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

As the world's only integrated spacecraft lunar landing plan, the configuration of the Dawn spacecraft is basically the same as that of the Apollo spacecraft half a century ago.

The "Full Moon" lander is located in front of the command module of the Dawn spacecraft, and is connected to the docking port of the command module with a fixed port at the bottom.

In other words, just like the Apollo spacecraft, when astronauts land on the moon, they need to separate the lander first, then turn around 180 degrees and dock with the command module again, so that the astronauts can climb into the lander.

The purpose of this is because if the lander's ascender is docked with the command module during ground launch, the load-bearing capacity of the docking interface and the overall structural strength will not meet safety standards. The bottom must be fixed with explosive bolts, and it will be separated again in the lunar orbit. .

It was still challenging to complete this operation on the moon for half a century, but now there is no risk challenge.

The only difference between the Dawn spacecraft's lander is that it uses a single engine as the recoil force for landing, instead of multiple small engines like the Apollo spacecraft, so the fixed structure is longer.

At this time, in the global live broadcast, the camera of the command module/return module was pointed at the lander in front. As the separation command was issued, the screen shook slightly after about 3 seconds. This was the vibration caused by the exploding bolts.

The four RCS of "Full Moon" carefully pushed the lander away from the command module and stopped about 10 meters away.

Then it slowly changed its direction under the adjustment of the ejected gas, and aligned the docking port of the ascender with the command module in preparation for docking.

Although it is an unmanned mission, it will still dock, separate, and automatically open the docking port door like a manned mission, simulating the entire process of astronaut entry.

This process took almost 30 minutes. Everything was automatically controlled by the onboard computer of the Dawn spacecraft. The ground did not intervene and there was no time to intervene.

When the "Full Moon" separated again, the three "Laurel" resource exploration satellites and a bunch of detectors on the ground provided position guidance services for it, which was unimaginable in the Apollo era.

The Explorer series detectors on the lunar surface all have powerful power and are the most dazzling beacons in the dark. It is almost impossible to find the wrong location of the "full moon".

In the third hour after landing, the space control center sent landing instructions.

"Full Moon" first began to decelerate and de-orbit along the planned route. In order to save fuel, it fired multiple times, which took almost an hour.

Claire Borden looked at the countdown displayed in the upper left corner of the live broadcast and temporarily switched back to her own live broadcast of the Isis 1 landing.

At the same time as he cut over, the number of online viewers of Isis was also skyrocketing.

So...everyone came to Shuguang 2 waiting for an opening?

But at this time, Isis 1 had already landed for two hours, and was rushing to the Qom Crater while the sun's angle changed!

Facts have proved that NACA still has technology. Although it has not carried out a lunar surface exploration mission for many years, the sky crane originally designed for Mars on Isis 1 still worked perfectly. After gently putting down the lunar rover, it flew aside and became a ball. Rubbish.

The landing site of Isis 1 is only 17 kilometers away from the Qom impact crater. According to its speed, traveling 10 hours a day is only half a month. In fact, a month is more reasonable.

So now there are 9 detectors around the Qom crater...

Now, Isis 1 is turning its wheels tenaciously, moving forward at a speed of more than 160 meters per hour.

…

"Old Shen, you said Isis No. 1 is here, should we go say hello?"

Shen Zuozhou: "I think it's unnecessary."

"It's not like making trouble. If you think about two detectors coming from 380,000 kilometers away, Explorer II can bring them a piece of ice as a gift."

Representatives from Xinyuan opened their minds and kept thinking of ways to "welcome" Isis 1.

"Also, Isis 1 is too slow to arrive. Let Explorer II run over for at most one day. We can follow it, study its structure carefully, and gain experience in building a Mars rover in the future."

Shen Zuozhou: "But isn't the model of 'Yinghuo' already being selected?"

"Yinghuo" is the code name of the nuclear-powered Mars rover project finally planned by the Aerospace Development Commission. It is a general-purpose nuclear-powered wheeled self-propelled patrol platform with plans to manufacture four units.

The indicators currently proposed are that it weighs 2.1 to 2.7 tons, has a power generation capacity of more than 5KW, and a variety of comprehensive detection capabilities, etc.

There are currently 4 configurations being compared with each other, and it is expected to be officially launched before May and enter the development and construction stage.

But no matter which configuration it is, it is much more powerful than the "Curiosity" platform.

Shen Zuozhou also participated in a configuration plan, but he was not too confident.

The two of them passed the time with such small talk, checking the "full moon" status from time to time, and an hour passed quickly.

The laser rangefinder mounted on the Yutu 3 lander is now pointing at the "full moon", guiding the latter to correct its course.

The powerful YF75M engine flexibly swings the nozzle under precise control, and the lander continues to lower its altitude at a descent rate of 15 meters.

At this time, people with stronger eyesight can already see the two small black spots below in the picture returned by the lander's camera, which are the Yutu 3 and Explorer 6 robots.

When it was less than 30 meters away from the lunar surface, the throttle valve of YF75M was opened to the maximum. The powerful reverse thrust caused the lander's speed to be close to zero when it was only two or three meters away from the lunar surface, and then it completely descended under the action of the recoil airflow. The last few meters.

The engine was shut down, the four landing legs were heavily inserted into the lunar soil, and the "Full Moon" landed perfectly at the planned landing site.

Yutu 3 and Explorer 6 are both more than 100 meters away. At this time, they are walking on four legs. The other four legs are holding large ice fragments or moon rocks. They are coming from farther away. Collected them somewhere and brought them here.

There is a cylindrical storage tank in the ascending part of the lander. The robot needs to climb in and take it out, put the samples it collected into it bit by bit, then dig some lunar soil on the spot, seal it and put it in the ascender. After several docking transfers, it is expected to be returned to Earth in 10 days.

However, the lander was not idle while waiting for the robot to arrive. The two lunar rovers hanging on the side were being deployed and lowered.

This is a real lunar rover with no special functions. It is simply a lunar rover made for astronauts to move quickly on the lunar surface.

The lunar rover is named "Delu", which means it is very fast. The maximum speed of the lunar surface can reach 45km/h, and the cruising range can reach 70 kilometers (not a virtual standard).

The tires of "Delu" are not solid rubber wheels or metal mesh woven tires, but pneumatic tires with an internal pressure of 10 kPa. Although the technology is more difficult, it can bring higher speed and better comfort.

It weighs 220 kilograms, can carry 2 astronauts, and has a payload of up to 480 kilograms. It uses traditional chemical batteries with a maximum power of 950 watts.