Chapter 896: Building a space elevator on the moon?
Although the ‘Pulse Digital Production Line’ at the Xiashu Space Base has not yet been officially put into production, it is foreseeable that it will become the strongest backing in the aerospace and national defense fields.
At the same time, it will also become the backbone in guiding the development of the space age in the future.
Xu Chuan is still very satisfied with these.
If the future exploration and transformation of Mars are really feasible, then the aerospace power of China and the Xinghai Research Institute will be the most important and most reliable power.
Even when necessary, it will be the armed forces that ensure that no other country interferes with their projects and plans.
Even he does not dare to ensure that he can convince all countries to concentrate the power and resources of the entire human civilization in one place.
After all, competition still exists in the entire world. Except for themselves, no country is willing to see their stronger rise and development.
...
After inspecting the pulsating digital production line, the two returned to the office.
Originally, Xu Chuan was planning to return to Xinghai Research Institute after seeing the production factory, but Academician Chang Huaxiang said that there was a project submitted by a researcher below, and he was a little undecided and wanted to ask his opinion.
"What's wrong? Is there anything else that even Mr. Chang can't make up his mind about?" Xu Chuan asked with a smile on the sofa.
Chang Huaxiang found a beige project document bag from the file cabinet in the office, handed it over, and said with a smile: "Take a look."
Xu Chuan took the document file with some curiosity, unwrapped the wire buckle, and took out the documents inside.
It is a project feasibility investigation report and project application form.
When the title caught Xu Chuan's eyes, he finally understood why Academician Chang Huaxiang was a little undecided.
"Feasibility Research Report on High-Efficiency Transportation of Personnel and Materials on the Lunar Surface and Space Elevator on the Lunar Surface"
"This report will conduct an in-depth study of the feasibility of the space elevator and explore its application prospects in future space exploration."
"1. Background introduction"
"With the continuous development of aerospace technology, human beings' interest and demand for space exploration are gradually increasing..."
"Second, research purpose..."
"Three, technical feasibility analysis..."
"Four,....."
Looking over the document report in his hand, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "This report is quite well-written."
Space elevator.
I believe that people who like science fiction novels or science fiction movies will be familiar with this technology, or this kind of equipment that leads to space.
The first person to propose this concept was Professor Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the father of aerospace in the former Red Soviet Union.
Maybe you haven't heard of this name, but you must have heard of his famous saying: "The earth is the cradle of mankind, but mankind cannot be bound to the cradle forever."
As early as 1895, this talented man who pointed out a reasonable way to develop aerospace and manufacture rockets and found a series of important engineering and technical solutions for rocket and liquid engine structures proposed a more efficient and convenient means of communication than rockets.
New technological solutions to space.
That is the ‘space elevator’.
It is almost the same as an ordinary elevator. The difference is that its function is not to transport passengers to and from floors, but to transport them to a space station about 36,000 kilometers away from the earth.
It sounds ideal and beautiful, but with the current technical conditions, it is simply impossible to realize the technology of a space elevator.
The core, most critical and basic thing is the 'cable' used in this elevator. What material is it made of?
You know, that space elevator, including the counterweight, has a length of hundreds of thousands of kilometers.
Even if the counterweight can be provided by building a large space station, the weight of the cables in the elevator itself is at the level of an asteroid.
Taking the most promising carbon nanotubes as an example, theoretically speaking, the strength of the carbon material composed of the best carbon nanotubes is just enough, but who in engineering calculates it based on theoretical strength?
Are intergranular defects and phase shifts not considered?
And who can mass-produce ideal, defect-free materials where the actual maximum stress does not exceed 5% of the theoretical strength?
This does not include the safety factor value.
Therefore, just manufacturing the cable materials for space elevators is a problem that humans cannot solve at present.
But the researcher who came up with the idea in his hand is quite interesting.
He changed his research ideas and instead of limiting the space elevator to the earth, he placed it on the moon 380,000 kilometers away.
Judging from the fact that the average gravity on the moon is only one-sixth that of the earth, the moon's surface is almost vacuum without air interference, and the altitude of the low-Earth orbit is about 100 kilometers, the lunar space elevator may not really be feasible with the current technology.
things that can't be done
Academician Chang Huaxiang smiled and said: "The idea of moving a space elevator to the moon is indeed quite interesting."
"From a theoretical and technical perspective, although this idea has no possibility of being realized at the moment, in a few decades when materials science develops to a certain extent, it might be feasible."
Xu Chuan shook his head gently and put the research report in his hand on the coffee table.
Opposite the sofa, Chang Huaxiang looked a little surprised. He asked curiously: "You don't seem to be very optimistic about this project?"
Judging from his understanding of Xu Chuan, he should be very interested in this type of engineering or technology.
But looking at his expression now, he doesn't seem to be very moved?
Xu Chuan nodded, picked up the tea cup from the table, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then said, "I'm really not very interested in the space elevator project."
"How to say?"
Hearing this, Academician Chang Huaxiang immediately looked over with interest and some curiosity.
Logically speaking, shouldn't this kind of magnificent technology that can be realized be the type that this person is most interested in?
It was precisely because of this consideration that he deliberately kept this research report.
Xu Chuan shook his head and explained: "The technology of space elevator sounds very high-end, but if it can be implemented, its practicality will not be weak."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "But the difficulty of its realization is actually higher than that of controllable nuclear fusion."
"The cable material problem is just one of the most well-known problems."
"In addition to the fact that ultra-high-strength cable materials are currently impossible to achieve, there are also problems with the swing of the cable's flexible connection, ultra-high potential problems caused by the cutting of the planet's magnetic field by long cables, cable protection issues, etc., each of which is currently a problem.
It’s difficult to solve.”
After a slight pause, he shook his head and added: "In my opinion, civilizations that can realize this kind of technology basically don't need it anymore."
"Its properties are actually very similar to the idea of a Dyson sphere wrapping a star to obtain energy. They are both imaginary technologies."
"And when a civilization is truly capable of building such huge facilities, it will already have simpler and more convenient technologies for energy acquisition and material transportation."
"For example, the lunar orbital mass catapult I proposed to build on the lunar surface is far more feasible, cost-effective, and practical than the space elevator."
"but....."
Smiling, Xu Chuan said: "This plan is not without its uses."
"Um?"
Hearing this, Chang Huaxiang looked over curiously again and asked: "You have completely denied its feasibility, what else can it be used for?"
Xu Chuan smiled and said slowly: "Has Chang Lao ever heard of the 'bureau seat'?"
...
With this lunar surface space elevator feasibility study report, Xu Chuan returned to Xinghai Research Institute.
Although the space elevator technology has low practical feasibility in his opinion, it has high 'strategic' value.
However, this report cannot be issued by the Xia Shu Space Base. It should be made public by the Joint Materials Research Institute of the Space Research Bureau of the Xinghai Research Institute.
It is best to pretend that the staff made a mistake, quietly publish it on the official website of Xinghai Research Institute, and then withdraw it urgently after discovering it.
This has the highest degree of credibility.
Of course, it would be best to contact the above again and cooperate with the work.
...
When returning from Xia Shu Space Base, Xu Chuan had been thinking about this matter in his mind.
Although the United States may not necessarily believe this plan, since this research plan was made public by Xinghai Research Institute, the credibility is still very high.
In particular, the various environmental factors on the moon are theoretically far more suitable for building a space elevator than those on the earth.
Not to mention being able to fool Lao Mi, as long as you can 'fool' an old rival in the aerospace field and delay the opponent's development in the space field, it will be very good.
Just as he was thinking about it, a familiar voice sounded in the office.
"Academician Xu, long time no see."
Behind the desk, hearing this familiar voice, Xu Chuan raised his head and looked over with some surprise. The person who walked in from the door was Gao Hongming, who had worked with him before. He had been promoted after his term was up.
"Why are you here?"
Seeing the familiar person in front of him, Xu Chuan stood up with a smile and said hello.
Gao Hongming said with a smile: "Isn't the construction of the Lunar Orbital Mass Projector going to start soon? I also have a job in it to cooperate with the work. I have to come over to see the situation."
"Speaking of which, I saw you frowning just now. Why, are you worried?"
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "It's nothing..."
Before he even finished speaking, he remembered something about the two of them working together before, and changed his words.
"For something other than technological development, see if you have any suggestions."
With that said, he handed over the space elevator research documents he brought back from Xiashu Space Base.
Gao Hongming is also a ruthless person. When the controllable nuclear fusion technology just started, in order to rebel against Japan, he planned to destroy the JT-60SA controllable nuclear fusion experimental reactor at the QST Fusion Research Institute in the small island country.
.
"Moon space elevator?"
Gao Hongming curiously took the document, took a look at it and couldn't help but asked: "Don't you want to start a new project again?"
With his personality, it is not impossible to build a space elevator on the moon.
However, there have been enough projects carried out on the moon in China in the past two years. Another one will be launched, and it will be a super project like a space elevator.
Tsk tsk.....
He couldn't help but feel sorry for the elders above. Spending money like running water was not enough to describe this gold-swallowing beast.
Xu Chuan shook his head and said: "That's not true. The space elevator project was proposed by others in the institute, and I rejected it."
"You vetoed it?"
Hearing this, Gao Hongming looked at Xu Chuan in surprise, his face full of disbelief.
"Is there any problem?" Xu Chuan was stunned for a moment and asked.
"This is not in line with your character." Gao Hongming complained: "Shouldn't you be a strong supporter of this kind of spectacle project?"
Xu Chuan: "..."
"You misunderstood me too deeply. When did I ever like this kind of spectacle project?"
"Cough~"
Gao Hongming coughed in embarrassment and asked, "Then why do you want me to see this?"
Xu Chuan: "Fooling!"
"Fooling?"
"Well, don't you think this project is a good choice to deceive the United States and NASA?"
"It seems...so?" Gao Hongming asked with interest: "What are you going to do?"
Xu Chuan thought for a while and briefly explained the way he thought on the way back.
Hearing this, Gao Hongming frowned, shook his head, and said: "Your idea is a bit flawed."
Xu Chuan shrugged and said, "That's why I asked you, what do you think?"
Gao Hongming thought for a while, then looked at Xu Chuan and said, "Speaking of which, our Xinghai Research Institute has been established for two and a half years, almost three years, right?"
Xu Chuan nodded: "Well, what's wrong?"
Gao Hongming smiled and said, "I may have a more suitable plan."
As he spoke, he came over and quickly spoke his thoughts into Xu Chuan's ear.
After hearing the whole idea, Xu Chuan couldn't help but swallowed his saliva and said with emotion: "It's still the hearts of those of you who play politics that you can come up with such a method."
Gao Hongming smiled and said: "I don't like to hear what you are saying. What you call playing politics is all about the heart. What I call it is rational use of resources!"
Xu Chuan shook his head and said: "If this plan continues, Lao Mi will be in a big hole, right?"
Gao Hongming smiled and said: "That's not necessarily true, but it's just a matter of hunting rabbits with straw. It doesn't matter if you can succeed or not. There are other gains."
Xu Chuan gave a thumbs up and praised: "Awesome! Your brain is really good at this kind of thing."
...
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