Ding Yushi returned to the base and immediately came to see Gao Tianjun and told him about the call Aisen made before she boarded the plane. Gao Tianjun was very surprised when she heard it.
"Is there any report from 'Starry Sky 1'?" Ding Yushi asked.
"Before the XK-1 celestial body flew out of the observable range of Starry Sky 1, its speed reached 6000km/second, which is 2% of the speed of light! Not only us, but all astronomical telescopes on the earth can't see it now.
Get to it!" Gao Tianjun silently calculated in his mind for a while, "At this speed, it will fly almost 80 astronomical units away from the earth! When did Aisen dream of Ai Bin?"
"Around 2 o'clock in the morning!"
"That is to say, it has been 12 hours now..." Gao Tianjun thought, swallowing back what he was going to say next. "Let's put this matter aside for now. The new spacecraft is about to be launched, and we must go all out to complete it.
Good launch mission."
"Is it 'Project No. 1'?" Ding Yushi smiled playfully.
Gao Tianjun stretched out his index finger and made a "scratching nose" motion towards her, his eyes seeming to warn: Don't ask too many questions!
Although Gao Tianjun did not answer directly, the excitement and joy that could not be concealed on his face made Ding Yushi believe that she had obtained the answer.
"Project No. 1" refers to the project code name for the launch test of the new manned spacecraft "Fuxi" equipped with a controllable nuclear fusion thruster. It carries the efforts and expectations of several generations of Chinese aerospace researchers. China's commitment to controllable nuclear fusion thrusters
Research on the basics and principles of nuclear fusion thrusters began in the early 1990s, and only after 2015 did the actual development and testing of engineering prototypes begin. Nearly 100 scientific research institutes and design and manufacturing units participated in the project.
There are thousands of tests and experiments, large and small. Last fall, after the third space ignition propulsion test was successfully completed, the Ministry of Defense, led by the Ministry of National Defense, jointly with the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, the National Space Administration, the Ministry of Aerospace Industry and other departments
, at a military guesthouse in Xishan, experts were organized to conduct final technical certification on the test results of the engineering prototype. After that, the highest department approved the formal establishment of the "Project No. 1", with X Base responsible for the final assembly and first launch test.
The first launch test of "Project No. 1" was completed in three stages.
In the first stage, the Long March 5BX (CZ-5BX) carrier rocket will launch the "Fuxi" into geosynchronous orbit to achieve docking with the Tiangong Space Station in orbit. During the flight around the earth, the "Fuxi" will be docked by the X base
The propeller parameters and flight parameters of "Fuxi" under full load state were finally revised and confirmed, and the fuel required for nuclear reaction - helium 3 - was added to the spacecraft from the Tiangong Space Station.
In the second stage, the "Fuxi" detached from the Tiangong Space Station, started the controllable nuclear fusion thruster and flew to Saturn. It successively completed the inspection of Saturn, Enceladus, and Titan, and released a small landing device to Enceladus to carry out ground operations.
Detection of extraterrestrial life.
In the third stage, after completing the Saturn exploration mission, the "Fuxi" spacecraft returned to Earth and landed at the scheduled landing site in the prairie of western Inner Mongolia.
The maximum speed of the "Fuxi" first test flight can reach 600km/s. Since the average distance between Saturn and the earth is 1.5 billion kilometers, and considering acceleration and deceleration factors, the spacecraft can only complete a one-way trip, which will take at least 30 days. Despite this,
, this is already the fastest spacecraft in human history!
During the first test flight, the "Fuxi" did not carry astronauts and was fully controlled by the X base.
At a press conference held by the State Council, some foreign media reporters were already speculating that the "Fuxi" on the Saturn exploration mission was equipped with the "legendary" controllable nuclear fusion thruster, and asked the press spokesperson about this
An inquiry was raised, but the spokesperson did not give a direct answer. This made "Project No. 1" even more mysterious in front of the global media.
In the early morning of July 1st, it is the scheduled launch time window of "Project No. 1". The CZ-5BX carrier rocket will ignite and lift off with "Fuxi".
People in the data center were busy all night. In the last few hours before the launch, they were still repeatedly verifying the processor and various parameters.
Gao Tianjun stood in front of the big screen early, looking at the almost 30-story-high launch vehicle quietly bathing in the morning light, anxiously waiting for the arrival of that exciting moment.
As the countdown ended, at 5:26:30, a burst of dark red flames was instantly erupted from the bottom of the launch tower, quickly sweeping around. A rumble of roar came from the loudspeaker, and then
, the rocket rises from the ground covered with endless rays of light, like a snow-white sword, piercing the deep blue sky!
At the moment when CZ-5BX was ignited, Ding Yushi felt as if she was pushed hard by an invisible force, and her whole body almost bounced up. She raised her hands above her head and waved them desperately, fighting with
Colleagues in the data center cheered loudly together. Even Gao Tianjun, who is usually calm and composed, couldn't help but raised his fists and shouted loudly: "Beautiful! Beautiful!"
Although people in the data center have long been accustomed to the scene of launch vehicles being launched into space, this time everyone's reaction was particularly strong. Because they all know the significance of the "Project No. 1" launch mission, and they have worked hard for it.
I have been waiting for countless days and nights!
The speed of CZ-5BX is getting faster and faster. I believe everyone watching at the scene can only see a long smoke column now, but on the big screen in the data center, you can still clearly see the flying posture of the rocket.<
/p>
Gao Tianjun finally calmed himself down. He sat back in his seat, his eyes still fixed on the big screen. Flight data from the control center continued to come from the loudspeaker. He came to a conclusion in his mind, "
The launch phase of "Project No. 1" has been a success!
After he relaxed, he suddenly remembered something, so he called Ding Yushi to his side and asked: "Last time Eisen told you that the 'marginal space' destroyed the detector, do you remember when it was?"
?"
"June 1st is the day I came back from Nanbin. What's wrong, Director Gao?"
"We received a notification from NASA last night. According to observations from the Webb Space Telescope, at around 5 a.m. GMT on June 1, there was a brief flash of light about 80 astronomical units from the Earth in the direction of the Cygnus constellation...
…”
"Ah?! Could that be..." Ding Yushi subconsciously covered her mouth.
"That's exactly the direction that the XK-1 celestial body flew away! Eisen said that Aibin told him that the 'marginal space' had destroyed the detector. If this is true, then this flash is probably the XK-1 celestial body.
Emitted when destroyed!
"It took about 11 hours for this flash to reach the Earth from 80 astronomical units away. The time NASA observed the flash was 5 a.m. GMT, which is 13 o'clock BJ time. And I remember you said at the time, Ai
Sen received the information at 2 a.m., which was exactly 11 hours different from the time when the Webb Space Telescope observed the flash - which means that Aisen should have received it from Aibin as soon as the incident occurred.
This news! So, the question now is: the speed at which Ai Bin obtains information, or the speed at which he transmits information to Aisen, is faster than the speed of light, almost instantaneously! How to explain this?!"
Facing Gao Tianjun's question, Ding Yushi silently thought: "This at least proves that the information Ai Bin conveyed through Aisen is true! But... how could Ai Bin learn about what happened in distant space at that moment?
This incident?"
She repeatedly speculated on the meaning of Gao Tianjun's phrase "the speed at which Ai Bin transmits information to Aisen" - did he mean that the "marginal space" where Ai Bin lived was not on the earth?!
The "Fuxi" test spacecraft achieved perfect docking with the Tiangong Space Station in geosynchronous orbit, and began to orbit the earth with Tiangong. At the same time, the space station was filled with nuclear fusion fuel "helium 3" - which was launched by China many years ago.
The lunar landing device is collected from the lunar soil and then transported to the Tiangong Space Station where it is refined through special equipment.
Using helium 3 as a reactant for nuclear fusion is an international top technology that the Chinese aerospace industry has first mastered and has been put into practical application. It overcomes the problems encountered in deuterium and tritium fusion, such as high-energy neutron shielding and energy loss.
As well as many problems in terms of carrying weight. Helium 3 mainly exists in the solar wind. Since the geomagnetic field and atmosphere block the invasion of the solar wind, the reserves of helium 3 on the earth are very small. The moon has no atmosphere and no magnetic field protection, so it is completely exposed.
Due to the blowing of the solar wind, the helium 3 reserves in the lunar soil are very abundant.
In December 2020, "Chang'e 5" brought back helium-3-rich lunar soil samples from the moon for the first time. Since then, China has gradually established the technology internationally to mine helium-3 on the moon and refine nuclear fusion fuel.
Leading edge.
"Fuxi" flew around the earth with the Tiangong Space Station for 72 hours, and all parameters were tested to fully meet the scheduled mission requirements. At this point, the first phase of the "No. 1 Project" has been successfully completed.
At around 8 a.m. on July 4, the General Headquarters ordered: "Fuxi" to break away from the space station and carry out the second phase of its mission to Saturn!
The X base control center immediately issued an order to the "Fuxi". After a few seconds, the hull easily separated from the Tiangong Space Station. A beam of translucent white tail flame was emitted from the thruster nozzle, and the spacecraft shot toward the deep space like a meteor! When they observed that the "Fuxi" was flying away at a speed exceeding 100km/second, space agencies such as the United States, Russia and Europe woke up from a dream! Until this time, they had fully believed that the "Fuxi" must be carrying
It is a controllable nuclear fusion propulsion device!
For a time, media outlets from various countries published this major news on their front pages, some with exaggerated comments, such as "Chinese spacecraft will catch up with Voyager 1 within 2 years", "The goal of the Oriental Dragon"
Already aiming at Centauri A" and so on.
At this time, Gao Tianjun has put most of his thoughts back on Aisen. He is increasingly convinced that along the invisible information chain of Aisen and Ai Bin, more super-scientific things will be discovered, and even
We do not rule out the possibility of opening a window for mankind to explore unknown scientific fields!
He talked to Li Zhanxiong about his ideas and asked the base to arrange for someone to take over the management of the data center, and asked him to take Ding Yushi to form a special research unit to concentrate on studying Aisen.
After listening to Gao Tianjun's suggestion, Li Zhanxiong took out a folder from the drawer of his desk and handed it to him: "Look at this. Now it's not just you and Ding Yushi who are interested in Aisen.
The IAWG is also starting to keep an eye on him!"
Gao Tianjun opened the folder and saw a document from CSDA - National Space Security and Defense Agency, with an English letter attached at the end, signed by the IAWG Director-General.
Li Zhanxiong said: "The IAWG has sent a formal letter to CSDA, questioning Eisen's actions at the last consultation meeting, and intends to send Mr. Martin to work in China as an observer, requesting our assistance. Instructions from superiors, regarding us
Previous research on Eisen can disclose some information to international organizations as appropriate, and even if necessary, international experts can be invited to participate in the research. So, even if you don't come to me today, I am planning to come to you.
Let’s discuss this matter.”
"Does our superiors agree that we should disclose information about Eisen?"
"Since China has promised the world to be responsible for the peaceful development of mankind, it must make our attitude clear in some aspects. Besides, that Martin must have understood our exchanges at the consultation meeting. I think he decided to
I don’t believe that Eisen is just an ordinary researcher. If we cannot respond generously and objectively, we may have to bear more unnecessary responsibilities in the future. Furthermore, although our research work in the previous stage has made some progress,
But there are still many major questions that require human wisdom and scientific methods to find answers. This is the attitude we should have in our research on Eisen."
"I understand!" Gao Tianjun returned the folder to Li Zhanxiong, "What are your instructions?"
"The suggestion you just made is good! I am also considering whether to set up a special research institute, but it still cannot be placed in the X base. Why don't you just go to Nanbin and take this Martin with you! Your work in the data center,
I will arrange for someone else to take over. Of course, this arrangement will have to be discussed and decided by the base party committee. I hope you will not let me down!"