Great Country Academician

In the office, after chatting with Wen Yuanhang for a while, Xu Chuan asked casually: "Speaking of which, Fuyao should be arriving on Mars soon, right?"

On the sofa, Wen Yuanhang smiled and nodded, saying: "Yes, from the latest images and data sent back, Fuyao is only about 600,000 kilometers away from Mars."

"According to the planned progress, Fuyao will officially change its orbit to enter the HEO high orbit of Mars in two days, and it is expected to adjust its orbit to the low orbit in four days, and start the relevant detection equipment deployment work."

Although their aerospace technology has surpassed the traditional chemical fuel launch vehicle by more than one level, Mars exploration is still a difficult task for today's human civilization.

The Fuyao space shuttle, which is carrying out the unmanned Mars exploration mission for the first time, cannot go directly to the moon like landing on the moon.

The means and processes they currently adopt are still based on traditional chemical fuel launch vehicles.

For example, after arriving on Mars, the Fuyao space shuttle needs to reduce its speed, adjust its attitude, and enter the HEO high orbit of Mars.

Here, it is necessary to complete another 12-hour orbit to adjust the orbit, check the equipment, and collect Mars data materials. Only after ensuring that everything goes smoothly can it gradually move to the medium orbit, low orbit, and delivery orbit.

Although this cumbersome exploration process is somewhat backward compared to their current aerospace technology, after all, they no longer need such a cumbersome process to land on the moon.

But for the new space shuttle, this is the first time to carry out a distant interstellar voyage of tens of millions of kilometers to explore Mars.

Sometimes, relatively conservative means are more appropriate.

Especially when facing a field with little experience such as deep space exploration, conservative means may not allow you to achieve better results.

But relatively speaking, it can guarantee your lower limit and avoid some unexpected risks.

This is very necessary for high-cost and high-risk deep space exploration.

After listening to Wen Yuanhang's report, Xu Chuan nodded, thought for a while, and then said: "You said, should we announce the news that Fuyao is about to arrive on Mars in advance?"

Hearing this, Wen Yuanhang looked over with confusion on his face, not knowing what this person wanted to do.

The project of Fuyao Mars exploration itself needs to be made public. What's the point of announcing it in advance?

Xu Chuan smiled and explained: "It's just to give NASA some fuel and cool down a little."

"What do you mean?" Wen Yuanhang asked with interest.

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Do NASA and the United States hope to revive the glory of aerospace through the lunar space elevator project? But I guess they still have some concerns about this project internally."

"The European Union and other countries are probably still waiting and watching."

"Announcing the arrival of the Fuyao space shuttle on Mars in advance can reduce the news heat of the lunar space elevator."

"On the other hand"

At this point, Xu Chuan paused, raised a smile at the corner of his mouth, and then said: "On the other hand, I plan to ask the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute to stop selling high-quality carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon fiber and other materials to the outside world."

That's right, he is going to do something bad!

The preparation technology of the most advanced graphene/carbon nanomaterials/carbon fiber and other materials in China and even the world comes from the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute, which was researched by him.

Of course, what Chuanhai Materials Research Institute provides is technology, and the partner for OEM production is CATL.

A few years ago, President Zeng Yuqun personally visited him, and the two sides established an in-depth cooperative relationship.

According to last year's data, more than 85% of the world's high-quality graphene and carbon nanomaterials are produced by the carbon material factory established by CATL.

For the technology and engineering of the lunar space elevator, the most basic and core thing is the material.

In other words, it is the cable material of the space elevator.

At present, the most suitable material for the preparation of space elevator cables is carbon nanotubes.

In other words, it is a composite material prepared with carbon nanotubes, graphene and other materials as the core.

For example, the technology "a long ribbon-shaped carbon nanotube composite material" was unveiled by the Ohbayashi Group Company in Sakura Country at the press conference.

According to the information disclosed at the press conference, the person in charge of the Ohbayashi Group Company said that this long ribbon-shaped carbon nanotube can be rolled into a spool, similar to the structure of a football.

This structure can be launched into orbit by a spacecraft or a space shuttle, and when the spacecraft carrying the spool reaches a certain altitude, possibly a low-Earth orbit, it will begin to unwind the spool and lower the ribbon back to Earth.

When the ribbon descends into the Earth's atmosphere, it will be captured, then lowered and fixed to a mobile platform at sea, and then fixed to the cable of the space elevator.

In simple terms, it is actually throwing a "ball of yarn" from a high altitude.

Among them, the ribbon (carbon nanotube composite ribbon) can be used as a track for the railway to space.

And the mechanical elevator (elevator) will be used to climb the belt fixed on this track into space.

It has to be said that in theory, this is indeed a feasible method.

In terms of the conception of space elevator technology, apart from this ribbon (carbon nanotube composite ribbon), the construction of other parts of the space elevator can use known and mature technologies.

For example, including robot elevators, anchor stations and power transmission systems, these technologies are indeed quite mature in the 21st century.

But the core technology lies in carbon nanotube composite belts, which are the cables of space elevators.

Xu Chuan does not believe that the Yamagumi Company in Sakura Country can now produce cables that are sufficient to support the lifting of space elevators, nor does he believe that the United States and NASA have this strength.

After all, the lunar space elevator project was originally his "plan", and the production technology of high-quality carbon materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes is also in his hands.

He has calculated how much tensile strength, how high strength, and how much elastic modulus index are required in the lunar space elevator technology.

In this regard, Xu Chuan believes in his ability.

However, these do not prevent him from "strangling" in reverse.

In the past few decades, except for the past few years, it has always been the United States and other Western countries that have strangled their necks in top technology and materials.

Now it is their turn to do this.

High-quality and excellent graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon fiber and other composite materials are currently in short supply all over the world, and the gap is large.

If he lets the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute and the OEM CATL tighten this loophole, whether it is the United States, the European Union, or other Western countries, it will be very uncomfortable.

Even many industrial production based on these materials will stagnate.

For example, in the consumer electronics industry such as mid-to-high-end smartphones and tablets, graphene heat dissipation devices, as a highly customized product, have now become one of the most widely used components in these electronic devices.

There are also carbon composite materials, which are widely used in the fields of construction and automobile industry. Common high-end cars, civil aircraft and other equipment also use a large amount of carbon composite materials to reduce weight.

In addition to making the old United States uncomfortable, prohibiting them from selling high-quality graphene, carbon nanotubes and other materials to them in the current situation can also make the old United States and NASA more convinced that the lunar space elevator is feasible.

Otherwise, how could it happen that they just announced the lunar elevator project, and China stopped selling the key materials of the space elevator?

After this set of combined punches, the United States is afraid that it will be like a turtle eating a weight, and will go on the lunar space elevator project.

PS: There will be another chapter later. It’s the end of the month. Please give me a monthly ticket.