Annihilation of the solar system

When the plane landed at Houston Hubby International Airport, Veronica was already waiting for Xia Lan on the tarmac. On the way to the Johnson Space Center, Veronica didn't talk more about the next work.

Instead, she enthusiastically talked to Xia Lan about her husband, two sons, and their farm in Texas.

Although Xia Lan could clearly feel Veronica's sincere enthusiasm, her understanding of "family" and "friend" in North American culture was not that deep. She just kept smiling and nodding, and Veronica also

Didn't care.

The car stopped at the door of a tall warehouse at the Johnson Space Center. In the warehouse, a group of scientific researchers wearing dustproof suits were surrounding the huge "James Webb Infrared Space Telescope" that was covered in golden light.

Although Xia Lan had seen this most advanced and expensive space observation equipment in human history in academic journals and materials, when she stood in front of this telescope, which was the size of a train, she was still attracted by human beings.

I was deeply shocked by the wisdom and industrial technology.

Different from the visible light band space telescopes such as "Hubble 2" and "Yang Jian" in orbit, it is not a cylindrical lens tube with two solar panels inserted. It is like a single-masted sailing ship.

The position of the sail is its main reflector, which is made up of 18 gold-plated hexagonal lenses. The hull is equipped with a nuclear power battery, a control computer and an antenna.

The hull is also plated with a layer of gold, because in addition to loading equipment, it also has an important function as a solar baffle. "Webb" is an infrared band telescope. If it wants to detect low-temperature infrared radiation, it must avoid the largest solar system.

The heat source - the sun. This is why it must run in the l2 Lagrangian orbit 1.5 million kilometers behind the earth's shadow.

In Xia Lan's eyes, even if this golden telescope was put on display in the Louvre as a work of art, there would be no sense of violation.

At this time, on the platter-like main reflector, a few hexagonal lenses were missing. They had been removed by engineers and placed on a cart aside. Veronica took Xia Lan to those with

In front of a hexagonal lens the size of a car windshield.

"Look at these reflective lenses coated with 24k gold. They are useless. Their mirror curvature is designed to observe the infrared rays that reached the earth 13.5 billion years ago."

Veronica took Xia Lan to a large table on the other side. On the table were several lenses that had not yet been plated with gold.

"These are new reflectors we made based on calculations. After passing the experiment, we can choose the one with the best effect and install it on the telescope. Then we can adjust the lenses and the third-level reflector. Then we can launch. This is what we have to do.

Work."

Veronica pointed to one of the pieces.

"Lan, this piece is made based on your data."

Xia Lan looked at the crystal-like lens and sighed:

"You remade so many lenses in such a short time?"

Veronica crossed herself:

"Oh, thank God. In normal times, if NASA spends an extra penny in its budget, there will be a tedious audit process. But now the situation is different. The gentlemen in Congress finally stopped worrying about it."

Xia Lan looked around. Almost all the experimental equipment, tools and materials in this huge warehouse were brand new. It was unimaginable to do this in such a short period of time. She couldn't help but sigh,

"Your industrial production capabilities are really impressive!"

Veronica showed a proud smile again, but this smile was very sincere:

"Of course! Don't forget, it usually takes us 8 years to produce an aircraft carrier, but during World War II it only took 8 months."

On the other side of the earth, Shen Manling of the European Space Center and a group of experts from all over the world are working intensively around three huge X-ray band detection satellites. Shen Manling is verifying the data in front of the computer, although she is only combing her hair She has a simple ponytail and wears only plain clothes, but her movements still exude the graceful and gentle temperament of an oriental woman.

"Oh, Manlin. I'm so sorry. I can only let you work overtime in a place like this." Davis came over with two cups of black tea.

Shen Manling took the cup of steaming black tea.

"It's nothing, Marlowe. Isn't that what everyone does?"

Davis looked at the three satellites in the warehouse, which were about the same size as a London double-decker bus:

"I hope the Lord will bless us and these satellites can bring us some discoveries."

Shen Manling put the tea cup on the table and looked at the computer screen:

"The data of the detector's sensitive unit has been calculated, and there are no surprises. It can meet our detection accuracy requirements. The finished product can be installed on the satellite after completing the preliminary test."

Davis drank black tea and said:

"Your two students who came to IAU last time were both very good. Especially that girl, Xia. She is really like you, I mean academically."

At the Space Technology Research Center in Beijing, Wei Xu, Song Shi and a large number of experts and scholars are studying a physical model of the "Yang Jian" optical space telescope. Based on the existing structure of the "Yang Jian", they need to Design and manufacture an easily replaceable lens assembly.

In order to make the "Yang Jian" originally designed for deep space exploration suitable for observing Europa and Titan at 7 astronomical units and 12 astronomical units. If this work is completed on the ground, it will become very easy. But At this time, the "Yang Jian" was already in a sun-synchronous orbit.

After the replacement assembly is completed on the ground, it is launched into space by a launch vehicle. It is then docked with the "Shenzhou spacecraft" carrying astronauts. The astronauts then go out to replace the original lens with a replacement assembly the size of a car. components. This means that their design must be efficient, reliable and easy to operate.

A month later, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Calaveral, southern Florida, a heavy-lift rocket was erected on the launch pad. It carried the "James Webb" infrared space telescope that had just completed emergency modification and had entered the Countdown to launch.

The observation deck that used to be crowded with tourists and reporters was now the only ones sitting on the steps, with Xia Lan and Veronica sitting on the steps.

"I heard my father say that more than fifty years ago, on that launch pad, when the 'Saturn V' like the Pillars of Creation carried the 'Apollo 11' to the moon, it was very lively here. Like the stands at the Red Sox and Yankees football game. It was the first time that humans had reached another celestial body beyond the earth. At that time, everyone was very ambitious and thought that the era of conquering space had arrived."

Xia Lan looked at the rocket covered in white mist due to the cryogen, and just nodded without answering Veronica's words. She clutched the walkie-talkie tightly in her hand, replaying every detail in her mind. If any detail

If there are problems, it is still too late. But once it is launched into the L2 Lagrangian orbit of 1.5 million kilometers, any problems will not be solved.

Veronica saw Xia Lan's thoughts, and she said with a relaxed smile:

"Don't worry so much, dear. If the launch of the Webb fails or something else goes wrong, we still have a 'touchdown plan.'"

Xia Lan suddenly came back to her senses and looked at Veronica with surprised eyes. She had never heard Veronica talk about this plan.

"We will send Huygens and Cassini towards Europa and Titan before they burn up completely. We should be able to discover something?"

"Why haven't I heard you talk about it before?" Xia Lan asked.

"Look at this period of time, we have all been circling around that 'golden boat', and I didn't mention it. Those detectors originally had this design, but they are still a long way from their design life.

The actual effect of the 'Touchdown Plan' is not guaranteed." A trace of regret flashed across Veronica's face.

Xia Lan understood what Veronica meant. All extraterrestrial detectors have a final mission at the end of their lifespan, which is to crash into the target planet and obtain the final detection data before burning or crashing.

"Lan, do you think there is hope for us?" There was a rare worry and loneliness in Veronica's eyes.

"What?" Xia Lan recovered from the rocket that had opened its support.

"If...if they really come for us." Veronica's voice was already trembling.

Xia Lan looked at her eyes full of vulnerability and timidity and was speechless.

Accompanied by the roar that echoed through the sky and the cloud-like smoke and dust, the rocket took off into the sky and gradually disappeared into the endless clear sky.

A few days later, the Long March rocket carrying the "Yangjian" modified components and mission astronauts also rushed from the Xichang and Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centers to the sun-synchronous orbit thousands of miles away. Afterwards, at the Bainuor Launch Base, San Marco

At the launch base and the Kuru Space Center, three modified X-ray space observation satellites were also put into orbit. They will jointly complete the gaze of Europa "Europa" and Titan "Titan".

Countries and organizations that have not participated in mainstream plans also launched space exploration equipment that they developed or improved into space from rocket launch bases around the world during that time, both to assist the "Gaze Project" and

For themselves.

During those days, the astronauts on the space station could almost see rockets launched from the ground flying out of the atmosphere with bright tail flames at almost any time. If it was during the Cold War, they would definitely think that a world nuclear war had broken out.