Before the long-distance fleet set sail from the solar system, Li Sujia and Mecha 9 continued to fly towards Proxima B in the only space vehicle.

Although the mission of searching for the escape fleet, i.e., the zombie fleet, has been completed, Li Sujia is facing the dilemma of having nowhere to settle down. At this moment, she is about 1.7 light-years away from the solar system and 2.6 light-years away from Proxima Centauri.

Whether it is returning to the solar system or heading to Proxima Centauri, a rocky planet with a mass of 1.27 times the Earth, the space vehicle she is flying is not enough to span such a long voyage.

After weighing the trade-offs, she decided to go to Proxima Centauri. Although the journey was long, it was easier to get there by relying on the gravitational slingshot effect between the stars in the universe than to return to the solar system.

Despite experiencing unexpected dangers, her journey can contribute to the human "mission exploration" plan. Perhaps Proxima B has made amazing discoveries when the long-distance fleet changes its course toward Barnard.

Another thing is why she decided to go there. Before the escape fleet was captured by the zombie virus, in order to increase the chance of exploration, Fang Junhuang decided to send the "Strong" and "Starm" to South Gate II B to continue exploring.

The two stars of the South Gate A\b and Proxima Centauri form a three-star system. The distance between them is not far away. If you are lucky, she and Mecha 9 may encounter the "Strong" and "Starlight".

According to the performance of the space vehicle, it can only fly in the universe for 0.8 light years, and then it will fall into a state of energy exhaustion. Without any supply, heading to Proxima Centauri at 2.6 light years is simply an impossible task.

However, using the gravitational slingshot effect between the stars in the universe may solve this problem.

The gravitational slingshot effect uses the planet's gravity field to accelerate the aircraft and throw it towards the next target, which means treating the planet as a "gravity booster".

Although Li Sujia's idea was not a problem, there were no galaxies or planets on the route to Proxima Centauri, which made her move difficult.

"The moment we were made, our system told us that Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the sun," said Mecha 9.

Li Sujia smiled indifferently. She understood the meaning of its words. Her eyes looked at the interstellar navigation screen and kept searching manually...

"After leaving the solar system, our interstellar navigation system basically failed, and its only function was the only star bodies with a detection range of 0-20 million kilometers."

"If I were you, I wouldn't be talking nonstop here and worrying, but searching for wandering planets that can accelerate our spacecraft."

Her words woke it up suddenly. Although there is no galaxy between the solar system and Proxima Centauri, there are many wandering planets in the 4.3 light-year-long empty space.

If they can skillfully use their gravitational field and use the gravitational slingshot effect, they may be able to reach their destination.

As the name suggests, wandering planets are planets that have left the orbit of the star. They originally orbit their parent star. They are affected by the gravity of other celestial bodies and are thrown out of the galaxy and wander in the galaxy or the universe.

As early as 2011 AD, scientists used gravity microlensing to confirm the existence of wandering planets for the first time. It is generally believed that their number is sparse, but according to calculations, their number is actually astonishingly large.

It is speculated that the number of wandering planets of Jupiter-sized size is about twice as many as that of stars in the Milky Way.

Mecha No. 9 quickly became involved in the search for wandering planets. After her and its unremitting efforts, it finally reached about 16 million kilometers on the left side of the space aircraft.

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A wandering planet the size of Saturn was searched in the area inside.

"If we go to this planet, we will detour 6 million kilometers." Mecha No. 9 reminded.

"Perform to calculate, if we use the gravitational slingshot effect of the planet, how far can it throw us?" Li Sujia asked.

"It depends on the angle we cut into the planet. If it is less than 15 degrees, we will be bounced to a position farther from Proxima Centauri. If it is greater than 25 degrees, our aircraft will be captured by its gravitational location."

"Tell me an accurate cutting angle and the distance after acceleration."

"The cutting angle is between 19-22 degrees, and without starting the engine, it can accelerate approximately 1335 billion kilometers, but it still depends on luck."

"What are you talking about luck?" A trace of gloom flashed across her face.

"In order to achieve the best acceleration effect and the correct route, our aircraft must approach the planet's orbit and use a "u"-shaped path to achieve the gravitational slingshot effect. If the planet has a planetary ring similar to Saturn, the aircraft will be impacted by interstellar matter in the ring belt, and if the luck is not good, the plane will be destroyed and killed."

Li Sujia pondered for a while, then said: "If the planet has a ring, it will start the engine when approaching and control the flying posture of the aircraft, so that it will not hit interstellar matter."

"But the consequence of doing this is that, one, it will consume a lot of energy, two, it is impossible to predict where we will be bounced away? The high chance is to deviate from the route."

She fell into thinking again, and after a moment, her eyes fixed on the interstellar navigation screen...

At a distance of 16 million kilometers, the simple detection equipment of the space aircraft cannot detect whether the planet has a ring. It can only detect its existence and roughly estimate its radius and mass based on its infrared spectrum.

"Just do it! Maybe luck will be with us," she said.

Mecha No. 9 nodded immediately. It changed the route of the space aircraft and flew towards the wandering planet 16 million kilometers away...

15 seconds later, the spacecraft approached the planet, and at this moment, it was about 2 million kilometers away.

In the deep space, the planet flying at high speed rushed towards the aircraft like a shell. Mecha 9 adjusted the flight attitude of the space aircraft to 20.3 degrees entering its cutting angle.

By approaching the planet at this angle, the planet's gravitational field can maximize the acceleration of space vehicles without consuming any energy.

"The flight attitude has been adjusted, the cutting angle is 20.3 degrees, and the engine is turned off." said the aircraft's central control system.

As the various parameter lights on the flight control platform gradually faded, the four curvature engines of the space aircraft also turned off.

It will use inertia to enter the planet's gravitational field range.

It seems to be a distance of 2 million kilometers, but in fact it only takes more than 20 seconds.

When she was about 500,000 kilometers away from the planet, she and it had clearly felt that the space vehicle was under the strong effect of the planet's gravitational field, and it accelerated to approach it...

In fact, this effect was already reflected long before the engine was turned off, but she and it were not felt in touch.

At a distance of 500,000 kilometers, the spacecraft's detection device sent back the planet's complete and clear images and various parameters. This is a gas giant planet, its size is 1.7 times that of Saturn, and it is mainly composed of hydrogen, helium and other substances.

What worries her and it still happened. This wandering planet, like Saturn, has a beautiful and gorgeous ring, filled with a large number of interstellar deaths.

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Stone and ice material fragments.

The smallest one is the size of a round table, and the largest one is the same as the size of a 50-storey building!

As the planet is getting closer and closer, the gravity of the space aircraft is gradually increasing, and it is constantly accelerating...

If the route is not changed, once the loop is hit, the plane will be destroyed and the person will die. However, if the route is changed, the cutting angle will change. I don’t know where the space aircraft will be bounced to?

Such acceleration is meaningless.

"Request an emergency start of the engine and change the cutting angle!" Mecha No. 9 said quickly.

"No! There is no point in doing this!" Li Sujia said sternly.

"We'll bump into the ring belt!"

After Li Sujia pondered for a moment, his eyes firmly said: "The cutting angle changes twice!"

Mecha No. 9 understood that she didn't want to waste this opportunity to accelerate. She was betting that the space vehicle would only change the cutting angle to avoid the danger of crashing into the planetary ring belt without starting the engine.

Doing so will achieve the intended acceleration purpose to a large extent, but it will be accompanied by huge risks.

Everything depends on luck.

It tried hard to calm itself down. When it was about 50,000 kilometers away from the planet, it gently moved the joystick to 22.5 degrees. The space aircraft rushed towards the planet at high speed as if attracted by a magnet...

At this moment, its velocity towards the planet is about 15% of the speed of light. After being affected by its gravitational field, its velocity has increased to 29% of the speed of light, almost doubled.

It was like a lightning bolt hitting the planet...

Mecha No. 9 learned to pray, it closed its eyes and prayed for the arrival of good luck...

It was learned from Li Sujia, and it was silently learning and practicing all her actions and hobbies.

Just as it closed its eyes, the space aircraft plunged into the ring belt of the planet. It was like falling into a crystal clear world of ice and snow. Under the illumination of the navigation lights, everything was glittering and dazzling.

Fortunately, the space aircraft only flew into the outermost layer of the ring belt, which was filled with a small amount of ice crystals and interstellar dust. When it opened the dark matter protection barrier, these ice crystals did not cause damage to it.

Mecha No. 9 opened his eyes and his face became much calmer, and Li Sujia felt relieved.

The space aircraft flew at high speed along the outermost layer of the ring belt in a "u" shape around the planet. This process was only 7 or 8 seconds, but it was a long waiting period for Li Sujia and Mecha No. 9.

In just a few seconds, the space aircraft had no power of its own and flew completely on the planet's gravitational field. No one knew what would happen in the next second.

Accurate calculations and estimates plus good luck, the space vehicle did not have any accidents when it flew around the planet in a "u" shape. When it was about to fly away from the planet, it accelerated and was quickly bounced out like a pinball hitting the floor.

The speed of the space aircraft when entering the outermost ring belt of the planet is 29% of the speed of light. In addition, the speed of the wandering planet itself is accelerated by the planet's gravitational field, and the speed once reached 69% of the speed of light, almost increasing by nearly 2.5 times.

This acceleration is more obvious than expected. Without starting the engine, the space aircraft was pushed by the gravitational slingshot effect in the direction of Proxima Centauri b by the gravitational slingshot effect.

In the following time, Li Sujia and Mecha 9 used the interstellar wandering planets to move towards their destination for a full 1.2 light-years with the fuel of its gravitational slingshot effect.

Even though the whole process is accompanied by thrilling big and small, fortunately, there is no danger.
Chapter completed!