/ 
Dead on Mars Dead on Mars Chapter 160 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Download
https://novelcool.info/novel/Dead-on-Mars.html
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Dead-on-Mars-Dead-on-Mars-Chapter-159-Sol-Two-Hundred-and-Eighty/4409120/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Dead-on-Mars-Dead-on-Mars-Chapter-161-Sol-Two-Hundred-and-Eighty/4409122/

Dead on Mars Dead on Mars Chapter 160 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty

Chapter 160: Sol Two Hundred and Eighty-One, Am I Still Alive?

Translator: CKtalon  Editor: CKtalon

The five Raptor 10D engines could provide more than 400 tonnes of thrust, and after the dismantling, Orion had a mass of 330 tonnes. Based on the conservation of momentum, the rocket engine had to expel enough high-speed mass to effectively reduce Orion's high speed.

Orion's computer precisely controlled the engine via a flight program that Tomcat had written. However, to reduce the errors in the Raptor 10D's thick nozzles to the level of millimeters was impossible. Their original use case was not meant for the vertical descent of the spacecraft. For instance, the rockets that allowed the Falcon 9 to descend vertically relied on sensitive sensors and specialized feedback control mechanisms.

Tomcat didn't have any of this, so it could only use the most brutal and simplest method. It directed the rocket engines' nozzles outward to their maximums, crazily pushing the safety redundancies to the limits. This allowed Orion to hang in midair like a tumbler.

At this moment, if someone looked up from beneath the spacecraft, they would see the rocket's exhaust drawing a gigantic cross in midair.

This was a Tomcat Cross.

In the final twelve seconds before the atmospheric entry.

“Flight-path angle adjusted again! Angle of attack leveled!”

“Raptor-05 at 85% thrust. The trajectory of flow increase for 01, 03, 07, and 09 is going as expected,” Tang Yue reported. “Orion's speed at 4872.23 m/s… The pressure on the engine is too great. It's just too fast.”

“Tomcat?”

“Got it.” Tomcat's voice was heavy. “I'm monitoring it.”

The workstation's heat-dissipating fans began to whirl crazily as the CPU fired up all its cores to indicate that not only was Orion under stress, it was also being stressed.

The five curves on the monitor rose, indicating that the five Raptor engines were increasing their thrust. To save propellant, Orion's nine engines were ignited at different stages.

If this was the true descent, Orion would be hanging 12 kilometers high in the sky. It would decelerate by relying on the rocket engine's reverse thrust while stabilizing itself.

Once it left orbit and began an atmospheric entry, there was no turning back.

Tang Yue and Tomcat stared at the monitor. At this point, they could do nothing but stare. Once the atmospheric entry began, most of the control was in the hands of Orion's computer. Mission Control couldn't easily intervene, nor could they do so in time.

Hold it.

Hold it.

Tang Yue whispered.

35 seconds into the atmospheric entry.

The Orion stably descended.

Kunlun Station remained silent in the heavy atmosphere. Only Tang Yue's and Tomcat's hurried, terse voices would occasionally sound.

“Take note, the IMU's 1 errors are accumulating. The gyroscope drift has deviated beyond our initial estimates.

“The wind-facing surface's atmospheric density is increasing. The resistance numbers are rising.”

As the atmosphere thickened, the situation faced by Orion and the workstation became complex. Flight in a vacuum and in an atmosphere were completely different. The air didn't provide any deceleration properties to Orion and only made the environment more thorny. For the workstation, the fluid dynamical simulations were taxing, and the CPU was slowly unable to keep up.

Tang Yue swept his gaze across every number on the monitor. The numbers and diagrams that didn't look obvious on the surface combined together to form a complete spacecraft that flew in his mind.

The altitude indicator on the monitor kept jumping. If it were a mechanical watch, the spinning gears might even produce sparks from the friction. Instead of describing the Orion as landing, it was more like a crash. A controlled and deliberate crash.

The HP workstation was unable to precisely simulate the environment of Orion's atmospheric entry. Orion's massive body, spanning tens of meters long, made the force distribution and work environment extremely complex. It was truly difficult for the workstation to simulate reality. After all, it wasn't a supercomputer that physically occupied more than a hundred square meters.

In fact, Tomcat had simplified the workstation's workload. Certain details were temporarily replaced with fixed ideal values that would be tested individually in the future. This wasn't safe or precise, but it was a choice made from not having any options. Otherwise, the computer might really explode in protest.

“The GNC system probably still needs to raise its adaptability and robustness.” Tomcat frowned as it rapped the table. “The RCS tri-axial attitude stability can still be optimized. It can still be optimized further…”

Seventy-five seconds after the atmospheric entry.

Mai Dong sat silently in her seat, raising her hand from time to time to look at the time.

Tang Yue had told her that the atmospheric entry would be a terrifying period of sharp deceleration during the real descent. The immense pressure would press her down against her seat, preventing her from moving. During this period of time, she wouldn't be able to raise her arm. Only after the deceleration was complete, allowing the spacecraft to reach a uniform speed would she be able to move her body.

That six minutes of deceleration was a critical period that determined life and death. If any problems were to happen to Orion, it would most likely be then.

“Tang Yue?”

“Yea,” Tang Yue replied. “I'm here.”

“Am I still alive?”

“Yes,” Tang Yue said. “You are safely descending. Currently, you are at a height of 35,887 meters.”

“I heard you both mention that 10,000 meters is a chasm of difficulty?”

“Tomcat said that below 10,000 meters, the atmospheric concentration would rise, making the environment very complex. That's extremely disadvantageous to the spacecraft's attitude stability,” Tang Yue said. “But don't worry. Orion has the ability needed to maintain stability… We still have plenty of fuel, and the engine is very reliable as well.”

“Raptor-01, 03, 07, and 09 deactivated! Take note, Raptor-01, 03, 07, and 09 are deactivated! Computer self-checks okay. All stations take note!” Tomcat shouted. “02, 04, 06, and 08 activated!”

Just as Tomcat said that, the system indicated the shutdown of four engines. At the same time, the other four engines were ignited.

It was time for the relay to happen. For Orion's Raptor engines, this descent of 120 kilometers was a relay race. The first batch of engines had completed its mission and could take a well-deserved rest. They passed the baton to let the second batch of engines complete the final part of the 30,000 meter descent.

“If this simulation test succeeds, I'll probably regret it,” Mai Dong said.

“Why will you be regretting it?”

“I feel regretful that I didn't really head down.” The girl smiled. “The chances of success are so low, and for it to actually succeed against all odds, wouldn't it be regretful that it was only a simulation and doesn't count? Anyone would have such thoughts… Ah, if only I had headed down using this opportunity, right?”

“No simulation test can represent the actual situation. The workstation is limited in its ability, and is unable to fully simulate reality.” Tang Yue shook his head. “Orion's flight control system still has many flaws and drawbacks. Under such a situation, we cannot rashly let you descend…”

Just as he said that, the monitor in front of Tang Yue suddenly had a pop-up window appear. It was a jarring red that alarmed him.

“Code 1028 alert!

“Code 1029 alert!

“Code 1170 alert! Tomcat!”

“Copy.” Tomcat glued its eyes to the monitor. “Copy… 1029 is a warning about the structural robustness. 1170 is the attitude stabilization warning. Damn it. Something's wrong. Something is wrong with Orion.”

“Something is wrong?” Tang Yue was taken aback. In less than half a minute of the warning pop-up window, the screen was covered in red warning numbers. He couldn't react in time at the speed they were popping up at.

“Tomcat! All systems red!” Tang Yue shouted.

“It's all red over here too.” Tomcat typed on the keyboard rapidly, making it evident that its monitor was also covered in red alerts that tinged its face red from the monitor's light. “Orion's RCS attitude stability has errored out. It's giving the computer incorrect information, causing the computer to instruct the engine's nozzles to rotate away in an attempt to stabilize Orion. The spacecraft is deviating from the central axis, and I'm trying to find the problem at its source. I'm trying to find the problem at its source!”

The most worrisome matter had happened after all. The spacecraft was unable to stabilize its attitude and it was beginning to topple.

Before the test, Tomcat had emphasized that the spacecraft couldn't deviate more than five degrees, because once that happened, Orion's weak truss might break down as a result.

At that moment, the spacecraft was gradually reaching the five-degree limit.

“Can you stop it?” Tang Yue bellowed. “Deviation of 2° 30′!”

“I'm trying!” Tomcat said fiercely.

“Deviation of 3° 50′! 3° 52′! Haven't you found the problem?”

“I'm checking through the program and sensors for any bugs, and am also fixing the engine's control commands…”

“Deviation of 4° 47′! 4° 50′! 4° 55′!” Tang Yue broke out into a sweat. “The truss's robustness is approaching its limits. The spacecraft can't maintain its integrity any longer!”

Mai Dong silently listened to Tang Yue and Tomcat shout over the comms as she raised her hand to look at the time. 267 seconds had passed since the atmospheric entry. Based on the expected stages, this was the period when the spacecraft approached an altitude of 10,000 meters.

Even though the personnel on Mars were in a frenzy, the lander remained pitch-black and silent.

“The deviation has reached 5° 13′! Structural coefficient at 77%! Tomcat, if you don't hurry, the spacecraft will crash! The spacecraft is about to crash!”

“5° 27′. Structural coefficient at 80%!”

“5° 43′. Structural coefficient at 88%!”

“6°. 93%! 95%… 97%! 98! 99!”

“Found it! F*ck, it was a tiny logic problem! When the system rectifies—” Tomcat slammed on the table as it stood up. Tang Yue had done so at the same moment as he pushed the keyboard and cut Tomcat off. “Orion's truss cracked and has disintegrated.”

Chapter end

Report
<<Prev
Next>>
Catalogue
Chapter 249 – : Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 248 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 247 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 246 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 245 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 244 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 243 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 242 – Sol Three Hundred and Forty
Chapter 241
Chapter 240
Chapter 239 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 238 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 237 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 236 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 235 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 234 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 233 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 232 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 231 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 230 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 229 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 228 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 227 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 226 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 225 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 224 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 223 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 222 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 221 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 220 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 219 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 218 – Sol Three Hundred and Thirty
Chapter 217
Chapter 216 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 215 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 214 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 213 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 212 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 211 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 210 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 209 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 208 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 207 – sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 206 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 205 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 204 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 203 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 202 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 201 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 200 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 199 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 198 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 197 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 196 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty–Four, How to Enter the Two
Chapter 195 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty–Four, Desert, Loneliness, Shit
Chapter 194 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 193 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 192 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty–Two, Law of Tomcat's Flag
Chapter 191 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 190 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 189 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 188 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 187 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 186 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 185 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 184 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 183 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 182 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 181 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 180 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 179 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 178 – Sol Three Hundred and Twenty
Chapter 177
Chapter 176
Chapter 175 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 174 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty–Four, Buttocks and Thermal
Chapter 173 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 172 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 171 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 170 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 169 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 168 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 167 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 166 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 165 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 164 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 163 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 162 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 161 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 160 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 159 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 158 – Sol Two Hundred and Eighty
Chapter 157
Chapter 156
Chapter 155
Chapter 154
Chapter 153
Chapter 152 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 151 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy–Seven, Bio
Chapter 150 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 149 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 148 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 147 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 146 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 145 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 144 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 143 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 142 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 141 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 140 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 139 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 138 – : Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 137 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 136 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 135 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 134 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 133 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 132 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 131 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy–Three, Long
Chapter 130 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 129 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 128 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy–Two, New
Chapter 127 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 126 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 125 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 124 – Sol Two Hundred and Seventy
Chapter 123
Chapter 122
Chapter 121
Chapter 120
Chapter 119
Chapter 118
Chapter 117
Chapter 116
Chapter 115
Chapter 114
Chapter 113
Chapter 112
Chapter 111
Chapter 110
Chapter 109
Chapter 108
Chapter 107
Chapter 106
Chapter 105
Chapter 104
Chapter 103
Chapter 102
Chapter 101
Chapter 100
Chapter 99
Chapter 98
Chapter 97
Chapter 96
Chapter 95
Chapter 94
Chapter 93
Chapter 92
Chapter 91
Chapter 90
Chapter 89
Chapter 88
Chapter 87
Chapter 86
Chapter 85
Chapter 84
Chapter 83
Chapter 82
Chapter 81
Chapter 80
Chapter 79
Chapter 78
Chapter 77
Chapter 76
Chapter 75
Chapter 74 – Sol Hundred, Shit
Chapter 73 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 72 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 71 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 70 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 69 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 68 – Sol Ninety
Chapter 67: Sol Ninety-Eight, A Man Without Water Is Not a Man at All
Chapter 66: Sol Ninety-Eight, Scurvy, and Kidney Failure
Chapter 65: Sol Ninety-Eight, The Space Station's Miss Farmer
Chapter 64: Sol Ninety-Eight, The Mathematical Explanation Between Gradual Enlightenment and Instant Enlightenment
Chapter 63: Sol Ninety-Eight, Disappearance of the Orion I
Chapter 62: Epilogue
Chapter 61: Sol Five, Grab onto That Shackle
Chapter 60: Sol Five, Five Seconds That Can Give Birth to Ten Thousand Stars
Chapter 59: Sol Five, Seventy-Meter-Long Surgical Knife
Chapter 58: Sol Five, The Arm
Chapter 57: Sol Five, The Solitary Shout
Chapter 56: Sol Five, Fly Towards the Sun
Chapter 55: Sol Five, The Mountain Will Not Come to Muhammad
Chapter 54: Sol Five, Biting Fate by the Throat
Chapter 53: Sol Five, Good People Live Long
Chapter 52: Sol Five, Eternal Increase in Entropy
Chapter 51: Sol Five, We Crashed
Chapter 50: Sol Five, The Probability of Success from Betting One's Life
Chapter 49: Sol Five, Desperado
Chapter 48: Sol Five, I'm Watching from Hundreds of Millions of Kilometers Away
Chapter 47: Sol Five, Lonely Radio Wave
Chapter 46: Sol Five, Third Life in the Whole Universe
Chapter 45: Sol Five, Either Make or Break
Chapter 44: Sol Five, I've Been Caught by the Nazis
Chapter 43: Sol Five, Nostalgia Became a Tiny Spacecraft
Chapter 42: Sol Five, Lil' Eagle's Race
Chapter 41: Sol Five, Eagle, Away You Go!
Chapter 40: Sol Five, Mars United Space Station
Chapter 39: Sol Five, the Greatest Being-Toward-Death
Chapter 38: Sol Five, The Meaning of a Million Tang Yue's
Chapter 37: Sol Five, Snail in a Race
Chapter 36: Sol Five, The Universe's Final Broadcasting Station
Chapter 35: Sol Four, Man is Unable to Defeat the Universe
Chapter 34: Sol Four, Cold Physics and Mathematics
Chapter 33: Sol Four, Parents Need Alone Time When Guiding Children With Their Studies
Chapter 32: Sol Four, SpongeBob Lives Under the Sea
Chapter 31: Sol Four, Two Solutions to Repair a TV
Chapter 30: Sol Four, Antenna Father and Antenna Son
Chapter 29: Sol Four, A Person Equaling a Billion People
Chapter 28: Sol Four, Himalayas on the Plains
Chapter 27: Sol Four, Becoming a Mummy on Mars
Chapter 26: Sol Four, Would I Lose All My Reputation?
Chapter 25: Sol Four, Disappearance of Tomcat
Chapter 24: Sol Four, Forging Across the Hundred Meters
Chapter 23: Sol Four, Force 14 Wind on Mars
Chapter 22: Sol Four, 21st Century Famine
Chapter 21: Sol Four, Taking off the EVA Suit, Buttocks Go First
Chapter 20: Sol Four, I'm Starving
Chapter 19: Sol Three, Tomcat is a Good Dictionary
Chapter 18: Sol Three, A Cremation Awaits a Moment's Joy of Ripping Wires
Chapter 17: Sol Three, 13,416 Articles
Chapter 16: Sol Three, Kunlun Station's Enslaved Worker
Chapter 15: Sol Two, The Eagle That Lets Its Hair Down
Chapter 14: Sol Two, How an Earth Can Be Blasted Apart
Chapter 13: Sol Two, Grand Art of Dirty Clothes Changing
Chapter 12: Sol Two, The Naked Man on the Desolate Plains
Chapter 11: Sol One, Rectum Comparable to a Howitzer
Chapter 10: Sol One, Mars Wanderer
Chapter 9: Sol One, Kunlun Station is a Turtle Shell
Chapter 8: Sol One, Robots Do Not Need Sleep
Chapter 7: Sol One, You are Inhumane
Chapter 6: Sol One, Can Last Another Five Sols
Chapter 5: Sol One, Crazy Canned Food
Chapter 4: Sol One, Enough Oxygen for Fifteen Years
Chapter 3: Sol One, Live On
Chapter 2: Sol One, Last Human in the Universe
Chapter 1: Sol One, Earth Has Exploded
Setting
Font
Arial
Georgia
Comic Sans MS
Font size
14
Background
Report
Donate
Oh o, this user has not set a donation button.
English
Español
lingua italiana
Русский язык
Portugués
Deutsch
Success Warn New Timeout NO YES Summary More details Please rate this book Please write down your comment Reply Follow Followed This is the last chapter. Are you sure to delete? Account We've sent email to you successfully. You can check your email and reset password. You've reset your password successfully. We're going to the login page. Read Your cover's min size should be 160*160px Your cover's type should be .jpg/.jpeg/.png This book hasn't have any chapter yet. This is the first chapter This is the last chapter We're going to home page. * Book name can't be empty. * Book name has existed. At least one picture Book cover is required Please enter chapter name Create Successfully Modify successfully Fail to modify Fail Error Code Edit Delete Just Are you sure to delete? This volume still has chapters Create Chapter Fold Delete successfully Please enter the chapter name~ Then click 'choose pictures' button Are you sure to cancel publishing it? Picture can't be smaller than 300*300 Failed Name can't be empty Email's format is wrong Password can't be empty Must be 6 to 14 characters Please verify your password again