Just three days later, the Expedition II received the design blueprints for the power furnace, thrusters, and several other critical components.
Ou Zhanpeng immediately noticed many similarities between the power furnace's design and the one he had submitted, yet they were not identical. It was evident that military experts had made some improvements.
After all, a reactor used in a small spacecraft would naturally differ from one designed for a massive warship.
He couldn't quite articulate the specifics of the differences, but he trusted that the military wouldn't make arbitrary arrangements. Whether it would perform flawlessly was uncertain, but it was undoubtedly designed to perfectly match the actual conditions of the Expedition II.
On the fifth day, the second ship received the blueprints for non-critical components.
The distinction between critical and non-critical parts was clear: the former were primarily constructed from metal, while the latter were formed by solid smoke.
The base's speed was astonishing, and its efficiency was unprecedented. However, behind all this efficiency lay mountains of experimental waste.
Next came the rigorous process of printing and assembly.
Ou Ben had initially assumed that printing such complex equipment would take a considerable amount of time. To his surprise, that was not the case at all.
The second ship had a dedicated printing cabin. After inputting the blueprints into the equipment, more than a dozen printing heads of various sizes emerged. The larger ones handled the main structures, the smaller ones the minute details, and those in between managed the intermediate layers.
In short, each part performed its designated function with clear division of labor, maximizing printing efficiency.
What Ou Ben expected to take a long time was completed in just two days.
Ou Zhanpeng suddenly realized the reason for receiving the blueprints three days prior: a day for design and two days for printing and experimentation.
His guess about the one-day design period was correct, but it wasn't just one set of blueprints. Multiple sets were developed simultaneously, each with subtle variations in detail.
It wasn't that Shan Qiuyu was being needlessly complicated. The timeframe was simply too short, and the participating experts weren't entirely certain which design方案 would be the most suitable.
The military acted decisively, opting to print all the blueprints concurrently.
As a result, several identical 3D printers began operating in different regions across the country, producing over twenty power furnaces within a mere two days.
The experimental personnel were well-prepared and began test runs immediately, even before the power furnaces had cooled down. Eight of them exploded on the spot, and the remaining dozen also encountered issues during subsequent experiments.
Designers urgently addressed the problems encountered, selecting one of the functional power furnaces as a reference. Finally, the version received by the second ship was finalized.
Though not perfect, it was deemed sufficient for use.
The non-critical components were simpler. While human spaceflight technology was still rudimentary and basic, there were numerous spacecraft, both active and decommissioned. Finding a suitable model and making minor modifications resulted in usable blueprints.
Since the spacecraft wasn't intended for long-term use, and only needed to reach Jupiter, extreme perfection wasn't necessary.
Thus, the base completed all the necessary blueprints in just seven days. The second ship, in turn, took another seven days for printing and fabrication, followed by two days for assembly, and the high-speed spacecraft was successfully completed.
From the submission of the proposal to the final launch, a total of only twelve days had passed.
The completed spacecraft, measuring just over thirty meters in length, was not large. Compared to the Expedition II, it was like a grapefruit placed next to a watermelon.
Furthermore, the internal structure of this spacecraft was extremely simple, with the power compartment and other functional chambers occupying one-third of the space. The living quarters took up another five meters, and the remainder was designated as cargo hold.
However, one should not underestimate it due to its simple structure. The rapid construction of this spacecraft was not solely the result of the combined efforts of the ground base and the Expedition II, but also a testament to the decades of continuous accumulation by China's scientific and technological personnel. Without such profound technical expertise, it would have been impossible for anyone to complete this spacecraft in such a short period!
Liu Wenwen mobilized all the personnel on the ship, and the cargo hold was filled in a very short time.
The cargo hold, though not particularly large, could accommodate a considerable amount of supplies. Even with careful rationing, it would be enough to sustain the first ship for another two months.
In addition, following Ou Zhanpeng's suggestion, the base installed two custom slots on each side of the spacecraft. Liu Wenwen, along with the few technical personnel on board, secured four heavy missiles into these slots.
These missiles should not be underestimated; their length was nearly equivalent to the spacecraft itself, and they provided an extremely powerful boost in propulsion.
With their assistance, the spacecraft had a good chance of arriving at Jupiter at the same time as the first ship.
This was not merely about leveling the time difference; it was about maximizing the safety of the crew. It held immense significance for the base, the first ship, and the Expedition II.
With all preparations complete, Ou Zhanpeng was ready to depart. Liu Wenwen and the others stepped aside, creating space for Ou Zhanpeng and Xu Qing.
Their eyes met, and a thousand unspoken words lay heavy in their hearts, yet they didn't know how to begin.
Finally, they shared a heartfelt embrace. Xu Qing closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if to imprint his scent into her memory. "I'll wait for you. Come back soon."
Ou Zhanpeng grunted and kissed Xu Qing deeply on the lips. "What if..."
"Shut up. There are no 'what ifs.' No 'what ifs,' no 'what ifs'!" Xu Qing glared at Ou Zhanpeng fiercely, like an agitated Persian cat. "If you dare say another word, I'll die for you to see!"
Ou Zhanpeng immediately conceded. "Alright, alright, I won't say it. I won't say it, okay?"
"That's better!" Xu Qing embraced Ou Zhanpeng again and sighed deeply.
She pushed away, drifting back. "Go, I'll wait for you."
Whether one considered Xu Qing superstitious or idealistic, certain words were simply not to be uttered.
For instance, doctors or police officers on night shifts must never say they were idle or had nothing to do, lest something immediately crop up, keeping them busy until dawn.
Even for the sake of good luck, she couldn't let Ou Zhanpeng speak carelessly.
Ou Zhanpeng gazed at Xu Qing deeply, engraving her image into his heart. Gritting his teeth, he turned and boarded the spacecraft.
No matter how much reluctance he felt, he had to steel his resolve.
Liu Wenwen and the others appeared, watching Ou Zhanpeng depart together. They saw the cabin door open before him and then his retreating figure disappear as the door closed.
A moment later, Ou Zhanpeng's voice crackled over the radio: "Bridge, the Barracuda is ready. Requesting undocking!"
"You are cleared for undocking!" Liu Wenwen responded.
The Expedition II gave a barely perceptible tremor. The light blue Barracuda separated, maintaining a distance. After a successful engine ignition, the thrusters emitted a pale green trail, propelling the spacecraft into a slow acceleration, gradually surpassing the Expedition II.
Xu Qing remained silent, her eyes following the departing spacecraft. Her eyes, however, held only sorrow and melancholy.
But all her emotions had to be suppressed, revealing not the slightest trace.
Suddenly, Liu Wenwen said, "You know, I really envy you. Truly."
Xu Qing turned her head away, preventing Liu Wenwen from seeing the tears welling in her eyes. "Forget it. There's nothing to envy."
With that, she walked away without looking back.