After fully verifying the performance of this new lens and determining that it could meet the requirements of the current stage, large-scale manufacturing began immediately.
In the search for nearby dwarf planets, only one telescope is obviously not enough. In particular, using a structure similar to the original Hubble Telescope allows it to only collect the light of the target directly facing it, which will affect the observation area.
Size has a greater impact.
To search the entire celestial sphere, at least dozens of telescopes are needed.
Therefore, in this space environment far away from any large stars, dozens of crystallization chambers were built as quickly as possible at the place where the telescope was intended to be placed. The "seeds" were sown in and began to grow slowly.
The reason why centralized construction is not adopted but decentralized construction is because the main lens of the telescope cannot withstand the gravity caused by acceleration and deceleration during the transfer process. Therefore, it can only be built directly at its predetermined location.
It took a full year before enough telescopes were built. After that, a large-scale search operation began immediately.
Dozens of telescopes have divided areas respectively, covering the entire celestial sphere without leaving any gaps.
At this moment, the only thing people can pray for is that there are indeed other macroscopic celestial bodies within the range relatively close to Sedna's star. Otherwise, no matter how advanced the telescopes people build, they will be useless.
During this process, numerous image data are generated as rapidly as a tsunami. The automatic analysis system begins to screen and search for any signs of the existence of new planets. If a new planet is screened out, the image data will be passed to astronomers for manual processing.
Conduct further investigation and analysis.
On the first day of the search operation, hundreds of new stars were screened out. Unfortunately, most of these stars were distant and dim stars that had never been observed before. In addition to enriching the knowledge of human civilization,
Apart from the produced star catalog, it is basically of no value.
This process was not without unexpected gains. For example, a previously unknown red dwarf star located in the direction of Cetus was discovered. It is only 12.6 light-years away from the sun. On a cosmic scale,
This can be considered very close.
As the search operation continued into its sixth day, a target caught people's attention.
The first batch of screenings ruled out the possibility that it was a star. However, since it is not a star or any celestial body in the solar system that people know, but it can be captured by a telescope, this must mean that its distance
Not too far.
Because if it is too far away, the telescope will not be able to see it.
People were greatly encouraged and immediately mobilized more observational forces to focus on this star. As a result, various subsequent data were continuously transmitted back.
In the human government building, in the leader's office, on Zhao Changxing's desk, the secure telephone suddenly rang. Zhao Changxing picked it up, and the excited voice of the person in charge of the search operation reached Zhao Changxing's ears.
"Leader, leader, we have found a new planet! It is only 80 million kilometers away from us and has a diameter of 680 kilometers!"
"good!"
Zhao Changxing stood up immediately and blurted out the word "good".
With a diameter of 680 kilometers, it is not much smaller than a deep-sky star. How many resources will exist on such a planet? Even if it is less, with the current level of human resource consumption, it will not be a problem to support it for twenty years, right?
In twenty years time, maybe technology will develop again and another way out will be found.
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Changxing walked to the window and looked out the window at the slightly deserted city.
Due to the resource crisis, various commercial activities have also been severely affected. Except for work, people can no longer go out without going out.
"This situation will soon be changed."
Zhao Changxing said silently in his heart.
As early as before the experiment of crystallization method to manufacture telescope lenses was successful, the construction of a new generation of large industrial spacecraft was already on the agenda. Its purpose was to carry as many people, machinery, and materials as possible to the new planet.
, sowing the seeds of industry there.
Now, they have been built and parked in the dock, ready to go.
While scientists were further observing data related to this planet, the news had already been announced to society, and at the same time, large-scale recruitment orders had been issued.
Faced with this news, countless people in dozens of space cities spontaneously walked out of their homes and joined the celebration.
After all, it is a new planet! A brand-new planet that contains many resources and has never been touched before!
Human civilization can obtain astronomical amounts of water from that planet, obtain endless industrial raw materials, and obtain minerals such as gold, silver, copper, and iron. The engine of the industrial development of human civilization will have difficulty operating due to resource difficulties.
, the addition of this batch of "fuel" will definitely make this engine run smoothly again!
There is simply no better news than this!
Faced with the recruitment order, countless young people enthusiastically signed up, hoping to earn more contribution points while also contributing to civilization.
The distance is so long that just sailing there will take more than three years? What are you afraid of? You have the money to get it.
Stationed there for at least ten years? What are you afraid of? Contributing to civilization, what does it matter if you stay longer?
High risk? Possible death?
We are almost divided into sub-human beings, so why bother to be afraid of death?
The deep space people headed by Xiong Guda also showed great enthusiasm for this expedition.
During this period of time, the deep space people headed by Xiong Guda have always struggled on the front line of industrialization, which is the hardest and most tiring, and have made outstanding contributions to civilization. On several occasions, Zhao Changxing even personally commended them.
Now, people in deep space are strongly demanding that they also participate in this interstellar expedition, which is destined to be full of dangers and destined to have countless difficulties and obstacles. The reason is also very simple.
Deep space people have stronger bodies, stronger endurance and tolerance than humans. Under extreme conditions, they can even work continuously for days and nights without rest. These qualities make them undoubtedly more suitable
The work of planetary reclamation.
Zhao Changxing finally agreed to the people's request.
The more you pay for civilization, the stronger your sense of identity and belonging will be. From this point of view, it is good to let them participate. Of course, Zhao Changxing will not treat them badly.
Including 500 deep space people, the first group of people to go to Planet 3 to carry out the planetary reclamation mission was finally settled at 8,000 people. But before they set off, another piece of good news arrived.
The second dwarf planet near the star Sedna has been found.
This planet is 120 million kilometers away from the Sedna star, and its diameter is as high as 920 kilometers, which is only slightly smaller than the Sedna star and larger than the deep space star.
I didn’t say anything, let’s continue recruiting people. It happened that during the first batch of personnel recruitment, many people failed to be selected, and now it’s time to recruit people.
After that, the third planet was discovered. Zhao Changxing had no choice but to expand the number of personnel recruited again.
Then the fourth and fifth planets were discovered one after another. Then Zhao Changxing discovered that now, even if he recruited all the people who had signed up before, there would not be enough people to open up the planet.
Not only are there not enough personnel, there are not even enough large transport ships.
At first, I only thought that finding two planets would be enough luck. Even the most optimistic people did not expect to find so many planets not far from Sedna.
At first, only two large interstellar transport ships of this kind were built. The spacecraft that went to the third planet to open up wasteland temporarily requisitioned the one originally scheduled to go to the deep space star. Where would the spaceships go to the fourth and fifth planets?
Where are they?
Zhao Changxing truly understands that sometimes, having too much luck can become a worry.
As a last resort, Zhao Changxing could only issue an order to the industrial department to start manufacturing new spacecraft immediately. At the same time, he first selected the three planets that were closest and easiest to reach among the five planets, and developed these three first.
.
So, with the shipyard operating day and night and rushing to build new spaceships, three large interstellar transport ships, fully loaded with personnel, machinery, supplies, etc., left Sedna and embarked on the journey to No. 3 and No. 4.
, the journey to the three planets on the 6th.
Time passed slowly. Three years passed in a blink of an eye. People who had been waiting for three full years in boredom finally waited for the moment they arrived at their destination.
Looking at the huge planet under their feet that looked slightly yellow under the sun, people cheered at the same time.
The small landing spacecraft sent the first group of people, who were also the people in charge of this interstellar wasteland reclamation mission, to the ground.
People's hearts were filled with joy as they stepped on the ground that was frozen to a hard surface by the low temperature.
People have previously discovered that there is a huge rare earth mine in the dark yellow earth beneath our feet. The rare earths it produces can support human civilization for at least 20 years.
Ahead is a huge and deep canyon. Satellites have detected that there is a large amount of hydrates in the canyon, and the water mineral reserves are at least 4 billion tons, which is roughly equivalent to a famous lake called Taihu Lake in the Earth's era.
More than 200 kilometers away on the left is a gold and silver mine, where at least hundreds of tons of gold can be mined. As for the associated silver reserves, there are even more.
In addition, there is a large-scale iron mine with good quality on this planet. However, there is no shortage of iron on Sedna, so this iron mine is not of much value. But this iron mine here
It can completely support people's construction on this planet, and there is no need to transport supplies from Sedna.
"This, this is really a treasure place..."
At this moment, everyone had the same sigh in their hearts.