Chapter 106: Undercurrents Surging
Mark was not just talking big.
Three days later, at Xinghai Aerospace Base, a rocket that had been urgently transferred and loaded with relevant supplies, carrying two astronauts with medical knowledge, took off into the sky.
The target was Mars Synchronous Orbit.
In the Xinghai Quantum Communication Laboratory, the quantum communication equipment that Fan Ren was researching also quickly produced results.
Nowadays, for the various scientific research that Fan Ren is conducting, the technicians needed cannot be recruited from schools as freshmen anymore due to the excessively high professional knowledge required.
In the laboratory, just like the mode during the last nuclear fusion research, most of the scientists participating came from the academies of the Great Xia Ministry of Industry.
Great Xia was originally in an absolute global leading position in quantum communication, but it had always been unable to solve the problem of how to use quantum to transmit information, so the research and development progress had been stagnant.
After Fan Ren joined, the solution was proposed by him.
It took only two months to complete the research and development of quantum communication technology.
However, because basic science had not reached a certain height, this communication technology temporarily had limited information transmission distance, effective only within 500 million kilometers.
It could not yet achieve real-time communication over wireless distances as the system had described.
However, this was already fully sufficient for the distances currently accessible to humanity.
Between Earth and Mars, the current maximum distance was only 400 million kilometers.
Immediately after, a Star Transport Series Rocket carrying a quantum communication satellite launched toward Earth-Moon Orbit.
He had not forgotten what Fan Ren said; this satellite would temporarily handle civilian communication between Earth and Mars.
After testing for a period of time, it could fully replace traditional radio wave communication technology, achieving ultra-long-distance zero-latency communication.
Xinghai’s development involved multiple projects proceeding simultaneously; as long as Jin Qiaoying did not issue a funds warning to Fan Ren, he would not stop.
The construction of the space elevator had already reached a height of nearly 10,000 kilometers.
And as the technicians became more proficient, this speed would continue to increase; completing the remaining 26,000 kilometers in the next three months, if funds did not have issues, would be achieved without any surprises.
At the same time, Xinghai Technology issued a global recruitment for professionals with certain qualifications who could go to space and the Moon for long-term stationing, and perform mining, construction of space elevators, and other work.
As soon as the news was released, countless resumes flooded into the aerospace base’s human resources department.
Who doesn’t want to go to space?
Who doesn’t want to stroll around on the Moon?
Regardless of whether they had relevant professional skills, holding the idea of possibly being selected, the received resumes reached billions.
With no other choice, Fan Ren had to use the supercomputer to screen these resumes.
Even so, resumes from those aged 20-45 with proof of relevant professional skills and health certificates still numbered in the millions.
In this mix of pain and happiness, this “recruitment” project began.
In Fan Ren’s plan, these recruited relevant professionals would undergo three months of simple space survival training.
At that time, they would take the completed space elevator directly to the Star Transport spaceship docked above, and then be transported to the places needing them.
Among them, the Lunar Base needed the most personnel.
As this “recruitment notice” fermented, the space elevator project that Xinghai was building finally surfaced, gradually sparking heated discussions.
Although humanity had gradually become accustomed to Xinghai and Spitz, the two companies, vigorously developing the aerospace undertaking.
But up to now, material transport between ground and space still relied on rockets with extremely low cost-performance.
But now, Great Xia had suddenly begun truly constructing a space elevator.
This project had been mentioned by someone in the early years, and even certain forces had brought it up as a topic, stating they would initiate its construction.
But seven or eight years had passed, and the company that proposed the project back then had absconded with the investors’ money and vanished without a trace.
At this moment, it was suddenly discovered that Xinghai had done it quietly, without public bidding or public project fundraising, and just like that released the news.
Even at this time, the space elevator’s construction height had reached 10,000 kilometers.
This time it was no longer fake; this was a space elevator that had truly completed nearly half of its construction period, capable of replacing traditional rocket transportation missions.
It could be foreseen that once completed, the previous aerospace model would be completely and thoroughly changed.
United States, General Office.
Another weekly press conference.
“President, what is your view on Great Xia’s space elevator that is nearly complete? As far as I know, our Nasa is still reluctant to let go of their space station that has exceeded its service life. Will the authorities continue to ignore this gap?”
Wells fell silent; she definitely knew about Great Xia’s news, but had not paid attention to it before.
She originally thought she could drag it past the election period, and after her position was completely stable, make relevant policy adjustments to respond.
But now she had to do it ahead of schedule.
Just this week, poll results showed her approval rating had dropped to a single-digit historic low.
If not for the support from a group of interest-related organizations behind her, even the single-digit approval rating might not hold.
She took a deep breath and said slowly: “We are already aware of Great Xia’s space elevator project.
At the same time, I have proposed a series of plans for Nasa.
I think it is inevitable; due to Great Xia’s bottomless competition, we must accelerate our space development pace.
With national approval, we will increase investment in aerospace development; it is expected that by the end of the year, within half a year, a new space station will be constructed to replace the space station that has exceeded its service life.”
Wells paused, and seeing no reaction from the reporters, she breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Just as she was about to end this terrible press conference early, she was interrupted.
“Is that it? Do we really think relying on a new space station can catch up to Great Xia in the aerospace undertaking? President Wells, sorry, though this is very rude, as a United States reporter, I still have to say to you: under your leadership, the originally great United States will completely and thoroughly fall behind Great Xia. Congratulations, you and we contemporaries have undeniably become sinners of the United States.”
This reporter angrily finished saying this, and Wells, with a gloomy face, hurriedly left the scene.
Australia, General Office.
Mo Han held a silver-white cube, his eyes showing fascination.
This was the tri-titanium alloy refined from ordinary crystal stone.
Its strength level was dozens of times that of aluminum alloy and more.
Unfortunately, even given Australia’s vast land and abundant ore reserves, this thing was extremely rare.
Thinking of this, a trace of irritation appeared on his face.
Damn Moon actually had this product.
It was not until recently that Xinghai announced the nuclear fusion technology and the tri-titanium alloy refinement method that he fully understood why Great Xia was vigorously developing the aerospace industry and concentrating financial resources, manpower, and material resources on the Lunar Base mining project.
The purpose of all this was to free their own ore sources from relying on Australia.
Thinking of this, he picked up the telephone and dialed the Presidential Office of Wells.
“Wells, I think it’s time we meet and have a good talk.”
