Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 517 Forerunner

On the morning of May 24th, the sky over the northwestern Gobi Desert was a clear, deep blue.

The scorching sun poured down, baking the vast, boundless sandy land until the air seemed to distort slightly.

After receiving approval from the military, Song Ci's special plane landed smoothly on the runway of Dingxin Airport in Dongfeng Aerospace City.

This airport is one of the largest military airports in China and even Asia. Normally, only fighter jets roar, and civilian flights need special approval to take off and land here.

The richest man's car was only allowed to land here through the channels of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The aircraft taxied to the designated parking apron, the cabin door opened, and the emergency stairs were lowered.

As Song Ci stepped out, a dry, scorching wind instantly swept over him, carrying the unique sandy smell of the Gobi Desert.

Looking down, I saw my mother, Liu Xiaoxian, my capable assistant, Zhang Xiaoping, and several key research personnel from the Aerospace Technology Division of Dewen Manufacturing, as well as core members of the Beihang University rocket recovery project team, already waiting there.

Behind the group, several dark green SUVs were parked quietly, ready to welcome the young billionaire.

"Mom! Xiaoping!" Song Ci smiled and hurried down the gangway.

When Liu Xiaoxian saw her son, her eyes held both a mother's tenderness and a scholar's composure: "I saw the weather forecast; it said there would be heavy rain in Beiping. I thought your flight would be delayed."

Zhang Xiaoping, in a booming voice: "Chairman Song! Welcome to the world-renowned aerospace science capital, the Eastern Aerospace City!"

A loud voice echoed across the empty tarmac, carrying a sense of pride and honor, for this is the sacred place where countless aerospace workers dream of their dreams.

Thinking that he would soon witness his own rocket, the "Pioneer 1," which embodies countless efforts and advanced concepts, complete its first hovering and recovery test, Song Ci was filled with excitement.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with his mother and Zhang Xiaoping, his gaze inadvertently swept across the crowd of people waiting at the airport, and suddenly fixed on a figure.

She was a young girl wearing a light blue research lab coat and with her hair tied in a neat ponytail.

She stood a little distance behind Liu Xiaoxian, with a tall and straight posture, a pretty face, and a cool and aloof demeanor that seemed out of place with her surroundings.

He stood out conspicuously among the group of researchers, some mature and others composed, like a delicate little flower that blooms by chance on the Gobi Desert.

That face! At first glance, Song Ci felt it looked somewhat familiar, but upon closer inspection, a sense of surprise welled up within her. Wasn't that Chen Duling?

The image of the female lead that Tengda Culture submitted when they were preparing to film "The Left Ear" flashed through my mind—it was this pretty and lively face.

At the time, I was amazed that life is full of surprises, and after all the twists and turns, the role ultimately ended up with Chen Duling.

A question arose in my mind. I thought she would take advantage of this opportunity to enter the entertainment industry and start her path to stardom.

How did it end up in this Gobi Desert, which represents the country's highest level of aerospace technology?
Liu Xiaoxian turned to the side, following her son's surprised gaze, and beckoned, "Duling, come here for a moment."

Upon hearing this, Chen Duling took a deep breath and, amidst the envious glances of several senior students around her, walked forward somewhat reservedly.

At this moment, face to face with this handsome idol whom I had only seen in the news, complex emotions flickered in his clear eyes.

There is curiosity and respect for top entrepreneurs, the joy of dreams coming true, and also the awkwardness of young students meeting industry giants.

"Let me introduce you to Song Ci," Liu Xiaoxian said with a light laugh, her words revealing her fondness for the young girl.

"She is the youngest member of the project team, Chen Duling, a very talented and thoughtful child."

He paused, his gaze shifting between the two of them: "Speaking of which, you two have a connection."

"Chairman Song, hello!" Chen Duling's voice was clear and crisp, with a clean quality unique to girls, and she bowed slightly. "It's a great pleasure to meet you. I... I really like your 'Left Ear'."

Upon hearing this, the little girl's cheeks flushed slightly.

They seemed to realize that mentioning a work of art in such a serious aerospace setting would be somewhat inappropriate.

But this was indeed her truest thought. In her mind, the image of Song Dynasty poetry was multifaceted.

She is not only a tech tycoon and business mogul whom one looks up to, but also the author who wrote the story of "Little Ears" and touched her heartstrings.

Song Ci smiled gently: "Hello, Chen Duling. Ma Xin mentioned you to me when he was filming 'The Left Ear,' and he spoke highly of you."

He paused slightly, his tone revealing surprise and emotion, "I just never expected to see you here, let alone become my mother's student. Fate is truly wondrous."

Chen Duling understood the unspoken meaning behind Song Ci's words: she was surprised by Song's life choices.

He raised his head, his eyes firm and serious: "Chairman Song, I believe that exploring the starry sky is more challenging and allows for a greater realization of personal value than acting out stories."

Thank you, Professor Liu, for giving me the opportunity to join the project team, and thank you for your strong support of the aerospace industry.

The words were concise, yet conveyed a clear ambition.

Song Ci secretly admired her. Regardless of the circumstances, a young girl giving up a glamorous path to stardom and choosing the thorny road of scientific research is admirable in itself.

"Exploring the stars and creating stories are both acts of creation and spiritual pursuits." Song Ci's smile deepened, her words filled with encouragement and expectation. "Welcome to join this space adventure."

After a brief conversation, Liu Xiaoxian reminded him at the right moment: "Let's go, Song Ci. Dean Wang and the others are ready at the launch site."

Everyone quickly got into the cars, and the convoy drove out of the airport, speeding towards the rocket launch base deep in the Gobi Desert.

Outside the car window stretched an endless desolation, with jagged rocks and interwoven sand, unfolding into an unchanging ancient landscape.

Inside the car, Zhang Xiaoping quickly reported the final preparations to Song Ci.

"The Pioneer 1 rocket is already standing on the launch pad. The final joint check of all systems was completed early this morning, and the data is normal."

"Today's weather conditions meet the launch requirements; wind speed and visibility are within permissible ranges."

"The hovering procedure was successfully loaded. The key test will focus on the rocket's vector thrust control and precise fuel management during the low-altitude phase..."

Song Ci listened quietly, but his gaze occasionally swept across the magnificent yet desolate scenery outside the window.

About an hour later, the convoy arrived at its destination.

In the distance, a rocket, not particularly tall but with sharp lines, stood quietly on a makeshift launch pad, its white body reflecting a dazzling light under the blazing sun.

On the rocket, the words "Pioneer 1" are clearly visible in blue. It is the vessel of everyone's dreams, the crystallization of countless people's hard work and expectations.

After everyone got off the bus, Song Ci stood there, staring at the rocket for a few seconds, her eyes so deep it was as if she were having a silent conversation with this steel creation.

He then took a deep breath, turned around, and followed the others quickly toward the command and control center.

Upon entering the control center, the environment suddenly changed.

A huge electronic screen occupies the entire wall, displaying densely packed data, real-time fluctuating curves, and close-up images of key parts of the rocket that scroll continuously.

The sounds of keyboard typing, command confirmations, and the slight hum of the equipment running were interspersed.

Upon seeing Academician Wang, who was overseeing the operation, Song Ci quickly stepped forward and respectfully greeted him: "Academician Wang, thank you for your hard work! It's kind of you to personally supervise the operation."

Academician Wang smiled warmly and shook Song Ci's hand firmly: "Mr. Song, welcome to the Dongfeng field."

He then gave a brief overview of the base's current operations to the "investor," saying, "This system at the base has withstood the test of time for many years; its reliability is top-notch. Now, it's up to the 'pioneers' to perform." After the brief conversation, the atmosphere in the command center became increasingly tense.

On the communication channel, calm and clear reports from various positions rang out one after another, linked together and pushing the process forward.

Everything was in perfect order. Song Ci, Liu Xiaoxian, and Zhang Xiaoping stood behind the command post, while Chen Duling and other young researchers stood in the observation area a little further back.

"Ten minutes to prepare!"

"One minute to get ready!"

"...ten, nine, eight, seven..."

The countdown echoed through every corner of the control center via the loudspeaker system, striking a chord with everyone.

Song Ci could clearly hear the strong beating of her heart. She maintained a calm expression on her face, with only her slightly narrowed eyes and taut jawline revealing the turmoil in her heart.

"...Three, two, one! Ignition!"

As soon as the command was given, the rocket's tail suddenly spewed out blazing flames and thick smoke on the screen!

Even through thick soundproofing and a kilometer away, the enormous roar could be faintly heard, shaking the earth.

With a dazzling plume of flame, the Pioneer 1 rocket steadily and resolutely lifted off the ground, defying Earth's gravity and ascending towards the azure sky!
The control center was completely silent, save for the soft hum of the various instruments and the sounds of operators reporting data.

"Takeoff normal!"

"Procedure turn!"

"The flight attitude is stable!"

"500 meters... 800 meters... 1000 meters..."

The rocket continued to ascend along its predetermined trajectory, leaving a graceful white trail in the sky.

Everyone's heart was in their throats as the light steadily rose higher.

When the real-time data display shows an altitude of approximately two thousand meters and a speed reaching the predetermined value, a critical command is issued!
"Hovering procedure initiated!"

On the screen, the rocket, which had been accelerating upwards, suddenly stopped, and the shape of its tail flame changed significantly, no longer shooting downwards at full force.

Instead, through precise adjustments of multiple thrust chambers, the rocket's attitude is changed from vertical upward to a near-hovering state.

Pioneer 1 seemed to be held aloft by an invisible hand, hovering steadily in place, achieving a delicate balance with Earth's gravity.

In the control center, suppressed gasps instantly rose up, a mixture of shock and elation.

Although I've seen it countless times in simulators, witnessing a colossal creature hovering statically in the real sky is an unparalleled visual and psychological experience!

Hovering! This is the most crucial and technologically demanding step in rocket reusability technology!
The rocket hovered at its designated altitude for twenty seconds.

These brief twenty seconds felt like an eternity, serving as the best proof of the sensitivity of the vector thrust control system, the flight control computer algorithm, and the accuracy of the navigation and guidance system.

"The hovering deviation is far lower than expected!"

"Fuel consumption rate matches model predictions!"

"Prepare for vertical descent!"

With the issuance of new instructions, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.

The rocket, several stories high, began to descend slowly and vertically at an almost elegant speed!

It is no longer free fall, but a controlled, purposeful return.

The engine readjusts its thrust to counteract gravity and ensure the stability of the rocket's attitude.

The descent is even more nerve-wracking than the ascent. The slightest deviation could lead to failure or even damage to the rocket.

However, Pioneer 1 performed exceptionally well, accurately following the preset descent trajectory and steadily landing in the designated recovery area on the ground.

The altitude is getting lower and lower... one hundred meters... fifty meters... ten meters...

Finally, as everyone held their breath, the rocket landed steadily and gracefully in the center of the recovery site!

The bracket touched the ground, stirring up a small cloud of dust, and the engine immediately shut down.

After a brief silence, deafening cheers erupted in the control center!
"Success!"

"We made it!"

"The hovering and recovery test was a complete success!"

A relieved and incredibly proud smile appeared on Liu Xiaoxian's face. She turned around and patted her son's shoulder heavily, conveying a thousand words in that single gesture.

Zhang Xiaoping's eyes instantly reddened, and she took off her glasses to wipe her eyes; Chen Duling, standing in the back row, had her usually cool face flushed red as she clapped vigorously.

Song Ci slowly loosened his clenched fist, a surge of immense joy and a sense of accomplishment filling his chest, his heart pounding with excitement.

The chief test commander excitedly announced: "The Pioneer 1 rocket's low-altitude vertical takeoff and landing and hovering tests have been a complete success! All planned tasks have been completed, and data collection is complete!"

The applause was thunderous and lasted for a long time.

After calming down a bit, Academician Wang smiled and walked towards Song Ci: "Chairman Song, this success has also verified that the technical solution proposed by Dewen is excellent."

Pioneer 1 chose liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants instead of the more aggressive methane, and in hindsight, that was the right choice.

Zhang Xiaoping added at the opportune moment: "Chairman Song, the liquid oxygen-kerosene combination has three major advantages: first, it has high propulsion efficiency and mature technology."

Secondly, kerosene is liquid at room temperature, making it more convenient and safer to store and use than liquid oxygen methane, which requires extremely low temperatures, thus facilitating technology verification and rapid iteration.

Third, the combustion products are clean, effectively controlling engine carbon buildup and facilitating post-recovery testing and reuse.

After listening attentively, Song Ci nodded and said, "Thank you all for your hard work. The success of this land test proves that the technical approach is feasible and marks the most solid first step."

Looking out the window, it's as if you can see through the boundless Gobi Desert and reach the distant blue ocean.

"But this is just the first step. It's just about getting the rocket to 'stand firm' and 'learn to walk' in a relatively simple, static environment."

Turning around to face Academician Wang, his mother, and Zhang Xiaoping, he spoke with a firm and resounding voice: "The focus in the future is on testing offshore recovery platforms."

Unpredictable winds and waves, the shaking of the mobile platform, and the corrosive environment of high salinity and humidity are all new variables that need to be overcome.

The success in the Gobi Desert is just a beautiful starting point. Only on the turbulent sea can Pioneer Rocket grow into a mature product capable of supporting a business empire.

Academician Wang's eyes were filled with expectation: "No rush, no rush. Let's do a good job on land first, then go to sea. Let's proceed steadily! China's aerospace industry needs the courage to explore and experiment, and the ability to move forward steadily."

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(End of this chapter)