Chapter 99: Massive Plan
Fan Ren was lightly snoring on the sofa in the office. Yesterday, he received too much technical data at once, causing his head to still feel groggy even after resting the entire night.
In a daze, a faint fragrance seemed to waft to his nose.
“Awake? Have some tea.”
Only when Jin Qiaoying’s clear, cold voice sounded by his ear did he open his eyes and see the woman in front of him, realizing he was now in her office.
“I passed out from work, sorry to trouble you.”
Fan Ren wasn’t too polite. Although there was no complete tea set here, the tea she brewed had an aroma that was in no way inferior.
Jin Qiaoying didn’t mind and sat down across from him, picking up her cup and taking a gentle sip.
“Got any new ideas again?”
Her gaze fell on the thick stack of documents beside Fan Ren, her smooth forehead slightly furrowing.
She had already received the news of the initial success of the nuclear fusion experiment.
In her view, Fan Ren should now be busy expanding the experimental results, so why had he suddenly come to Linhai headquarters?
She had experienced this kind of situation before; this guy was definitely the type who never visited unless he had something important.
“The scientists over there actually have professional levels not lower than mine. The follow-up work can be handed over to them. Most of the time, I just provide opinions on the big picture.”
He also took a gentle sip of the fragrant tea, his face showing enjoyment.
“So you thought of me?”
Jin Qiaoying gave him a charming glance, not standing on ceremony with Fan Ren. She directly picked up the thick stack of documents beside him and started flipping through them without waiting for him to speak.
This proposal was something Fan Ren had rushed out overnight with Zeng Yingying’s help.
It recorded his planned development direction for the next phase.
The most important first step was the space elevator construction project. This was a prerequisite for many subsequent projects.
According to calculations by the Xinghai Supercomputer, with the current industrial level and Great Xia’s construction speed, assuming sufficient funds and raw material supply, Phase One engineering to a height of 36,000 kilometers would take approximately six months to complete.
This was an orbital height already suitable for preliminary space material transportation.
Moreover, because this height was Earth’s geostationary orbit, the elevator’s centrifugal force equaled Earth’s gravity, allowing it to maintain a stable state.
Once completed, it would greatly shorten material transportation between ground and space. With this as a foundation, the Star Transport Series Rocket could eliminate the Level 1 rocket body, which took up the highest proportion, and complete cargo loading directly at the space elevator.
At the same time, part of the efforts would be invested in the lunar mining base to increase output to meet the tri-titanium alloy building materials needed for the space elevator’s Phase One engineering, and to consider synchronously constructing a space elevator on the Moon.
This was a complex and massive project.
After completing the above engineering, construction of Phase Two of the space elevator would begin, planning to raise the space elevator height to 100,000 kilometers on the original basis.
At this height, due to Earth’s rotation, the elevator’s top end would have a higher tangential speed, expected to reach the second cosmic velocity, i.e., the initial velocity to escape Earth’s gravity.
Using this acceleration to depart from the elevator top, spaceships wouldn’t even need additional power to reach the Moon and other planets in the solar system.
This engineering cycle would be relatively long, and the specific implementation plan was not yet set.
However, the next plan had already been outlined.
After completing this feat, Xinghai would build tri-titanium alloy refinement factories and helium-3 nuclear fusion fuel refinement factories in space.
It would also plan to establish corresponding material processing space factories.
Even after achieving these goals, it would immediately proceed to construct space spaceship construction docks.
Fan Ren’s gaze occasionally swept over Jin Qiaoying’s serious face, gradually showing curiosity.
Something was off!
Jin Qiaoying closed the thick proposal, her expression calm with no other changes, and nodded. “I don’t understand the technical aspects; you just go ahead. The entire early lunar mining plan barely touches the principal in Xinghai’s account.
After the White Alliance lifted the ban on us, our battery business export volume surged.
The radio department is the same; more and more high technology domains are starting to use this technology to replace complex wire harnesses in traditional equipment.
The most surprising is still the graphene chip business. After our automated smart factory was completed, production costs further decreased while productivity surged. Star Core Number One produces 5 million chips per month, Star Calculation No. 1 produces 10 million chips, and after deducting costs, revenue reaches 120 billion.
At this point, Jin Qiaoying’s eyes showed undisguisable astonishment.
The money-making power of chips was too terrifying, especially riding on the AI computing power hype stirred up by Nvidia; Star Calculation No. 1 at 40,000 per chip was in short supply.
But the benefits were obvious. Why could the Star Transport Series Rocket succeed on its first launch despite using many technologies? Because most of its calculations were done by the Xinghai Supercomputer at the base.
Although chips were expensive, they indirectly reduced R&D costs and saved R&D cycles.
In this era of rapid technological development, having one’s own AI computing power chip set was particularly important.
Hearing this, even Fan Ren, who wasn’t too sensitive to fund figures, was somewhat shocked.
The revenue for the most recent month had actually reached a terrifying 120 billion.
Plus battery, radio, and other businesses, Xinghai currently generated 1,500 billion in revenue per month after deducting operating costs.
He smacked his lips and said in a low voice, “Do we have this much money on hand now?”
Fan Ren opened his palm toward Jin Qiaoying.
“8,200 billion, enough for you?”
“Not sure.”
After getting the answer, Fan Ren wasn’t pleased. The Xinghai Supercomputer estimated that Phase One of the space elevator would cost nearly 500 billion in investment, and while Phase Two costs would further decrease, it would still need nearly 2,000 billion in funds.
Not to mention, he wanted to expand the lunar base mining scale simultaneously. After expanding Guanghan Palace, it would become a large base capable of accommodating 500 astronauts for long-term stays.
This project also required nearly 1,000 billion in funds.
There was also the concurrent nuclear fusion production project. From the start, its service target was Xinghai itself; besides spending money, it wouldn’t generate revenue.
Great Xia’s official side was similarly investing this technology into civilian domains, also with no expectation of profit.
Fortunately, with the many changes brought by nuclear fusion, saving on energy expenditures was a form of indirect revenue for Xinghai.
Thinking of the quantum communication technology research and nuclear fusion engine research that hadn’t been mentioned yet.
Fan Ren couldn’t help but show a bitter smile.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing his expression, Jin Qiaoying became puzzled too.
“Nothing, thank you. Without your help, Xinghai wouldn’t have today.”
Fan Ren looked at her, his eyes full of gratitude.
Being stared at like this by him, Jin Qiaoying felt a bit uneasy.
“I’ll get back to work first.”
She quickly stood up and walked toward the desk.
