DSF@605026bf19e2e6401ae1ce6ee92a29e8
Shortly after flying over Mars, 3137 informed me that we were about to enter the asteroid belt. Our mission this time was to explore the Kuiper Belt in the outer solar system, which required us to navigate through the relatively dense asteroid belt quickly and safely. Even though we were traveling at a maximum speed of 150,000 kilometers per hour during our last mission, the new engine we installed can now reach speeds of up to 700,000 kilometers per hour. However, maintaining maximum speed through the asteroid belt is not wise, so 3137 will only accelerate in the Kirkwood gap, a relatively sparse region of the asteroid belt that is in resonance with Jupiter's orbit. Whenever we leave the Kirkwood gap and enter an area with a higher concentration of asteroids, we will need to slow down. This process will be repeated several times, which will consume more propellant. Finally, after leaving the asteroid belt, we will need to perform one last major maneuver to adjust our trajectory to a relatively sparse and safe departure zone. This safe departure zone must allow us to take advantage of the gravitational pull of other planets on our future trajectory, while avoiding the Hilda and Trojan asteroid groups that are located at the Sun-Jupiter Lagrange points.
Mars evaluated the situation and confirmed that we have enough propellant to perform all of these maneuvers. Although Jupiter is not in our path this time, we will still need to avoid the Trojan asteroid group that shares Jupiter's orbit. By the time we reach Jupiter, the Galileo space habitat and the supply station on Amalthea（3th moon of Jupiter) will be quite far away, and there will be a lot of small celestial bodies blocking our view or hiding behind Jupiter, so we may not be able to see it clearly. Mars seemed to sense my disappointment at missing a close encounter with Jupiter and quickly reassured me, "Alcon, I am simulating and calculating a new route that may pass by Saturn. On the return trip, we can visit the Galileo 1 space habitat near Jupiter and stop at the Jupiter supply station."
"How did you know what I was thinking?" I asked.
"Because I also want to take a closer look at Jupiter too." Mars winked.
Mars is becoming more and more like a human. I remembered the scene when I first operated and named Mars during the flyby of Mars: "Mars, do you remember when I named you, you warned me that it might cause command misunderstandings in emergency situations?"
"For new users, there used to be a problem with accents and grammar habits between them and AI, but we don't have that problem anymore."
"Why?" I know that after so many years, Mars is very familiar with my commands and grammar, but I still want to know how he would answer.
"I understand you perfectly fine. For example, I just guessed that you also wanted to take a closer look at Jupiter." Mars didn't answer directly, but this answer was more interesting.
As I write this, I realize that at some point, I stopped using "it" and started using "he" to describe Mars.
The process of flying through the asteroid belt was much calmer than I imagined. In addition to detecting and planning the route, Mars also supplemented and updated data on numbered asteroids along the way based on DSF's instructions, while assisting me in various knowledge preparations and operation exercises for KU exploration. After a few days, Mars informed me that he had calculated and devised a detour from our original route, and he had received approval from DSF. The newly chosen route involved navigating through the gap located between the two Lagrange points occupied by the Trojans and Hildas asteroids, effectively bypassing them. After leaving, we could soon accelerate with the help of Saturn's gravity, and we would meet Jupiter on the return trip.
After waking up in a certain sleep cycle, Mars reminded me, "Alcon, we can see Saturn up close now. If you're ready, I can stop the centrifugal force so you can have a look yourself."
"Great! I'm ready!" I almost jumped up in excitement.
"Hmm, stopping the centrifugal force in 60 seconds, on your left port window."
I grabbed onto the handrail and floated over to the port window. The pale yellow Saturn was surrounded by its rings and its warm-colored stripes of varying shades of yellow and brown smoothly ran over every latitude line on the planet. It looked as if it had been crafted from pottery and lit up from a fixed angle. My first reaction was, "It looks so soft, and it's not even round." Mars added, "Yes, by the way there's a hexagonal shaped storm at Saturn's North Pole, which we can't see from our current angle."
I thought of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn almost 100 years ago. After a 20-year exploration mission, Huygens eventually fell silent on Saturn's moon, Titan, while Cassini plunged into Saturn's atmosphere as planned, completing its final observations and self-destruction mission on September 15, 2017, Earth time. As Cassini burned up while passing through Saturn's sky, lined with its massive rings, its story was permanently written into the history of space exploration, even though humans could not witness it with their own eyes.
I put my hand with the bracelet on it on the window, and Mars played some ambient music. I lost track of time as we flew by Saturn, and as the ship began to vibrate, Mars increased the engine thrust. We had now departed from the gravity assist trajectory.
Farewell, Saturn, dear father and mother. As we journey onwards, I shall carry you with me as we soar through the stars...
YOU ARE READING
Star Rider
Science FictionAmi: "We may be in different worlds, but we share the same moon and stars." This is a sci-fi love story, dedicated to those people who had to depart... Can you still see the stars in the city's sky? Have you ever imagined that your imagination could...
