Space Station.
"Beep—voltage stabilization complete."
A pleasant female voice sounded in the helmet.
"Checking cosmic radiation, please wait."
"Xiao Deng, how do you feel about your first EVA?"
"Reporting to Engineer Zhong, it's alright, a little nervous."
"Hahaha, it's good to be a little nervous. I was nervous too when I first went out and saw this big blue planet below!" Zhong Shengli, seeing the words "Test Complete" on the screen, finally relaxed.
After all, Deng Yuqing was undertaking her first EVA. Although she had simulated it many times on the ground, practice could not be replicated by simulation, and risks still existed.
However, it was said that a true astronaut is one who has experienced challenges and scooped water droplets in space…
With this challenge, Deng Yuqing had given a perfect answer to the ground command center and the entire nation.
"Yuqing, the live broadcast from the main station has ended, come and eat something," another astronaut, He Guosheng, beckoned to Deng Yuqing, who had just entered the living module.
The high-pressure work environment made people hungry quickly.
"I want to eat braised lamb."
"Wait, let me look…"
Meanwhile, in the control module, Zhong Shengli was organizing documents for his next space physics experiment demonstration for the children.
"Fortunately, ours are interesting and easy to understand." Looking at his prepared documents and experimental equipment, Zhong Shengli felt a little proud.
China's space program needed new blood; come on, kids!
"Calling ground control, calling ground control."
"Control received, please proceed."
"The preparation work for next week's EVA mission and space classroom has been compiled into a document and sent to you. Are there any modifications?"
"No modifications, proceed as planned. We wish you all the best!"
"Received!"
Ending the communication, Zhong Shengli unbuckled his seatbelt and floated to the living module to eat. There were experiments waiting for them in the laboratory module in the afternoon.
Fortunately, the plan was proceeding smoothly and would not burden the next batch of astronauts.
"Old Zhong, what are you eating?"
"I'll have shredded pork with garlic sauce. I haven't eaten it for over a month, and I've been craving it."
"Hahaha, I knew you loved this."
He then handed him a bag of heated shredded pork with garlic sauce.
"Oh, right, have you read those letters sent up from the ground?"
"Yes, yes, there was a kid who used the pen name You Say Grass Grows and Orioles Fly, who wrote something quite interesting and full of imagination about space."
"China Post is quite good, to have chosen randomly," Deng Yuqing had finished eating and joined the discussion.
He Guosheng was still scooping water droplets floating in the air: "It should be quite interesting to read their letters during the next live broadcast from the main station."
"Agreed."
"I agree too!"
The three of them cleaned up, ensuring there were no abnormal floating objects, and then left the living module to conduct experiments in the laboratory module.
Mainly to study the effects of the space environment and radiation on crops.
Being able to cultivate safe and high-yield crops, even for individuals, was a great help to agricultural progress!
When people are focused, they often don't notice the passage of time. It was past four in the afternoon, and just as they were about to conduct the 15th set of comparative experiments, the emergency communicator inside the laboratory module suddenly rang.
When this thing rang, it was no small matter. Zhong Shengli immediately gave the order: "Stop the experiment, you two go to the pilot's seat, I'll take the call."
"Yes!"
As he spoke, Zhong Shengli had already connected the communicator.
"This is the Space Station."
"This is Ground Control, Old Zhong! A biological infection has occurred all over the world, and there are zombies everywhere in Ground Control!
I have set the space station to orbital flight. Be careful. You may not receive help from Ground Control in the future…cough cough cough…"
"Old Gong! Are you alright!"
"I've been bitten, so cough… just like in the movies. Trust the country. Ground Control is a very important facility, and they will bring you home soon… pfft… soon…"
But all he received in response were screams and roars. Zhong Shengli seemed to realize something and repeatedly called out:
"This is the Space Station! Calling Ground Control! This is the Space Station! Calling Ground Control!! Old Gong!! Gong Zicheng!!! Respond, respond!!!"
He had called into the communicator for half an hour, but there was still no response, and even the communication had been cut off.
Whether someone had accidentally touched a button causing the system to self-lock, or a hardware failure, they were floating 400 kilometers above the ground, able to do nothing but try their best to ensure their own safety.
Closing the communication, Zhong Shengli felt dejected. The other two crew members also knew what had happened on the ground and remained silent.
Fortunately, He Guosheng spoke first, breaking the silence: "Let's all cheer up. We can't just be dejected because of the news from the ground.
Our experiments are not finished, and the tasks assigned to us by the country and the people are not completed. Are we just going to die meaninglessly in space, becoming ice sculptures to drift forever???"
"Xiao He is right, our mission is not yet complete. There are still three months of supplies in the supply module. Let's complete the experiments within these three months and give them a perfect answer!"
"Understood!!!"
The three of them acted immediately, suppressing their sorrow and doing their best to restore their bodies to the best condition.
They flew to the laboratory module.
Deng Yuqing was left in the control room to monitor the space station's various data. Without the ground control center watching over them, everything had to be done by themselves!
However, the three astronauts did not expect that in just one hour, the satellite and space station command and control center would be cleared.
"Captain… it's been checked. The command center has suffered 45% damage, and most of it is precision instruments. Even if we take out the spare parts from the warehouse, we can only repair about 25%."
"What about the remaining 20%? There should be a spare component for everything! How can we not afford to repair it?"
"This… Captain, we are short of personnel. Some things you can't repair if you are not specialized in it. Instead, you'll make it worse."
The action team captain was silent for a few seconds: "What impact will the remaining 20% have on the satellite's usage?"
"Communication will be restricted, and the idea of marking on the satellite might be greatly reduced."
"Damn it! Immediately…"
"Captain, we found three survivors. They said they are the maintenance technicians here! Level ten!"
"Quick, invite them over!!!"
Looking at the three pale middle-aged men before him, the action team captain asked directly: "How long will it take you to fix it?"
"Give us thirty people who can repair, and within two hours, we can repair it to about 95%. The Beidou marking should be fine."
"Then we'll have to trouble you! Beidou is crucial for the rescue plan!"
"We guarantee to complete the mission!!!" x3