Finally, the countdown ended. The ion thrusters at the rear of the spacecraft flared to life, propelling the vessels along the orbital ring before they launched into the void at a relatively "low" speed.
The atmosphere on Nyx was simply too dense for the spacecraft to operate at maximum velocity, unlike in open space. Currently, they were maintaining a minimum cruising speed of just 300 meters per second.
If they moved any faster, the immense air resistance would generate catastrophic friction, risking the hulls burning up upon reentry like falling meteors. That was a scenario they absolutely had to avoid.
Following their pre-calculated flight trajectories, the three spacecraft pierced the atmosphere at a shallow angle. Thanks to their controlled speed, they generated virtually no thermal friction.
The pale blue glow of their ion engines served as a clear beacon, perfectly indicating the descent paths of the three vessels.
