The Science Fiction World of Xueba

"Pang, if the landing module is left behind, I will drive the rover to the Schiaparelli impact crater. I will use Phobos to navigate on the way. There should be no deviation in the approximate position."

Pang Xuelin shook his head and said: "No, if you have enough time, you can still do this, but now you only have fifty days, as long as there is a slight deviation in the direction, it may take a few days to correct it. The CO2 absorber in the system will not be able to support the rover to reach the Schiaparelli crater."

"But I took the landing module away, what about your communication with the earth? The probability deviation of the landing position of the supply module is five kilometers, and the landing area is nearly 50 kilometers away from the habitat module. Without satellite navigation, it may be difficult for you to find the supply module! "

Pang Xuelin frowned deeply.

This is indeed a big problem.

The Mars rover was originally designed only for short-distance travel, without considering the problem of long-distance travel. In addition, the habitat module can emit radio navigation beacons, so there is no navigation system installed.

Under normal circumstances, if you want to travel long distances on Mars, you must either use satellite guidance or use the SINS/CNS integrated navigation system.

The SINS/CNS integrated navigation system is mainly composed of a strapdown inertial navigation subsystem and a celestial navigation subsystem.

Strapdown inertial navigation is inertial navigation, and the core device is a laser gyroscope, but the accuracy of this navigation method will gradually diverge over time.

Celestial navigation is to calculate the relative position between the rover and Phobos (Phobos) for navigation.

But the accuracy of this navigation method will also be problematic.

Therefore, engineers combine strapdown inertial navigation and astronomical navigation. The strapdown inertial navigation subsystem provides the mathematical platform and position matrix to the inertial navigation attitude measurement information construction unit, and also provides the latitude and longitude information to the inertial navigation position measurement The measurement information construction unit, the celestial navigation subsystem transmits the inertial attitude matrix to the integrated navigation filter, and the integrated navigation filter will provide attitude and position estimation errors according to the celestial navigation subsystem and the strapdown inertial navigation subsystem respectively.

The accuracy of this kind of navigation is very high, almost no less than that of satellite navigation.

But now, the two of them don't have a usable navigation system at all, and it is even more impossible to make it by themselves.

Without the Mars Pathfinder landing module, if something happened to his side, he would have no support.

Moreover, the supply cabin is related to how he will survive on Mars in the future. If he can't find the supply cabin, it will be a big trouble.

Watney said: "So the Pathfinder landing module must stay here. We have to find a way to allow me to reach Schiaparelli within fifty days. It's a pity that we don't have enough carbon dioxide absorbers, otherwise as long as I arrive in advance Even if Phobos's navigation accuracy is not high, but with enough time, we can always reach Schiaparelli."

Pang Xuelin was stunned for a moment, and a flash of light suddenly flashed in his mind, and he asked, "Watney, what did you just say?"

"I said the Pathfinder landing module must be right here..."

"No, no, it's the next sentence..."

"We don't have enough carbon dioxide absorbers, otherwise we can start early..."

"Yeah, why didn't I think of it, you can just leave early!"

Pang Xuelin clapped his hands and laughed.

Watney was stunned, and said, "But we don't have enough carbon dioxide absorbers!"

Pang Xuelin laughed and said: "Watney, we are all stuck in a fixed mindset. We don't have enough carbon dioxide absorbers, but we have enough liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen reserves. The rover is not a habitat cabin, and the space in the car is limited. You can wait for the car When the carbon dioxide content in the car exceeds 2%, then put on the EVA spacesuit, release the air in the car, and use the nitrogen oxygen tube to replenish the pressure, so that you don’t have to worry about how to absorb carbon dioxide?”

"what?"

Watney's eyes lit up.

She clapped her hands and said, "This idea is absolutely perfect. If this is the case, I don't even need to carry so many carbon dioxide filters!"

Pang Xuelin smiled and said: "Carbon dioxide still has to be brought. After all, this method is a waste of liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen. If you only rely on Phobos to navigate, can you reach Schiaparelli within 80 days?"

"That's totally fine!" Watney said.

Pang Xuelin smiled and said: "Okay, then I will prepare 50 liters of liquid oxygen and 50 liters of liquid nitrogen for you, which is enough for you to use for a hundred days, and you will also have sufficient food reserves. Arrived at the Schiaparelli impact crater on Mars. The only pity is that your trip never returns, wasting a lot of bio-fertilizer!"

Watney laughed and said, "I'll take care of you when you return to Earth!"

"roll!"

...

After Pang Xuelin communicated his idea to the Ares Project Command, it was quickly approved by the command.

Another advantage of this is that once Watney has a problem during the trip and is discovered by satellites, Pang Xuelin can also drive another rover to rescue him.

This kind of plan is very important for high-risk space activities.

...

Time passed day by day.

The two are preparing for this long journey every day, and their lives have become busy and orderly.

In the living cabin, the tomatoes also grew up one after another, and this thing was made into tomato sauce by Watney. In this way, the problem of no seasoning after eating the potatoes was solved.

During the period, Pang Xuelin and Watney harvested the third season of potatoes. Due to insufficient fertilizer, the output was even a little less than the second season, only 180 kg.

However, as long as the supplies arrive smoothly, Pang Xuelin doesn't have to worry about food issues. Therefore, the two of them have no need to save food in a short time.

After successfully completing the planting of potatoes in the fourth season, it was finally time for Watney to set off.

The 370th Martian day!

Early in the morning, Pang Xuelin prepared baked potatoes, a serving of kung pao chicken fried rice, a serving of tomato mixed with the little white sugar left, and two large cups of aerospace polypeptide protein powder drink.

Both of them sat at the dining table in silence, Pang Xuelin showed a smile on his face and said, "Eat!"

Neither of them spoke during the meal, they just gulped down the carbohydrate-rich food.

Finally, Pang Xuelin raised his glass and said, "Watney, have a good trip!"

"Thanks!"

Watney raised his glass, touched Pang Xuelin, and drank it down.

Afterwards, both of them put on a set of EVA spacesuits and exited the habitat cabin from the No. 2 airlock.

In front of the rover, the two remained silent.

Watney stepped forward to hug Pang Xuelin, reached out and patted his helmet, and said, "Pang, take care, I'll be waiting for you on Earth!"

With that said, he got on the rover without looking back.

Pang Xuelin didn't speak, but just stood there, watching the hatch of the rover close, watching the engine of the rover start, and watching the rover gradually go away and disappear into the depths of the horizon.

An unprecedented sense of loneliness swept towards Pang Xuelin.

Pang Xuelin muttered to himself: "Next, I'm the only one left!"