Infinite Life: Trapped in a lifetime

While there were all kinds of movements in the outside world,

Qiusuo Research Institute was also doing some things simultaneously.

Unaffected by the changes in the outside world, Qiusuo Research Institute just followed its own pace, or Mo Dao's will,

and continued to do what Qiusuo Research Institute needed to do at the moment.

December of 21.

After handing over the construction of the commercial reactor to Professor Hong, Academician Zhang and others,

that month, Mo Dao convened all the core researchers of Qiusuo Research Institute for an important meeting.

All the core researchers had expectations for this meeting.

The original main direction of Qiusuo Research Institute - the research on controlled nuclear fusion has come to a temporary end with the completion of the demonstration reactor.

The entire Qiusuo Research Institute naturally needs a new main direction.

After the meeting started,

Mo Dao did not beat around the bush.

"…Controlled nuclear fusion has been achieved. In the future, with the popularization of fusion energy, the times and productivity will usher in a change."

"The problem of the basis of productivity has been temporarily solved. Therefore, the next Qiusuo Institute will be on the right track."

Although it is a meeting, there is basically no "discussion" part. Mo Dao just announced the main direction of the Qiusuo Institute to all core researchers.

After a brief statement of two sentences,

Mo Dao projected a picture of the starry sky on the dome of this large conference room.

In the dim conference room, the starry sky above the dome seemed to fall on every researcher attending the meeting.

A group of core researchers raised their heads.

On this projected starry sky picture, several planets in the solar system were seen.

Then in the corner of the picture, there was a little inconspicuous light spot.

"I want to go there."

Mo Dao looked at the light spot, and a group of researchers followed Mo Dao's sight and looked there.

Below the light spot, the projected picture also marked the place represented by this light spot.

——Proxima Centauri.

This is not a star map of equal proportions, otherwise, the existence of Proxima Centauri should not be visible in this starry sky picture.

"When I joined the Qiusuo Institute, I and the core researchers had a general discussion about the main direction of the Qiusuo Institute."

"That is, the goal of the Qiusuo Institute for a long time to come - to achieve interstellar voyages."

Under the light of the dome projection screen, Mo Dao continued to explain.

For the main direction of the Qiusuo Institute announced by Mo Dao, the core researchers were not surprised.

After all, from a macro perspective, the previously achieved controlled nuclear fusion is only a product of a certain stage under this big goal, even if it looks so dazzling.

"This is a destination that does not have much special meaning. The only special thing is that it is relatively close."

Just as Mo Dao said,

Proxima Centauri has no special meaning to Mo Dao.

He just randomly circled a target in the starry sky on the basis of trying to see a wider world.

However, the "close" that Mo Dao said is only close on an astronomical scale.

This is the closest star to the solar system.

From the perspective of human space technology at the moment, this is a place that is out of reach.

If going to Proxima Centauri is like traveling to a neighboring country,

then at the moment, human space technology is probably still fighting against the quilt on the bed at home.

Most of the human spacecraft satellites are only hundreds to thousands of kilometers away from the surface of the earth.

From the earth to the moon, it is about more than 200,000 kilometers,

From the earth to Mars, it is about tens of millions of kilometers away.

For every order of magnitude increase in the distance of the spacecraft, the difficulties it faces probably also increase by an order of magnitude at the same time,

and this "nearest" Proxima Centauri is about 3.43 light years away.

One light year is about 9.6 trillion kilometers.

The current maximum speed of the aircraft launched by humans is 200 kilometers per second, which is still the maximum speed. The actual average speed is about 100 kilometers per second.

A simple calculation shows that even with the fastest aircraft of this era, it will take about 10,000 years.

So far, the time when humans have a clear historical record is basically within 10,000 years.

Even without considering human life span, what kind of aircraft can be used for tens of thousands of years, and what kind of system can guarantee stable operation for tens of thousands of years.

What kind of technological creation can continue to operate after being used for more than ten thousand years.

"Everyone can come here, naturally supporting or accepting the main goal of the Quest Institute."

"I hope we can reach the end one day."

"I also hope that I can get as close to this end as possible in this life while I am still alive."

Mo Dao's narration under the starlight of the dome was very plain,

but the group gradually withdrew their gazes from the dome projection and looked at Mo Dao's core researchers again,

but gradually their hearts became a little hot.

If it was when the Quest Institute was just established, if it was when they just joined the Quest Institute,

they could only feel that the unreachable goal of Proxima Centauri was a foolish dream, or because the distance was too far, it was difficult to have any clear feelings in their hearts.

But now, the Quest Institute has been established for nearly ten years.

Under the leadership of Mo Dao, they have overcome a mountain that originally seemed insurmountable step by step. The realization of controllable nuclear fusion technology is enough to make the name Qiusuo Research Institute shine in the history of scientific research.

And now, based on the realization of controllable nuclear fusion technology, they are rushing towards a mountain that seems even more insurmountable. What's the problem?

At least, under the leadership of Mo Dao, maybe they can get much closer to this ultimate goal.

Looking at Mo Dao, many of the core researchers who were already a few years old still had a lot of emotions in their hearts at this moment.

"...This is a very difficult thing. On this road to Proxima Centauri, which is several light years away, we will also encounter many insurmountable problems."

"It is not enough to do research in the aerospace field. We need more suitable materials to shape this long-distance spacecraft. Therefore, we need to do research on materials science and continue to make breakthroughs in materials science."

"We need a more complete and stable spacecraft life support system, so we must continue research in life sciences, biology and other interdisciplinary subjects."

"We need more powerful power, more energy... and even more powerful industrial manufacturing technology and capabilities to help us build this spacecraft... and even we need the ones that have been improved in the post-controllable nuclear fusion era. On the basis of productivity, further improve productivity.”

"Even, build a new one that can build this long-distance voyage ship, a new era."

"Every time the sailing distance and sailing time increase, new problems will appear."

"Maybe we can achieve it, maybe we need to go further into the future. I hope that by then, we can celebrate the success of a voyage together in the distant Proxima Centauri."

Mo Dao stopped.

The starlight projected on the dome was also removed,

In the newly reopened conference room,

Many core researchers stood up from their seats one after another.

But no one spoke for a while.

If you want to go to Proxima Centauri or see a wider world,

It's Mo Dao's wish.

But a great desire will always attract a group of like-minded people.