, but it still needs long-term verification in the real lunar environment. If the verification is successful, the next step is to directly sinter building components from lunar soil—not just individual bricks, but large-span arched roofs, radiation-shielding outer walls, and hardened paving for take-off and landing pads."

He turned to the next page and continued calmly but firmly: "Lunar soil also contains helium-3, a nuclear fusion fuel that is extremely rare on Earth. We cannot yet achieve commercial controlled nuclear fusion, but the commercial demonstration reactor of thorium-based molten salt reactors has already been connected to the grid in Gansu Province, and the technical route has been successfully tested. The next step is to put the verification of helium-3 extraction technology on the agenda. The small experimental device brought up by Pioneer 2 can perform preliminary gas evolution analysis on lunar soil samples, accumulating basic data for subsequent large-scale extraction. When the lunar base can build its own houses and extract its own energy, it will have the ability to expand itself. One base can become two, two can become four, and it will no longer be a research station, but the prototype of a small town, a real lunar settlement."

The meeting room was extremely quiet.

The elderly experts with their white hair, the technical backbone in their prime, and the young researchers who were just beginning to show their talents were all looking at the architectural diagram on the screen, which showed the T-shaped base gradually expanding into the prototype of a lunar town. No one spoke, but everyone's eyes were shining.

That wasn't fanaticism fueled by incitement, but something deeper. Many of them dedicated their entire lives to the aerospace industry, spending decades in the Gobi Desert, their hair turning white in the laboratory, and their youth passing away amidst the roar of the test stand.

They once thought they would never see Chinese people land on the moon, or see a lunar base turn from blueprints into reality.

And now, someone is telling them: not only do they have to go up there, but they also have to settle down; not only do they have to settle down there, but they also have to build a settlement; not only do they have to build a settlement, but they also have to expand it, from a base to a town, and from a town to the first human settlement on the moon.

One can easily imagine how excited and thrilled they must have been. (End of Chapter)