Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

Because the carrying capacity is sufficient or even exceeds the limit, the entire space station structure can be launched at once without having to carry things up piece by piece. These disassembled core modules weigh a total of 120 tons. After they are launched, docked, secured, pressurized, and inspected, they can serve as the core area of ​​the future space station.

Subsequent launches will transport more space station structures upwards until an orbital port is completed. After that, a large number of components and necessary unmanned manufacturing systems will be launched upwards to begin building round-trip spacecraft in space and to begin exploration and repair work on the Ark.

This step is expected to take about 1 to 2 years. Next, it will take about 1 year to complete and continue the construction of the unfinished part of the ark. At the same time, it will take about half a year to install and test the warp engine. Then, the warp beacon will be deployed to obtain the warp guidance signal left by the Covenant stargate or the research vessel. Once the warp flight is in place, the warp will jump to the high orbit of the target planet to begin colonizing the new home.

This is the best-case scenario. If the research vessel has to leave midway, then Lao Xia will have to run away in advance to avoid missing the opportunity. In that case, the doctor and his team will have to spend a long time flying to the target star system, deploying the beacon, and waiting for the Covenant's follow-up rescue and handling work.

Cargo loading begins after the rocket is erected, which is slightly different from the normal launch procedure. This is to save time, rather than launching directly after everything is prepared on the ground.

Meanwhile, the three selected astronauts and two backup astronauts are also making final preparations, putting on protective gear. Compared to the spacesuits they wore before, the spacesuits do not have many additional functions.

It simply adds an internal oxygen circulation decarbonization system, a jetpack, and a radiation-resistant shell. The space equipment produced by Star Alliance is certainly not the early soft spacesuits, but a rigid, armor-like structure. Although it is incredibly heavy, it is not difficult to wear with the addition of internal skeletal support.

Compared to earlier spacesuits, it not only offers greater protection but also allows for the installation of numerous functional modules. It is also very convenient to put on and take off, almost requiring only one click to put on. However, its drawback is its weight, which made it virtually impossible to send such an astronaut into space with the early space technology.

After putting on her gear and tidying up her belongings, Zao Lu took a deep breath, opened the car door, and felt the heavy electromagnetic boots crunching softly on the gravel. She tucked her helmet under her arm and looked up at the towering tower in front of her and the rocket next to it, which was painted red and white like an orca.

Although it no longer resembles an orca as much as it did at first, especially after the two booster engines were installed at the tail, making it look more like an upright airship, it still appears somewhat endearing and less fierce.

"Hey, nervous?" Her companion reached out and patted her on the shoulder. Zao Lu turned around. "Ah, it's you, Aria."

Behind her is a former lighthouse keeper from Iberia, now an unemployed woman, selected for a simple reason: she performed best during her anti-loneliness training.

Perhaps this is related to her long-term solitary life in the Iberian Lighthouse, and her talent in energy systems. Most importantly, she can emit a bio-electromagnetic wave that can be received by surrounding creatures and soothe their emotions, somewhat similar to the Sarkaz royal family's ability, but with some differences.

Because this kind of reassurance is gradual and progressive, rather than directly pulling the other person's nervous system and consciousness into one's own, the reassurance is more like a lighthouse or a fireplace radiating warm light.

In life in space, her ability is extremely important. It can greatly relieve the stress of astronauts and prevent the development of Pandora syndrome (deep space syndrome), which is far more harmful than the space environment itself.

Just like a fish leaving the water and coming ashore, when the work is busy and novel at the beginning, nothing will happen. However, as time goes on, being confined in a small space for a long time, and the silence in space is quieter than any kind of silence on the ground, it is a pure deathly silence.

For humans, such an environment can cause severe psychological stress, gradually leading to irritability or even hysteria, and resulting in sequelae such as hallucinations, memory loss, and temporal disorder. This is why astronauts need to undergo corresponding anti-loneliness and anti-claustrophobia training.

Not only do they need to meet physical and intellectual standards, but they also need to be selected from the best in terms of willpower. Only through rigorous training can they have the opportunity to become representatives who have completely stepped out of the planetary gravitational field. Even the best astronauts selected cannot persist for too long. Therefore, it is very important to find something for them to do to relieve stress.

Green plants, games, regular ground communication greetings, and even live streaming from space and playing interactive games can all help prevent them from developing a complete fear of isolation and alleviate this psychological pressure. Even so, psychological intervention will still be needed after they return to Earth.

Even inside the space station, there are dedicated doctors who regularly conduct psychological and health assessments to determine if you can continue to stay on the station and complete your mission. If any abnormalities occur, you will return to Earth on the next spacecraft. However, since this could lead to staff shortages and certain risks, it's best to avoid such a situation altogether.

However, with technological advancements, as space stations and spacecraft have grown larger, Pandora's syndrome has gradually disappeared. Although in the Star Alliance, even those like Lao Xia who need to go on field missions have undergone specialized combat training and remained remarkably calm during the forced landing in the snowfield, the actual chance of developing the syndrome is already very low.

After all, in addition to warships, the larger Star Alliance ships have dedicated lounges and activity rooms, while luxury cruise ships have zero-gravity swimming pools, audio-visual libraries, and banquet halls. The number of people on board can be in the hundreds or thousands, equivalent to a small town. You will not suffer from any mental illness because of this.

As for those peripheral colonies and small ships with only a few people, the latter only move within a small range, and for the passengers it is just a short drive. Moreover, the former usually have endless things to do and plenty of ways to relax. Otherwise, why would the Covenant's "farmhouse" or "hunting club" be so popular?

For those small colonies, this oldest form of human entertainment truly served as a powerful outlet for emotional stress. The thrill of outwitting and outmaneuvering prey and the excitement of killing allowed them to release all their negative emotions—which is why the lowest rank in the hunting hierarchy uses modern weapons.

Arya was selected because her Originium Arts can greatly extend the lifespan and on-duty time of astronauts; other requirements can be appropriately relaxed.

The first three astronauts are Early Dew, Deep Indigo (Aria), and Nightingale. Nightingale must be included, regardless of whether her actual abilities meet the requirements, because she is a medical operator.

The two backup assistants were Truth and another Sarkaz girl. Truth was added on the spot... she was a relative, not because she had any special connections, but because she represented journalists, so she was put in as a backup.

If all goes well, there will be a detailed report and interview about Kazdel's first space station. This is in preparation for drawing people from Ursus, as many parts of Ursus are suffering from small-scale attacks and unrest due to the Internal Rebellion. Promoting technological and aerospace news in this way can effectively arouse the interest of the Ursus people.

Whether the nobles are willing to join or not is not important, as long as the Ursus people are willing to become gracious. The reason why Ursus is the first choice is not because it is close in distance, but because Ursus has a vast territory with a long, unmonitorable land in the north. For the Ursus people, it is easy to pick them up, whether through normal immigration or by secretly running away.

However, the situation is different for the Great Yan. To the north of the Great Yan is Changyuan, from which no one can escape. To the west are continuous mountain ranges, where a group of people would probably die climbing to their deaths. To the south, the Great Yan is blocked by Rembito and the Eastern Kingdom, which are increasingly at odds with Kazdel.

The only border to the southwest is Lungmen, the only exit. If the Great Yan only needs to block the Lungmen Desert, then it will be difficult for the population that the Doctor can attract to migrate on a large scale, which is completely different from Ursus.

Those who could immigrate to Letania had already done so, and the Doctor didn't try to persuade the remaining people to do anything more, at least not in the initial stages. The same was true for Victoria and Syracuse. As for Iberia to the south, they were allies, and they were already prepared to cooperate with the heavens.

On the other hand, which Liberian girl or boy could resist the temptation to fly higher? Flying to the moon is a romantic dream for them, almost like an adrenaline rush. In fact, the most applications the space center receives come from the Liberians.

However, they perform poorly in zero gravity. Therefore, before the space station's gravity loop is completed, it is not considered to send young Liberians up there. This is mainly because their sensory organs are greatly affected by gravity, and a zero gravity environment will cause them to experience obvious dizziness and maladjustment.

Three girls, each carrying a helmet, walked toward the launch pad entrance, leaving a trail of footprints in the gravel. The shadow cast by the rocket on the launch pad quickly covered them. The rocket had finished loading its last cargo, and wisps of white cooling smoke flowed down from it, like thin clouds.

"Alright, you can board now." The staff opened the elevator door for them, and the three of them stepped inside. The elevator began to slowly ascend. Through the elevator door, the rocket outside appeared even larger. All they could see was the rocket's outer shell, and they could hardly see anything else.

The elevator ascended to the white circular spots on either side of the rocket and stopped. Tongue-shaped walkways extended forward, and then small hatches on the sides of the spots opened, revealing the transfer passages inside. Before entering the compartments, they needed to undergo disinfection to wash away dust, grit, and any mold or other contaminants. Otherwise, bringing these things in would have serious consequences.

After completing the tedious work, the three of them entered the actual spaceship cabin. The cabin had three seats. Zao Lu secured herself in the captain's seat, fastened her seatbelt, reached out and pressed the button in front of her. The monitor immediately lit up, and a holographic panel unfolded in front of her, displaying several screens and control panels.

Nightingale was on her right, and Arya was on her left. They both began to open their control panels and start self-checking and connecting their life monitoring devices.

Half an hour later, the last vehicle carrying the staff evacuated the launch pad. The two sets of clamps on either side of the rocket slowly opened. "Launch countdown 10..."

"Hoo!" Zao Lu pulled down her mask and took a deep breath. "Don't be nervous, take deep breaths, keep your mindset," Arya whispered a reminder.

"Yes, I know, Nightingale. How are you?"

"It's okay, my heart rate is a little fast, but I can control it."

"4...3...Ignition!" The fusion engine ignited, and scorching plasma poured into the jet chamber. "2...1...Launch!"

The blazing white jet of water bombarded the pool, instantly triggering an explosive effect. Scorching steam shot out from the pressure relief port, enveloping the entire rocket in a white cloud. But a second later, the rounded tip broke through the clouds and shot into the sky with unstoppable momentum.

The clouds were torn apart, and wisps of white smoke seemed to be trying to hold onto the side of this object that was trying to escape gravity. However, the rocket quickly broke free from their grasp and continued to accelerate upward.

The booster engine ignites only after entering high altitude, because this booster engine is completely different from the booster rockets on Earth. The ultra-miniature nuclear bomb detonates in a pulse, providing a more powerful thrust to the rocket, which is rapidly depleting its propellant, within just a few seconds.

The reason why it is not used at low altitude is this: it is essentially a series of miniature nuclear explosions. At low altitude, the rocket itself cannot remain stable, and the atmosphere is more viscous. The shock wave from the explosion would cause serious impact and vibration damage to the rocket engine.

Therefore, it can only be used at high altitudes. The nuclear shock engine can only last for less than half a minute, but that is enough to accelerate the rocket to escape velocity. The exhausted nuclear shock engine separates to the sides, and then the rocket jettisons the first-stage engine, which is the plasma accelerator, and lets it fall.

After falling a certain distance, the engine deploys a parachute and slowly floats down. The first-stage engine can be recovered and reused, while the second-stage engine does not have the problem of recovery, as it is inherently reusable.

The high-speed ion propulsion mode was activated. At this moment, the land of Terra had already taken on a spherical arc. The planetary surface, slightly orange-red, with white clouds and a blue halo formed by atmospheric diffraction and reflection, was a sight that the Terrans had never seen before.

It was like a dazzling jewel set in the black velvet, with the shimmering highlights around it being the Originium meteorite belt, like scattered diamonds adorning the jewel.

"Tracking indicates the target has successfully entered orbit. Adjust speed to synchronous speed now." Following the ground station's instructions, Zao Lu operated the spacecraft to maintain synchronous speed with the Earth's surface, keeping herself in the blast-out, meteorite-free cavity.

"Completed... Everything went smoothly, no unexpected issues. Shall we proceed with the opening of the position immediately?!"

"Execute!" The cargo hold opened, and the clamps released the space station module. The next task would be for two of the three to carry out the EVA operation, while Nightingale would stay behind.

"Are you ready?" Early Dew floated to the hatch and grabbed the handle. "Yes!" Arya nodded. The hatch opened, and the sunlight, which was slightly dazzling even with a mask on, shone on her, making her want to raise her hand to shield her eyes from the light.

"Keep your posture and don't move around." The consequence of moving your hands and feet around in space is that you will become a spinning top in place. Keep your arms in front of you and slowly place your feet on the surface of the spacecraft. After the magnetic boots are attached, your arms can move freely.

Early Dew stood on the hull, looked down at her feet, looked up at the dazzling Terra land like a jewel, slowly raised her right foot, took a step forward, and stepped onto the hull again, the electromagnetic boots making a soft sound.

Are you spacing out?

"No, I was just thinking about how big this step was." Standing here and looking down, she had taken a single step from Ursus to Iberia. The distance and separation that she used to think were like the ends of the earth seemed incredibly small and insignificant at this moment.

Standing at this incredibly high and distant place, looking back at where I came from, there are no national borders, no cities in sight. All the things that are considered extremely important, all the clearly defined boundaries, are nowhere to be found here. Even the vast territory of Ursus seems so narrow, so narrow that it feels unbearably cramped.

"are you OK?"

"It's nothing, let's get to work!" Zao Lu took out her tool kit and hung it on her forearm. The automatic welding machine and assembly robotic arm were already in place. Now they needed to put the three disassembled space station modules into one.

Although these items weigh at least tens of tons, they can still float away with just a gentle push in a microgravity environment. Not to mention that their jetpacks are not helium jets, but electric jets with very high power. So, during ground training, someone almost died, but luckily Lao Xia's medical facilities were up to the task and saved him.

However, even if someone with a cervical fracture is saved, they can only say goodbye to the sky. Such an old injury will almost certainly break again if subjected to overload.

The entire project took a week, and they were only allowed to leave the spacecraft for a maximum of two hours each day. It took a week to assemble the core module of the space station and then enter the return capsule to return to Earth.

The second launch will deliver supporting equipment and supplies to the space station. The second crew of astronauts will be much luckier; they will only need to stay in the spacecraft for one or two days before they can transfer to the space station and use the space station's robotic arm to recover the rocket body and engine that were previously discarded in space.

The third mission converted the engines and main bodies of three rockets into new space station expansion modules and sent more space station functional modules up. The fourth and fifth missions followed, launching personnel, cargo, living supplies, fuel, and so on. The main engines of the previous rockets were used to build the Ark shuttle.

Once the orbital port is completed, explosive source stones can be collected to open the passage and store working fluid and fuel for returning to Earth. In this way, the rocket will not need to discard the main body and only keep the return capsule, but can be used repeatedly for round trips.

They undertake the function of transporting goods between Earth and space, and after becoming familiar with the technology, they may be able to manufacture even larger rockets and space transport aircraft. What would take at least a hundred years to complete on Earth could be accomplished in a year here.

However, launches will not be too frequent. After all, Lao Xia's rocket-making speed is not too fast, and the training speed of astronauts is not keeping up. Most importantly, this large launch window does not come every month. Being able to maintain a launch cycle every two months is considered a relatively high frequency.

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Successful Return

Chapter 69

After the initial novelty and sense of mission faded in Terra Orbit, Early Dew understood why she needed to undergo that rigorous training to combat loneliness. Her remaining work consisted of nothing but boredom and endless, difficult days spent in dark, cramped spaces.

"Here you go~" Nightingale gently pushed, and an energy bar slid towards the cockpit, where it was grabbed by Zao Lu. "The main construction of the space station will be completed in one day. We can finally go back." Zao Lu tore open the packaging, revealing the dark contents. The chocolate-like energy bar was marked with food coloring into segments, each segment being a bite-sized portion, ensuring that no residue would be left to contaminate the cabin environment.

"Tomato beef brisket flavor, this is the only weird thing left." The tomato beef brisket was the last of all the energy bars to be eaten because the taste was really too strange. It was too greasy after a few bites. However, there was nothing to complain about here.

"I made some tea, would you like some?" Arya held up two cups with lids, each with an anti-backflow straw. The principle was simple: a circular, cut plastic sheet. When you were drinking, the plastic sheet would open outwards to draw out the liquid inside. When not in use, the plastic sheet would automatically return to its original shape due to tension, preventing the liquid and water vapor from leaking out.

"No need, I still need to check the main structure of the cabin." Zao Lu changed into her extravehicular activity suit, floated towards the conversion hatch, grabbed the door handle and turned it open. The thick hatch opened a crack, and she squeezed through little by little. After closing the hatch and checking that the airtightness was fine, she pulled down the double-layer mask.

The first layer is a gold-plated sunshade, and the second layer is a display mask, which can prevent eyes from being burned by looking directly at the sun. In space, the consequences of looking directly at the sun without any protection are not good.

"Beep~" Early Dew turned on the ventilation function, and soon a hissing sound of air being sucked in could be heard. Only after the display showed "Decompression Complete" did she check her safety rope again. After confirming that the safety devices were in good condition, she opened the outermost hatch.

Stars twinkled in the dark night sky. In the distance, giant, bluish-black Originium blocks reflected the sun's glow, resembling black gems. On one side of the spaceship, the main body of the space station had been largely docked and installed.

Early Dew released the magnetic boots' attachment, started the backpack with minimal power, and flew outwards. In space, you can't do what you see in TV dramas and stomp on the spacecraft's outer shell, especially for small spacecraft with low tonnage. That would really cause the spacecraft to lose balance, rotate, or even deviate from its trajectory.

In an environment without resistance, no matter how small the force you apply or how large the mass of the target is, it only means that the acceleration is small, not that it will remain completely still.

Because there is no problem of overcoming static friction to make it move, of course, once the difference reaches a certain level, these few micrometers of error can generally be ignored - which is why direct-fire weapons, including lasers, can only be used at close to medium range, no matter how fast they are.

These differences of a few micrometers, when amplified by distances of light seconds or more, mean that a non-negligible hit error will occur, and the spacecraft itself has no way to compensate for this error.

The impact of the crew and machinery inside is far too negligible for the spacecraft itself; no equipment can achieve that level of sensitivity, and even if it could, it would be impossible to actually implement such sensitivity, as it would cause far more problems.

To launch long-range attacks, there are only two methods: first, firing with a directional radar that can calibrate at some speed faster than light; second, using a weapon that can continuously correct its trajectory. Otherwise, you will either lose accuracy or rate of fire.

The method to reduce the firing rate is to first aim with a wide-angle weak laser, then reduce the beam size for calibration, and increase the power to a lethal laser. This means that the firing rate will decrease, and the enemy will receive the laser data before you, allowing for rapid counter-reflection and saving calibration time and error.

Therefore, this method is generally used in group fights, such as throwing a shuriken from 800 miles away. In one-on-one fights or when the number of people on both sides is not much different, using this method is tantamount to courting death.

The morning dew drifted toward the main body of the space station not far away. The white main body resembled a short, thick sugarcane with three segments. Its round surface had only portholes and nothing else. However, a significant portion of the internal equipment had already been installed, and it also had a pressurization chamber and necessary working equipment.

"Snap!" The palm gently touched the outer shell of the space station. The dull sound was transmitted into the interior through the rigid spacesuit, turning into a murky and deep sound. The palm and fingertips adhered to the outer shell.

With difficulty, Zao Lu twisted her waist, lifted her lower body, and slowly brought her feet closer to the shell. With a soft sound, she successfully reattached herself.

Only then did he disconnect the suction device on his palm and switch to foot suction, walking on the outer shell of the space station. Gold protective metal film and carbon fiber cloth could be seen covering the interfaces and sensitive electronic equipment all over the white shell.

"Beep beep~ Beep beep~" Zao Lu brought up the flaw detection system in her hand and began to scan the space station for leaks and hidden damage. After completing the pre-operation inspection, she walked to the hatch, twisted the hatch open, and crawled inside.

At this time, the space station had not yet been pressurized, and various tools and wires were floating inside the station. After closing the hatch, Zao Lu switched the electromagnetic boots to the cabin adsorption mode. Several thin Velcro-like structures popped out from the bottom of the boots and adhered to the fabric inside the cabin.

The holographic control panel placed on the bracket was pulled in front of him, displaying the current status of the space station equipment. Pipes and lines had been connected, and the necessary equipment had been installed. Now the main task was to carry out inspection work and install some less important internal equipment components.

It is difficult to perceive day and night in space because for them, a day and night may only take a few minutes. The spacecraft maintains stability through slight rotation, so the sun will rise from the other side of the cabin in just a few minutes.

She worked until the timer went off before finishing her work for the day. If the fifth check is successful tomorrow, the return procedure can be executed. The return procedure consists of two parts. The first part is to dock the main body of the spacecraft with the space station to form a new space station module.

The second part involves the separation of the command module, or return capsule. Powered by its own small engines, the capsule enters the atmosphere and decelerates before landing in the Iberian Sea. Agor's tracking ship will then retrieve the return capsule and the astronauts.