Special Chapter The Distance from Thoughts to the Starry Sky (Part 2)
"Actually, if it's just exploration, it actually started when the first satellite was launched."
Sitting around a campfire on a mountaintop like an isolated island in the sky, under the majesty of the Milky Way, when Fangran asked, Krim smiled and replied,
But I guessed that the "exploring the universe" he was talking about should be to the extent of interstellar navigation, and he smiled helplessly and shamelessly:
"But if it refers to what you are thinking, Fangran, it is probably impossible to achieve it within a few centuries under the foreseeable future development, and the follow-up time required cannot be predicted."
After hearing his very strict answer, Fangran nodded and asked very simply and straightforwardly:
"Is it because we can't build a spaceship?"
"Hahaha, that's right."
Hearing this, he couldn't help laughing. Krim raised his head and looked up at the prosperous starry sky above his head. Even though he had several astronomical observation activities,
But it was also his first time to see such a clear and beautiful Milky Way with his own eyes.
"But in the final analysis, we still know too little about the universe and there are too many unknowns. As a result, we don't even have theoretical knowledge until we can figure out whether to create something or not."
"And facing its hugeness, the small ones are helpless."
Speaking of this, Klim lowered his head and looked at Fangran, smiling softly and telling a little about the hugeness.
"In the theory of relativity, the speed of light is the limit of the speed of the universe, but the size of the Milky Way is measured in one hundred thousand light-years, and the local group of galaxies it belongs to is measured in millions of light-years,"
"And above that there are the Virgo Supercluster, the higher-level Laniakea Supercluster, and other superclusters of the same level."
At the same time, I looked at the bonfire in front of me and expressed my insignificance.
"But now we don't even have a theory of a vehicle that can reach the speed of light, let alone go to the nearest star a few light years away,"
"Even activities within the solar system are difficult to achieve."
And Fangran looked dumbfounded when he heard this. He barely knew about the Andromeda Galaxy, and this was the first time he knew about the existence of the name of the superior of the Milky Way Galaxy in the universe.
On a scale of one hundred thousand or one million light years, countries, economies, wars, earthquakes and tsunamis... everything seems small when compared with the astronomical unit.
"Isn't anyone studying it?"
Fangran thought about it and asked simply. Every time he chatted with Krim, he would be bothered by his lack of knowledge and could not ask any decent questions.
But perhaps it is precisely because of this that he likes chatting with Krim,
Maybe it comes from the scumbag's yearning for the top student.
"It is mainly limited by the level of current scientific theories, but there are also some complicated reasons in this regard,"
In response to Fangran's curiosity, Klim still responded with a smile, and then continued to explain softly and gently:
"The research and development of science and technology needs a purpose. The emergence of rockets during World War II made major powers feel a sense of military crisis, so they competed for talents in the form of a space race,"
"The aerospace technology during that period advanced by leaps and bounds. The end of the Cold War naturally slowed down the pace greatly, and more people focused on research in other fields."
Just as Fangran liked chatting with him, he also liked such small talk. Compared with knowledge being used as a tool,
Answering the curiosity of his most precious friend made Krim even happier.
"After all, global resources have not yet been fully exploited and utilized, and have not yet developed to the point of considering space navigation. Political, capital, productivity... multiple factors,"
“This field is still in the process of development and exploration by humans under the premise of social affluence.”
Speaking of this, seeing Fangran's confused expression of "oh, oh, oh," Krim chuckled at him and added:
"If aliens appear one day, or if the life of the earth hangs by a thread and we need to seize the life-saving straw of spaceflight, we may soon enter the era of interstellar navigation."
"No, I always feel that I may not survive that time..."
Hearing Krim's 'comfort', Fangran spoke helplessly, but soon he looked up at the beautiful Milky Way above his head and laughed again.
There was no disappointment at all, but instead a voice of joy and anticipation.
"Isn't space navigation still unrealistic..."
"Although it is still far away from the deep space level, there are still some relatively realistic ideas at the near-Earth distance."
Also sitting on the tree stump, playing with the bonfire with branches, Li Ze, who had been listening quietly, spoke at this moment. Fang Ran, who was suddenly curious, swung his upper body forward and asked curiously:
"Hey! What's more realistic?"
"Like the space elevator."
"Space elevator?"
Hearing Li Ze's answer, Fangran's mind first came to mind about the 'giant metal pillar' that he had seen in any work, and he spoke with curiosity shining in his eyes:
"Isn't this thing made up in movies and TV shows? Is it very useful?"
"Very useful..."
After repeating what Fang Ran said, Li Ze thought for a moment before speaking slowly:
"It should be said that it has an epoch-making effect."
Knowing Fangran's level better, Krim gave him a more detailed explanation.
"With the current level of aerospace, the most troublesome thing about entering space is overcoming the earth's gravity. For this reason, most of the rockets are fuel for acceleration, and there are very few parts that carry cargo and people,"
Recalling the paper materials he had read before, he gave a simple and clear example:
"To transport one kilogram of payload into space, even if it is very economical, it will cost about 20,000 US dollars, and to transport one person will cost at least one million US dollars,"
"But if there is a space elevator, the price can be reduced to one percent, of course, not counting the cost of the elevator itself."
Eh!? So cheap?
While surprised by this, Fangran heard Li Ze say some more profound meanings.
"A simpler way to enter space means that people can transport resources more easily, build space bases more easily, and acquire knowledge and theories about space more easily,"
"The first step to realize mankind's departure from the cradle and the first step towards interstellar navigation."
Listening to their explanation, I looked at the starry sky above my head and imagined a building that stretched straight to the sky. People could sit on it and reach straight into space.
Fangran looked at Li Ze and Klim, feeling incredibly surprised and asked:
"Is this really more realistic? If it goes straight to space, how much weight does a building that tall have to have, and how much support does it need to be able to stand on the ground?"
"No, the design theory of the space elevator does not require ground support. Like the synchronous satellite, it relies on the gravity of the earth and the inertial centrifugal force in the synchronous orbit."
"Eh?"
Hearing Fangran make such a sound, he knew that he must not understand. Li Ze opened a projection on the campfire surrounded by three people, and drew two nested circles on it with his fingers, giving him the basis of a simple graphic explanation.
principle.
"Assume that the perspective is above the North Pole, this circle is the Earth's equator, and the outer circle is the synchronous orbit."
"A synchronous orbit is an object in this altitude orbit. Because it is subject to equal gravity and centrifugal force, it will maintain a relatively stationary orbit with the earth."
I know this!
Regarding Krim Science's concern, Fangran let out a stubborn cry in his heart that he had not forgotten high school physics...