Chapter 341
The top headline on global news was taken over by China's Eagle Eye One.
The UN television host faced the camera and announced: "Good evening, global audience. We are now reporting that China is about to launch the Eagle Eye One space debris cleanup system in thirty minutes. According to experts from the International Space Safety Committee (ISSC), this debris cleanup model carries significant risks. So, is Eagle Eye One a space janitor or an orbiting killer?"
Netizens from various countries were buzzing online.
A U.S. netizen said: "What makes China think they can succeed? Eagle Eye technology hasn't been internationally verified. A reckless launch could trigger a catastrophic chain reaction. Can China afford that?"
A Russian netizen commented: "Our country tried space cleanup decades ago and ended up creating more debris. I don't think the Chinese are smarter than us."
An EU netizen wrote: "The EU should ban China's janitor from approaching our orbital zones. Who knows if it might accidentally swallow our navigation systems?"
A South Korean netizen claimed: "The term 'Eagle Eye' was copied from our ancient texts. No wonder it looks so familiar."
A Japanese netizen speculated: "Is China trying to use Eagle Eye to infiltrate global satellite systems…"
Regardless of the international noise, inside the domestic livestream, the Chinese host—with a calm and reassuring face—continued to report the progress at a steady pace.
"Greetings to all viewers. You may not know that in the near-Earth orbit above us, there are over 100 million pieces of space debris. These fragments, ranging from tiny screws to abandoned satellites, travel at speeds ten times that of a bullet. If a collision occurs, the chain reaction could destroy global communication, navigation, and even weather satellite systems…"
"Today, China's Eagle Eye One will usher in a new era of human space cleanup!"
"…"
Inside the control room, hundreds of screens flickered with data streams. Engineers' fingers flew across keyboards.
Rong Yu stood before the main console, her gaze fixed on the orbital map on the large screen.
"The countdown begins!"
As her voice fell, everyone in the control room rose to their feet.
Voices rang out in unison:
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Ignition——!"
Rong Yu pressed the command button with one hand.
With a tremendous roar, the rocket lifted Eagle Eye One into the sky, its tail flame carving a brilliant golden trail through the night.
The BBC livestream chat exploded instantly:
"Did they really dare?"
"Are the Chinese polluting space now?"
"Why isn't the UN Space Safety Committee stopping this…"
International comments were mostly sarcastic, reproachful, and angry.
But Rong Yu's eyes were fixed solely on the data screens.
"First stage separation successful."
"Second stage ignition normal."
"Eagle Eye One has successfully entered its designated orbit—"
Seventy-two minutes later, Eagle Eye One reached its target orbit and deployed its claw—a set of retractable capture nets woven from nanofibers.
The livestream camera captured the scene.
Eagle Eye precisely approached a piece of debris. The robotic arm shot out, but instead of grabbing roughly, it sprayed conductive gel that instantly enveloped the target's surface, activated a pulsed magnetic field to decelerate it rapidly, and achieved a "soft landing" capture.
The conductive gel solidified, and electromagnetic adhesion was activated.
The debris was firmly locked and dragged toward the atmospheric incineration zone.
The entire process was swift, fast, and seamless—as flexible as a human arm.
The domestic livestream erupted.
"Wow, I'm dazzled. This is so high-tech, like a sci-fi movie!"
"Eagle Eye One just put space into deep-cleaning mode. Who can beat that?"
"Five thousand years ago, we gazed at the stars; five thousand years later, we step into the Milky Way and make the stars brighter."
"Eagle Eye One: Heard someone doubted me? Come on, take a look at what Chinese power can do!"
"Motherland is too strong. I barely know how to read, but I can only say: Awesome!"
"…"
Meanwhile, the BBC livestream chat saw a complete reversal.
A UN engineer posted: "I've worked on robotic arm design for over 20 years at the ISSC. The technology behind Eagle Eye completely overturns my understanding. When did China's aerospace tech become this powerful?"
A U.S. scientist wrote: "I have to say, Eagle Eye's orbital prediction algorithm is at least one generation ahead of ours. It even calculated the impact of Earth's magnetic field on micro-debris, something we haven't managed to model yet."
A Russian expert commented: "This is terrifying. Eagle Eye One can predict the rotational trajectory of debris and capture it accurately. That requires at least a trillion-level fluid dynamics simulation space. Where did they get the funding?"
…
At first, only a small number of people abroad were paying attention, but experts and professors from various countries began posting their views online, drawing more and more viewers into the livestream, sending the popularity skyrocketing.
That night, the name "Eagle Eye One" made the front page of news outlets in over 100 countries.
The control room team worked through almost the entire night.
As dawn barely broke, Rong Yu's hoarse voice rang out: "Eagle Eye One, maiden mission complete!"
Though sleepless, everyone was ecstatic and erupted in cheers.
Cui Xiao took off his glasses, rubbed his reddened eyes, and said hoarsely, "Notify the media. Press conference in ten minutes."
Journalists had already set up their gear. When the group entered, flashbulbs blazed like a rainstorm, all aimed at Lin Rang, who sat in a wheelchair.
Every frontline reporter knew that the Eagle Eye One project was the work of a young man, with even Cui Xiao—the brilliant chief engineer—only playing a supporting role.
Reporters scrambled to ask questions.
"Professor Lin, as the chief designer of the Eagle Eye project, can you share the significance of this success?"
"Professor Lin, what was the initial inspiration behind developing Eagle Eye?"
"Professor Lin, how do you think the successful launch of Eagle Eye One will impact the global space situation…"
"The success of Eagle Eye One marks China's leap from follower to leader in space governance," Lin Rang said, taking the microphone. His voice was soft but every word was clear. "But today, the person you should be interviewing is not me. It's my junior colleague, Rong Yu. She is the true chief designer of the Eagle Eye project."
When the project was first initiated, two names were filled in under the chief designer field: Rong Yu first, Lin Rang second.
The order was not based on alphabetical listing or random writing. The meaning behind it was unmistakable to everyone present.
When the reporters saw Rong Yu's face, they all froze.
A chief designer this young?
Was she even twenty?
Back then, Chief Engineer Cui Xiao was also in his twenties when he took on that role!
As the reporters stood stunned, the livestream chat was boiling over.
"Wait! The chief designer is a woman?! And so young?"
"Oh my god, it's Rong Yu! Don't you all recognize Rong Yu?!"
"I thought Rong Yu was just an ordinary top student, but little did I know, she's actually the lead of a space project—she totally blew my mind!"
"She's only nineteen, just a freshman. She's younger than my little sister! Ahhh, is she even human?"
"Wrong, the guy above. From beginning to end, the Eagle Eye project took thirteen months. In other words, when Rong Yu was just eighteen, she became the chief designer..."
"..."