The Science Fiction World of Xueba

The 222nd Martian day.

[17:21] JPL: Xuelin, I am Tian Mu, and I am talking to you via Pasadena in Wenchang. We have calculated your orbit change plan based on experience. The orbital height and speed of Hermes reaching Mars have reached the limit of MAV. You are taking too much risk this time. The long journey of more than 3,200 kilometers from the Arsidaria Plain to the Schiaparelli crater is a big challenge for Watney. In addition, once the MAV of the Schiaparelli impact crater is activated by Watney, the Ares 4 plan will definitely be postponed for one to two years. By then, you will have to stay on Mars for at least 1,500 Martian days alone. Be prepared.

[17:36] Habitat: When I made this plan, I was mentally prepared. We have to take risks, even if we plant 50 square meters of tomatoes, our carbon dioxide absorbers can only last until the 600th Martian day, and we have no choice. Watney will conduct targeted training next, and we will certainly not joke about our own lives.

[17:50] JPL: Alright, the Ares Project Headquarters has recalculated the amount of materials that Hermes needs to carry for this mission. It is estimated that after half a month, the Long March 9 carrier rocket will land on the "Taotie" The unmanned cargo spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center to rendezvous and dock with the Hermes. Hermes will enter the orbit of Mars on the 445th Martian day. We have reserved five tons of supplies for you. Do you have any suggestions?

[18:18] Habitat: Hermes is not the same as usual. When entering Mars orbit, the speed is twice as fast as the normal landing state. You can guarantee that the five tons of supplies can be delivered to me, and there is no Wrecked on landing?

[18:36] JPL: We have modified the Taotie cargo spacecraft. The supplies for you will be packed in a flexible cabin made of metamaterial aerogel with a diameter of five meters. Hermes enters Mars orbit Afterwards, the Taotie cargo spacecraft will be released, and the Taotie cargo spacecraft will use the remaining fuel to maneuver and change orbit, and then make a hard landing on the Arsidaria Plain. At an altitude of about 10,000 meters above the surface of Mars, the flexible cabin will separate from the Taotie cargo spacecraft. The entire landing process is completed by AI. According to preliminary estimates, the radius of the landing accuracy circle is about five kilometers. At that time, we will mobilize satellites to help you locate the flexible supply cabin. You can just drive the rover and drag the supply cabin back.

[18:48] Habitat cabin: I'm glad to hear this news. As for supplies, I personally suggest that food supplies take up less than one ton, and the remaining materials are as follows: at least 20 meters of water circulation system pipes, high-pressure water pumps, air Compressor accessories, communication equipment accessories, oxygenation machine molecular sieves, nickel metal hydride batteries, cables, optical cables, various corresponding interfaces, solar battery packs, carbon fiber canvas in the habitat cabin, sealing rings, rover parts, it is best to bring some single Cell algae and incubator. Most importantly, the more carbon dioxide absorbers the better, to prevent the oxygenation machine from being repaired. The above is only my personal opinion, and you can decide on the specific types and quantities of supplies.

[19:02] JPL: Received, we will draw up a material list as soon as possible with reference to your comments.

...

Perhaps the previous accidents had exhausted the bad luck of Pang Xuelin and Watney, and then things went smoothly unexpectedly.

The 240th Martian day.

The Long March 9 carrier rocket was successfully launched, sending the "Taotie" unmanned cargo spacecraft weighing more than 60 tons to low-Earth orbit.

The 241st Martian day.

The "Taotie" unmanned cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the Hermes after several orbit changes, and the Hermes used the gravitational slingshot effect of the earth to accelerate and fly to Mars.

The 255th Martian day.

The tomatoes in the living cabin have grown to almost knee height, and they are all green.

The 260th Martian day.

The latest data show that just one hour a day of running the carbon dioxide filter of the habitat module is enough to maintain the survival of Pang Xuelin and Watney.

So Pang Xuelin and Watney moved their home from the rover back to the habitat.

In the middle they harvested another season of potatoes.

Due to the lack of fertilizers, the number of potatoes this season is only 200 kilograms, which is a significant drop from the first season, but it is still within the acceptable range of Pang Xuelin and Watney.

The food problem has been temporarily relieved, and the problem of carbon dioxide absorption is also not big. This does not mean that Pang Xuelin and Watney can relax, and there is more work waiting for them.

Watney needs to travel 3,200 kilometers to reach the Schiaparelli impact crater. The difficulties faced in the middle are extremely difficult. First, they must carry out a large-scale modification of the rover.

For example, the first problem they faced was to find a way to install the habitat module carbon dioxide absorber into the rover.

There are currently 1,600 hours left on the small CO2 absorber and 300 hours on the Habitat CO2 absorber.

It will take at least 30 to 40 days for Watney to cross a distance of 3,200 kilometers. Considering the redundancy of tasks in the middle, he has to set aside 50 days.

That means he needs 1200 hours of carbon dioxide absorber.

It takes at least 200 hours to modify the small carbon dioxide absorber of the rover. After Watney leaves, Pang Xuelin has to leave a margin of 300 hours. In addition, before Watney left Mars, the two needed to carry out EVA missions due to various accidents, so the small carbon dioxide absorber can only set aside 900 hours for Watney at most, and the rest is supplemented by the carbon dioxide absorber in the habitat.

The Habitat CO2 Absorber can now be used by two people for 300 hours, and Watney will leave on Mars 390, when there is at least 150 hours to spare.

If Watney is used alone, the use time can be doubled, so it is enough for Watney to complete the journey across 3200 kilometers.

The problem is that the carbon dioxide absorber in the habitat is too large. After the rover is loaded with food and a small carbon dioxide absorber, there is simply not enough space for the carbon dioxide absorber in the habitat.

So the experts from the Ares Project Command made a big brain hole. Pang Xuelin and Watney used an electric drill to make a big hole on the top of the rover, and then used the MDV parachute to create a large balloon on the roof to absorb the carbon dioxide in the habitat. device on top.

It took Pang Xuelin and Watney a whole hundred hours of EVA to complete the transformation.

Afterwards, the two began to slowly transfer various supplies to the rover.

Compared with these material problems, the real trouble is the navigation problem.

Watney traveled 3,200 kilometers this time. Unless the Mars Pathfinder landing module is carried, it is difficult to use Phobos (Phobos) for precise navigation. But once the landing module is taken away, Pang Xuelin will lose contact with the earth. The communication ability, for a while, the two fell into a dilemma.