The current observation results finally provide support for this plan - to open a hole in the asteroid and use the reverse thrust of the gas released from its internal pressure to change its orbit so that it does not hit Sedna.
Some possibilities. But to determine whether this possibility is really feasible, further observations are needed.
For example, determine the specific gas content inside it, determine its pressure, how much decay heat the radioactive heavy elements can provide, calculate the magnitude of the reverse thrust, etc. Only when all the data is clear can we finally determine whether this plan is feasible.
Zhao Changxing quickly told the people on the Fire spacecraft and Sedna about his observation results and speculations. Sure enough, just as Zhao Changxing expected, the arrival of this news made everyone excited.
The follow-up detection plan was quickly drawn up. In the plan, Zhao Changxing will return to the Huozhuo spacecraft, bring more equipment and return to the asteroid for further observations.
Among the new equipment is a seismometer, which will be installed on the surface of the asteroid. After that, a simple thruster will push a large rock to hit the asteroid. This will cause the small rock to explode.
The vibration of the planet, and then by collecting and analyzing these shock wave data, the seismometer can roughly obtain its internal mass distribution data and element composition data, thereby determining how big the "cavity" inside it is and the mass of the gas elements.
.
In addition to the seismometer, there is also a gravity detection equipment. Through the magnitude of gravitational acceleration in different places, the element composition and mass distribution can also be analyzed. Combined with the seismometer, the data obtained will be more accurate.
There is also a radiation analyzer that can more accurately measure the amount of decay heat.
There are a dozen types of related equipment in total. This time, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of this asteroid. Only in this way can further arrangements be made.
After this glimmer of light appeared, Zhao Changxing had several more discussions with people, and finally decided that the disassembly plan should continue, and facilities and materials of important value that could not be manufactured should continue to be transported to the Fire spacecraft. Because
Time cannot be wasted. Once it is finally determined that the plan to change the asteroid's orbit is not feasible, it will be too late to continue the relocation plan at that time.
Under this situation, Zhao Changxing once again came to this asteroid with people's hopes, and immediately began further observation and analysis.
At this moment, there is less than five months left for the asteroid to hit Sedna.
Along with Zhao Changxing's actions, one data after another was identified and then incorporated into the comprehensive analysis system. Mass distribution, element composition, internal pressure, thermal decay, heavy element mass, etc., all had accurate data.
In this process, when people see data that meets expectations, people will cheer and be excited, and feel that they are one step closer to success. When they see data that does not meet expectations, people will be disappointed and sad, but they still retain hope and place their hope in it.
It is hoped that the next data can make up for the shortcomings of the current data.
People's moods rose and fell suddenly, wandering repeatedly between heaven and hell. Only Zhao Changxing always had a smile on his face, always calm and firm, and it seemed that no matter what bad news, he could not be hit. And every time he saw
Seeing Zhao Changxing's figure, people's hearts will slowly calm down.
Today is the last and most important day when data is born.
The abundance of the radioactive heavy element, which has now been proven to be plutonium-242. Obviously, only if its content is high enough can it provide enough decay heat to heat the solid gas elements inside the asteroid.
Provide enough internal pressure for it. And with enough pressure, subsequent plans may be successful.
In the Falcon 1 spacecraft, Zhao Changxing operated relevant equipment and carefully observed every data presented by the instruments. When the last data was presented, Zhao Changxing sighed and shook his head.
Data shows that the element content of plutonium-242 on this asteroid is only 0.056%-0.093%. This level of element content is not enough to provide enough heat inside it. Without enough heat, there will not be enough
The pressure, if there is not enough pressure, just...
Zhao Changxing sent this data back to the Fire spacecraft, his expression still calm.
In the Spark spacecraft, people gathered in the conference room, waiting anxiously for the arrival of the last data as if they were waiting for the lottery draw. When the data was finally received, the entire conference room fell silent, and everyone was
Looking pale.
You must know that the ultimate goal of this series of plans is not to completely push away the asteroid, but to make it a satellite of Sedna. Because this requires the lowest thrust,
The requirements for each indicator are the lowest and easiest to achieve in comparison.
But now, even this minimum requirement cannot be met? Even if this plan is really implemented, it will only be able to change the orbit and angle of its impact on Sedna, but the thing itself cannot be changed?
This data is actually only a little bit lower than the required data, only about 4%-5%. The difference is not big. But even with such a small difference, the result is one of heaven and one of hell.
The distance between the two is like a natural chasm.
Compared with complete despair, it is more cruel to first have hope and let people have illusions, and then to destroy the hope and return to despair.
But what are you afraid of?
"The situation hasn't gotten better, but it hasn't gotten worse either. It's just a possibility. At worst, we can just continue to relocate. I don't believe that our human civilization can become extinct here."
While Zhao Changxing comforted people, he drove the Falcon 1 spacecraft towards the Spark spacecraft.
That's what he really thought.
"After all, the children are still a little young and can't bear the blow."
Driving the Falcon 1 spacecraft into the berth of the Fire spacecraft, and entering the Fire spacecraft through the isolation door, looking at the people with sad faces, Zhao Changxing could only comfort and encourage people loudly again: "What are we so sad about? We are
Aren't we already prepared for failure? We'll just have to make do with the Spark spaceship for a while. Now we just haven't found a better way, but it's not worse than before, right? Okay.
Okay, let’s go to work.”
The relocation plan begins again.
Although there has been encouragement from Zhao Changxing, people's mood is still a little low.
The same is true for Chen Feng. In fact, he feels the changes deeper and greater than others. Because he is one of the few people among all people who has the next generation.
Now, he and Qian Yue's child is several years old. He is innocent, lively and cute. As long as he can see his child, no matter how hard or tiring the day is, he will instantly regain all his energy.
"The suffering that my father went through back then, now, do I want my child and Chen Yue to go through it too?"
This incident will inevitably lead to a great reduction in people's living standards. In the process, there may even be sacrifices.
Just thinking about Chen Yue not having enough to eat, not having enough clothes to wear, working all day long and struggling to survive, Chen Feng felt pain in his heart like a knife.
"There must be a way, there must be a way..."
During this period of time, people did not think of ways to increase the pressure inside the asteroid. For example, they made some explosives and stuffed them in, or made a large enough light-concentrating film to heat it with sunlight.
.But these methods were proved to be unfeasible after simple calculations.
Qian Yue also noticed the change in her husband. But she also had nothing to do about this matter. The only thing she could do was to comfort him silently.
The relocation plan is very urgent and the working hours are very long. But even so, in the few breaks, Chen Feng always reads a lot of information and thinks about it all day long.
This day was still the same. After finishing today's work, he returned to the room and through the terminal, Chen Feng connected to Xiaoxi's database again.
Inadvertently, he saw some information about Enceladus.
"Enceladus is a planet covered by water ice, with a liquid ocean beneath it. Saturn's tidal effects heat its interior..."
Chen Feng was startled for a moment and murmured: "Tidal... effect?"
He suddenly remembered something, and his whole body became energetic. He quickly opened the calculation interface, entered a series of data, and started the calculation.
When the final result came out, his body even began to tremble slightly with excitement. He sent a communication request to Zhao Changxing without any hesitation.
"Chen Feng, is something wrong?"
"Dad, I made a discovery. We all missed one thing before. We, we...Dad, changing the orbit of this asteroid is completely feasible and completely hopeful..."
In Comprehensive Base No. 1, the leisure and entertainment area - which recently also served as a conference room, Chen Feng hurriedly met Zhao Changxing, who looked slightly excited.
"Tidal effect, we forgot the tidal effect in our previous calculations!" Chen Feng said quickly: "When this asteroid approaches the Sedna star, the gravitational tidal effect of the Sedna star will heat its interior.
Provide another part of the heat. I have calculated that this part of the heat can just make up for the heat gap caused by the insufficient heat of the decay of plutonium-242, and can just meet the internal pressure requirements! The fact is that we do not need to do any additional actions.
Just relying on this part of the gravitational tidal effect is enough! We have every hope of changing its orbit!"