Dead on Mars

The color in Tang Yue’s face drained as cold sweat rolled down his cheeks.

The RD-0172 engine that the Eagle’s payload capsule came equipped with was a small rocket. It was used as a safety escape system during the launch or used to change the command module’s trajectory. The thrust it produced and the time it remained online were rather limited.

Under normal circumstances, RD-0172 rockets definitely had enough propellant because the lander’s ascent into orbit was an intricate task. It needed a suitable launch window to be selected, Earth’s control center’s specially tailored plans, Kunlun Station and the space station providing remote guidance, as well as the adjustments and control provided by the astronaut on the lander.

In past missions to Mars, the docking between the lander and space station was done using the rapid docking method. The lander would enter orbit and circle Mars once before entering straight into the docking procedure. The time it took didn’t exceed two hours. It was simple and clean; therefore, the propellant in RD-0172, which carried a payload capsule, was never used up. There would be an excess each time.

This made Tang Yue misunderstand something.

He believed that docking was a very simple task.

“How did you have the misconception that docking can happen successfully without much planning?” Tomcat asked. “The numerous successful docks in the past have been because there were Earth, Kunlun Station, United Space Station, and the lander working perfectly in time with each other. A huge team of people was helping you monitor everything. Now, do you see what’s left of us?”

Earth was gone.

Due to the inclement weather at Kunlun Station, it was unable to provide any reliable guidance and positioning remotely.

The United Space Station only had Mai Dong alone. She wasn’t a professional astronaut with rich experience like Commander Old Wang. Putting her in charge of the entire docking procedure would be like forcing her to put a square peg into a round hole.

Finally, there was the Eagle… The Eagle was cargo-only for tomorrow’s launch, so there wasn’t a single person on it. There were only compressed biscuits and sandwiches, and it was rather unlikely that the sandwiches would help with the flight.

Tang Yue slowly sat down. He understood what Tomcat was getting at. His energy drained bit by bit as his skin turned cold.

To think that he imagined that they were prepared but were lacking the crucial element.

The moment Tomcat pointed it out, Tang Yue realized that the plan was filled with flaws and loopholes. Problems occurred at every stage of the plan, unable to stand up to scrutiny.

They had to launch an unmanned, cargo-laden spacecraft without any manned supervision or guidance through a sandstorm before letting the unmanned spacecraft find the space station autonomously, and complete the docking with only one chance of failure.

This was equivalent to leaving an eight-year-old child, who had never been far from home, in Beijing’s metro station, and then giving him a map to find his way to Shanghai. Then, a word of encouragement would be given to him by patting him on the shoulders. “You are only allowed to make a single mistake, get it?”

“What the… Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Tang Yue muttered.

“When did we have the time to talk about this?” Tomcat replied. “Did we even rest over the past few days?”

Tang Yue felt a little lost. The situation was far worse than he imagined. It was truly a bleak situation.

Without the controls and guidance of Kunlun Station and the United Space Station, it was impossible for the Eagle to complete the change in orbit trajectories. Docking was a very intricate task. The lander and United Space Station were hurtling through space at 3 km/s, but their relative speed couldn’t exceed 5 m/s.

This was equivalent to two planes, moving at Mach 10, approach each other in flight and be so close that both pilots could shake hands.

Any mistake would lead to the destruction of both human and machine.

“What’s the probability of success for the Eagle’s automatic docking?” Tang Yue asked.

Tomcat thought for a moment. “Unless Eagle’s computer is able to perfectly control the lander, and precisely execute each step without making any tiny mistakes, only then will the docking happen successfully… However, this is an ideal case. Just relying on the Eagle to navigate itself will always lead to some tiny deviations.

“As the objective conditions aren’t ideal, the influence of the external environment will gradually accumulate. For example, gravity, wind speeds, as well as the engine’s operational state. Therefore, the lander needs external commands to allow it to correct its course. Such external commands can be guidance from Kunlun Station or the space station. It can also be adjusted by the passengers onboard the lander.”

“Without any external adjustments, it’s almost impossible for the Eagle to complete the docking?” Tang Yue asked.

“The hope is very slim.”

“What’s the probability!” Tang Yue gritted his teeth as he said, “I want to know the probability! What’s the probability of a successful docking?”

“Not more than 5%.”

“And the RD-0172 engine only has enough propellant to make two attempts?”

Tomcat nodded. “If the first docking fails, there’s only enough propellant for another attempt. If the second attempt fails, the Eagle will become space trash that floats in orbit.”

Tang Yue was out of ideas. With only two attempts, the chance of success was only about 10%.

He suddenly felt exhausted, so tired that he didn’t even wish to say a word.

Every number said by Tomcat was precisely calculated. Mathematics was indeed beautiful but cruel. It was the expression of the Universe’s laws and logic, completely imperturbable. No matter how much strength one had, it was impossible to forcibly change even the hundredth decimal place of the calculations’ results.

10% meant 10%.

This probability was an immutable death sentence. It wasn’t passed by humans, but by the will of the world.

Humans couldn’t resist the Universe. Mars’s radius was 3,389 kilometers. It was impossible for you to make it 4,000 kilometers. Mars’s acceleration due to gravity was 0.38 G, and it was impossible to make it 0.4 G. All numbers and laws had long been fixed at the Creation.

Therefore, the judgment they made was imperturbable.

Tomcat didn’t say another word as the man and cat sat under the dim lights. All that was left was the humming drone from the Kunlun Station’s OGS (Oxygen Generator System).

“Then, where does our hope lie?” Tang Yue opened his eyes, a blank look in them. “Didn’t you say that we will seek out the last bit of hope that’s buried amidst the impossibility? Where’s this hope? Where is it?”

Tomcat stabbed at his chest.

“In here.”

Tang Yue was taken aback.

“Mars is dead. Same for the Eagle. The laws of physics and mathematics are dead as well,” Tomcat said. “But you are alive. You are the only person alive on this planet. If you are dead, then all hope is lost.”

Tang Yue stared at it in a daze.

Tomcat wore a calm expression.

“Do you believe man is able to defeat the Universe?” Tomcat suddenly asked. “I believe that man is unable to defeat the Universe, but they can defeat themselves.”

Tang Yue was stunned. His expression became twisted as his voice began to tremble.

“Do… you mean… that there’s still hope?”