Chapter 434

Chapter 434: "Penglai" Space Shuttle

Candidates who came from technical expert backgrounds had already experienced a few flights. Even though they would never be assigned to pilot a spacecraft if selected as astronauts, they still curiously touched the airplanes. Under the supervision of the official pilots, they yanked on the control stick, shouting excitedly as they flew in S-shapes and B-shapes.

It was surprising that these candidates, who were barely more than beginners, could manage such challenging aerial maneuvers. In reality, it lasted only a few seconds. Flying steadily, the airplane’s difficulty level wasn’t much higher than driving a car, yet it thrilled them immensely.

They couldn’t believe they were flying an airplane in their lives. Even if they didn’t get selected as astronauts, they would still have enough stories to share when they returned home.

The pilots had enjoyed their leisurely days of flying for just a few days before the inevitable happened. No one could stop Major General Sun from announcing the elimination.

Major General Sun gathered the twenty-one candidates remaining after three rounds of eliminations, holding the list for the fourth round.

“Number 9, Number 21, Number 34, Number 42, Number 49, Number 51, Number 55—seven in total. Please step forward if your code is called! You have 24 hours to sort out your personal items, and we have already arranged transportation and tickets.”

Major General Sun appeared particularly cold and ruthless at that moment.

Fourteen candidates were left!

Not just the seven eliminated showing expressions of relief, but the remaining fourteen also collectively seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Whether eliminated or not, at least with this round’s list out, their nerves wouldn’t be as tightly wound.

This round of eliminations was less brutal than the previous ones, only cutting a third of the candidates instead of eliminating a dozen at a time. However, it was clear that as they progressed, everyone’s true capabilities became more closely matched, unlike at the beginning when there were significant disparities.

Lin Mo exchanged glances with Meng Yinan, both of them lucky to remain.

The high risks of spaceflight meant that a large portion of people would inevitably be excluded. This ticket wasn’t easy to get, and those who managed to secure it weren’t necessarily free of worry.

At this time, those who were eliminated did not necessarily feel regret; perhaps it was a stroke of luck. Those called by their codes stepped forward, looking a bit downcast, but by now they had developed strong mental resilience.

Getting this far wasn’t merely about passing strict standards; it was about extensive training and education in aerospace.

Since the end of the third round, the aerospace training center had intensified its training on mental resilience, so those eliminated no longer displayed the pained expressions or tears they had shown at the beginning.

As the seven stepped out of line, silence fell over the room.

The remaining fourteen candidates stood in unison, as if in agreement, embracing and comforting the seven one by one before returning to their places.

Though there was some reluctance, the aerospace training center had rigorous standards, tried and tested countless times, like eyes that cannot tolerate dust.

Like the aerospace industry, it was precise, demanding, and allowed no room for error.

For the fourteen candidates who remained, this was not a time for celebration. They still faced the final round of eliminations, with only the top ten able to qualify to become official astronauts.

Even so, there was the possibility of being sidelined as an astronaut. After possibly over ten years of training, some might never even touch the edge of space, wasting their best years in the aerospace lifecycle.

Each launch required a hefty national cost; being an astronaut involved huge sacrifices as well.

Behind every shining space hero, there always lay a group of unnoticed “reserve seats.”

Thus, the faces of the candidates who were not eliminated showed increasing seriousness instead of any signs of relief. Maintaining an unwavering calm amidst stress was essential.

An astronaut’s mental resilience meant that even if a spaceplane or rocket exploded, they wouldn’t so much as frown. They could very well be the calmest people in the world, even if they were headed to a firing squad.

“This is the pain and tears experienced by every generation of astronauts!"

Watching the seven candidates disappear from view, Major General Sun couldn’t help but feel a bit unhappy. Every group was like this; they spent time together, and bonds inevitably formed.

Sigh! There are still the reserve candidates. Who knows the struggles of those astronauts who wasted their youth?

The selection of astronauts is cold and ruthless at this moment. The road to the heavens is destined to be a thorny path filled with challenges.

Major General Sun scanned the fourteen remaining candidates, with a hint of invisible pressure in his tone.

“There are fourteen of you left, and four will be eliminated in the final round. The aerospace center only needs ten people—the best ten!”

“I need you to give your all in the last round of training and deliver your best performance without holding back. Here, competition comes first, friendship second. You must exert all your efforts; there are no second chances. Don’t easily give up on this precious opportunity. I want to remind you that the assessment scores are not absolute. Eliminations are conducted from multiple angles—some are based on personal evaluations, while others are left to fate. Luck is a part of skill.”

“Lastly, I want to say that even if you are eliminated, reaching this point means you are all outstanding! You are all heroes!”

The fourteen candidates looked at Major General Sun with bright eyes, filled with excitement. They all deeply felt the immense expectations Major General Sun had for them.

…

“Penglai, begin the 30-minute countdown for preparation!”

The fourteen candidates split into two groups of seven, facing their final training challenge—simulated space flight training.

The simulator was built to resemble the real thing. However, considering future upgrades, it was assembled with a combination of steel frames, giving it an incomplete look like an unfinished space shuttle.

The astronauts wore simulated spacesuits that were just like real ones, embedded with countless electromagnets to make the simulation as realistic as possible. They could interact with external magnetic fields to simulate G-forces and low-gravity environments.

However, there was a downside: if the magnetic field reactions between two people were not switched correctly, well, it could lead to awkward situations.

The seven candidates began entering the cockpit, which was almost an identical replica. Every button’s feedback felt just like the real thing.

“Preparing to fill fuel!”

“Fuel will be filled in twenty minutes! Oxygen replenishment starting.”

Through the radio, commands from the simulated launch center echoed in their ears. According to reality, fuel and charging would typically begin two hours prior, followed by meticulous checks.

Only thirty minutes before launch would the astronauts take their positions. Therefore, as the first group, Lin Mo and his team strictly followed the actual procedure.

The cockpit of the simulated shuttle was vertical. Normally, one could easily climb in, but now, wearing bulky spacesuits and without activated magnetic points, it took considerable effort to squeeze into their seats.

When the last candidate finally climbed in, the airtight door outside closed and locked from the inside.

Lin Mo fondly remembered his “Dragon General” tactical armor. Although it was flexible and enhanced mobility, it wasn’t suitable for long missions in space.

In the first group were Lin Mo, number two Wang Xuejun, number fifteen Lai Yaowu, number eighteen Meng Xuejun, number thirty-five Qi Ping, number thirty-nine Zhao Yue, and number fifty-three Huang Bocheng. They moved around the shuttle’s interior, and fortunately, the design considered this, taking over five minutes to finally settle into their specially designed load-bearing seats.

Lin Mo was undoubtedly the captain alongside Wang Xuejun as the pilots. Number fifteen was responsible for the navigation system, number eighteen handled the communication system, numbers thirty-five and fifty-three oversaw payload control, while number thirty-nine monitored mission oversight.

The overall training would last four days, and they would eat, drink, and sleep in the completely sealed simulator for four days. Their tasks included takeoff, landing, controlling the spacecraft’s condition, and conducting simulated space experiments.

Sitting in the pilot’s seat, Lin Mo grasped the control stick, which felt similar to a fighter jet. However, the assisting functions were much more complex, unlike flying in stable layers of the atmosphere. The space shuttle had to traverse the entire atmosphere, enduring environments ranging from near minus 100 degrees to high temperatures around 1200 degrees, requiring exceptional adaptability.

“Number eighteen, confirm if the navigation system is operational.”

“Self-check complete, satellite and ground positioning linked.”

“Report number one, communication system is functioning correctly, ‘Penglai’ is connected to seventeen communication nodes via a four-channel parallel connection.”

The “Penglai” was the simulator they were piloting. The simulator itself was conical, while the computer displayed an image of “Penglai” as a large triangular shape. The body and wings were integrated, designed primarily for speed and stability rather than combat, making it exceptionally performant in straight-line flight and takeoff, especially when returning from outer space, as it could rely on aerodynamic layout to slow down effectively.

The candidates in their seats began to secure themselves. This training was incredibly close to real flight training, with the simulator being able to replicate up to 10 G-forces, perfectly mimicking the loading experienced by the actual Shenzhou spacecraft (with 4-5 G during launch and 3.24 G during reentry).

With technological advancements, controlling G-forces was now possible, unlike in the past when re-entry could reach a maximum of 12 G’s without ascent propulsion.

Achieving this was already quite remarkable.