Standing in front of this antique two-story building on a small island in the North Sea, Gao Hongming, head of the Department of Strategic Planning and a leader in science and technology, took a deep breath and reached out to knock on the door gently.
After hearing "come in", he opened the door and walked in, saying respectfully.
"You're looking for me?"
Looking at the head of the Strategic Planning Department standing at the door, the old man smiled, pushed the letter An Anhui had placed on the table forward, and said:
"I have a letter here, please read it first."
Without any hesitation, Gao Hongming walked forward in three steps and picked up the letter from the table.
The letter was opened, and he took out the letter paper from it.
Upon receiving it, Gao Hongming was slightly stunned by the material of the letter paper.
It's not that there's anything wrong with the letter paper, it's that the material is too ordinary, so ordinary that it looks like it was torn out of an ordinary notebook.
And when he saw the torn edges next to the letter paper, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Okay, this was literally ripped out of a notebook.
Before he even read the contents of the letter, he already had more than 90% guesses about who wrote the letter.
Although there are still a few people in the country who can deliver letters here.
But the person who could tear off the paper from his own notebook and write a letter so carelessly and send it here was the only person he had worked with a few years ago who would do this.
As an acquaintance, he could even imagine that before writing this letter, that person was sitting in his office and wanted to write a letter. When he couldn't find the special stationery and was too lazy to ask his assistant for it, he casually touched the notebook.
Case.
Upon seeing it, the familiar handwriting on the letter directly confirmed his guess.
As someone who had fully assisted in the completion of the controllable nuclear fusion project in the past few years, he could easily recognize the handwriting of Xu Chuan.
【Dear...】
[...The construction of the lunar orbital mass projector is of greater significance than just the development of aerospace and lunar resources.]
[The development of the electromagnetic field can also promote scientific and technological cooperation and exchanges, and generate new economic growth points and industrial development.]
[It can also provide test support conditions for civil frontier basic scientific exploration research on advanced materials, high-speed aerodynamics, impact and collision mechanics, etc. It can also provide a new generation of high-performance test tests for the development of cutting-edge equipment such as guidance, fuzes, inertial navigation, and life-saving equipment.
environment.】
[For example, the development of the maglev train industry chain will drive the development of railways, materials, equipment manufacturing and other fields, forming a new economic growth point. 】
[At the same time, the core technology of mass projectors can also be applied to the energy field. For example, electromagnetic power generation technology can effectively utilize renewable energy, reduce dependence on traditional energy, and improve energy utilization efficiency. 】
[In addition, the application of electromagnetic technology in the military field is also very important. For example, electromagnetic catapults can provide powerful take-off capabilities for aircraft carriers, electromagnetic guns can achieve long-range target strikes, electromagnetic shield technology can protect target units, etc.]
[These research results not only enhance the country's military strength, but also make important contributions to safeguarding national security and maintaining world peace. 】
[Of course, the decision whether to develop these technologies is up to you. 】
【......】
The letter does not end here. There is also a planning timetable for the construction of the lunar orbital mass projector, as well as the expected goals of the entire project, as well as a budget table.
On the last page of the letter, it is a simple but fairly detailed list of Xu Chuan's estimated parameters for each component of the lunar orbital mass projector, as well as his performance expectations for the completed lunar orbital mass projector, etc.
[Project goal: Complete the construction of the lunar orbital mass projector before 2026.]
[Standard performance planning: Micron-level and nano-level high-speed and large-thrust linear motors, hundreds of megawatts of broadband variable frequency power supply, ultra-high-speed electromagnetic launch and propulsion devices, orbital acceleration energy level that can accelerate a mass of 50 tons to 2.5 in two minutes.
Kilometers/second......]
【......】
[Project budget: overall 60 billion, the budget of each core component is as follows...]
Gao Hongming quickly browsed through the letter in his hand, carefully refolded the letter paper, stuffed it into the envelope, and put it back on the table.
Although he had known that person could send his opinions directly here several years ago, this was the first time he saw such a letter.
What's more, he never thought that the content of the letter would be like this.
Looking at the whole article, apart from the description of the technical benefits of the lunar orbital projector, the rest can be summarized into two words.
Want money!
Yes, in Gao Hongming's opinion, this letter is almost the same as writing a letter asking for money.
After writing the overall technical prospects and benefits of the lunar orbital projector, there is nothing left except the budget table.
One letter, sixty billion.
Well, it is still less than when we first developed controllable nuclear fusion technology.
If he remembered correctly, that person once asked the higher-ups for 40 billion rice gold at a time.
Converting it based on the exchange rate at that time, it was almost 280 billion soft sister coins. Rounding off, it was 300 billion.
This time it is 60 billion, which seems to be only one-fifth by comparison.
But you must know that the purchasing power of soft sister coins at that time was not comparable to that now.
The 60 billion today is probably worth the 100 billion back then, or even more.
And, more importantly, the project invested at that time was controllable nuclear fusion technology. The benefits brought about by its success are indescribable.
Now, it is really worth investing at least 60 billion in the lunar orbital mass projector, whose biggest use is aerospace and mining of lunar mineral deposits?
Looking at Gao Hongming with a complicated expression on his face, the old man smiled and asked: "From your position, what do you think?"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! After hearing the inquiry, Gao Hongming thought for a moment and spoke carefully: "The mass projector is not a new concept, as Academician Xu wrote in the letter
It is one of the core technologies in the electromagnetic field and has considerable development prospects."
"Whether it is military, commercial, or aerospace and other fields, it can be widely used."
"However, it is undoubtedly very difficult to build a mass projector on the moon. Whether it can be successfully completed and bring us corresponding technological breakthroughs and economic effects are still open to question."
As the director of the Science and Technology Strategic Planning Department, his job responsibilities are to formulate science and technology innovation development strategies, plan and coordinate the implementation of organizations to carry out technology forecasts, and undertake the operation of the national major science and technology decision-making consultation system, etc.
It can be said to be a very important position.
Therefore, Gao Hongming did not blindly believe in Xu Chuan's choice just because he had assisted Xu Chuan in completing controllable nuclear fusion technology before. Instead, he gave corresponding considerations and answers from his own perspective.
After all, even for China, 60 billion is not a small amount.
Moreover, the Lunar Orbital Mass Projector is somewhat different from other projects with promising prospects and benefits, such as controllable nuclear fusion, space shuttles, etc.
If the latter two are realized, they may soon bring them huge prospects and benefits.
As for the lunar surface orbital mass projector, aside from the technological developments that may be brought about during the research process, its biggest role is only to project resources on the moon for application in the aerospace field.
To be honest, with the realization of controllable nuclear fusion technology today, various resources are not as scarce as before.
After all, cheap electricity costs allow them to mine or develop mineral deposits that were previously abandoned. The appreciation of softmei coins and the improvement of their international status also make it much easier for them to obtain resources from third world countries.
As for the resources on the moon, except for helium-3, which is difficult to obtain on the earth, it can be said that most other resources are more abundant on the earth.
After all, the moon is just a satellite of the earth.
Opposite me, the old man put down the book in his hand, nodded and said, "It's a bit difficult, but this technology still needs to be developed."
"I think I can give the suggestion put forward by Academician Xu a try."
After hearing this, Gao Hongming's face changed slightly, and he immediately said respectfully: "I understand."
Although he still has some doubts about the construction of the lunar orbital mass projector.
But when the person in front of him said that he could try it, his doubts were no longer important.
Obviously, it is impossible for a single person to make a casual decision on a 60-billion-dollar project.
And now listening to this person's tone, it is obvious that this letter sent from Jinling has probably been discussed at a higher level before he came.
Maybe even the Academy of Sciences has passed relevant expert demonstrations on its feasibility.
And since even the top management agrees, then what he needs to do is to conduct project investigation and cooperation through the Department of Science and Technology and Strategic Planning.
The adult in front of him called him over, probably with the purpose of getting him to cooperate with this project, right? After all, he had previous experience in cooperating with Academician Xu to complete controllable nuclear fusion technology.
Sure enough, just as Gao Hongming thought, in the office, the old man paused and said:
"Please cooperate with me on related work."
Hearing this, Gao Hongming nodded without hesitation and said: "Okay."
Suddenly thinking of something, the old man sitting behind the desk asked: "I remember that Dongshan seemed to be working on a similar project before, right?"
Gao Hongming thought for a moment and quickly replied: "The 'Electromagnetic Propulsion Ground Ultra-High Speed Test Facility' and 'Electromagnetic Sled Project' are located in Dongshan Quancheng. They are one of the major strategic cooperation projects between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Quancheng."
"Construction of the facility started in October 2019, and it will be completed in stages by the end of December 2021 and will be successfully operated. The maximum propulsion speed for objects of tonnage and above can reach 1,030 kilometers per hour."
The electromagnetic propulsion ground ultra-high-speed test facility, also known as the Quancheng electromagnetic sled project, has been shortlisted for the top ten most important national weapons in 2022.
He still has memories of such projects related to national strategic development.
The old man nodded and said, "Can you ask the other side to cooperate with Academician Xu's research?"
Hearing this, Gao Hongming's eyes flashed with shock, and he quickly replied: "I will coordinate."
Let a national strategic project that has already been approved and completed in stages be used to cooperate with another project that has not even been established yet. One can imagine the status of the lunar orbital mass projector in the hearts of senior officials.
Perhaps, the lunar orbital mass projector has some greater uses that he has not noticed.
...
While high-level officials were discussing the construction of the lunar orbital mass projector, on the other side, above the moon 380,000 kilometers away.
Yuehuatai · Outpost Scientific Research Base.
After successfully receiving the astronauts, scientific researchers and engineers for this Mid-Autumn Festival moon landing, a series of scientific research experiments on the lunar surface were officially launched.
Sitting on the lunar rover, dragging a long column-shaped silver-white device that looks a bit like a 'crawler truck', four scientific researchers, engineers and staff slowly moved towards the shallow titanium-rich metal veins not far away.
Drive away.
It took more than ten minutes to arrive at the not-so-distant journey. After confirming that they had arrived at the destination, the four people stopped the lunar rover and worked together to properly place the silver-white device dragged from behind.
This is a ‘small fully automated mining machine’ transported from the Earth by the Hanhai space shuttle.
As early as a year ago, after the Xinghai space shuttle successfully completed the manned lunar landing project, the Xinghai Research Institute teamed up with many domestic mining research institutions to begin the research and development of automated mining equipment on the lunar surface.
Now, this research has made some progress.
The device in front of me, worth almost 150 million soft sister coins, is one of the main research results of this year.
This automated mining device named 'Pioneer' is mainly responsible for the preliminary mining of titanium-rich lunar rocks.
It is said that it is a small fully automated mining machine, but it is actually compared to the automatic mining machines on the earth.
In fact, its size is not small, almost the size of a medium-sized container.
If the Hanhai space shuttle had not achieved vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, how to put this "big guy" on the lunar surface would have been a big problem.
Fortunately, the smooth development of Hanhai No. 1 has made the originally difficult work much easier.
Now they only need to drag this equipment from the base.