Technological Hegemony

Due to the Starlink plan to launch a large number of low-Earth orbit communication satellites, astronomical observation agencies have been severely affected, and work can hardly be carried out. Expensive equipment costing tens of billions of dollars is about to be scrapped, and the losses are extremely heavy.

Director Guo of the National Astronomical Observatory, with the idea of ​​being a dead horse as a living horse doctor, came to Xingchen Technology to ask for help. It is to set up a space telescope on the zero space station.

Director Guo was so happy when he heard the news that he and Luo Jia went to the subsidiary Xingchen Optics in Kunshan, Jiangsu that day.

On the other side, at the Cape Canaveral Space Base in Florida, North America, Elon Musk, the chief executive of the Starlink project, is also being scolded bloody by the directors of major western observatories.

As the Starlink project gets faster and faster, and there are more and more communication satellites, not only China's observatories are affected, but all observatories around the world are driven to the point of going crazy. There are many astronomers who want to find Musk desperately. .

Hey~

In the office, Musk listened to the secretary's report and sighed.

"Forget it, I'll see them." Musk frowned and said, "If you can't convince these astronomy people, you will be annoyed by them sooner or later."

"Then I'll invite the directors in."

The secretary nodded and exited the room, and she returned a few minutes later. Behind her were several old gentlemen in formal suits and bow ties.

The old gentlemen are representatives of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory of North America; Optical Astronomy Observatory, referred to as NOAO, consists of the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the North American National Solar Observatory, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory Gemini Science Center. It can be regarded as the top existence in the field of global astronomical observation.

"We want to protest! The Starlink project has seriously interfered with our normal observation activities!"

"Now we just have to look up and see all your satellites!"

The old gentlemen walked into Musk's office and yelled loudly, blowing their beards and staring, as if they were going to eat Musk on the spot, and even the secretary sweated for Musk.

However, Musk sat on the boss chair with his legs crossed, smiling, looking out the window with a very relaxed expression.

"Although I really want to hear the words of the seniors,

But unfortunately time does not allow. "

A minute later, Musk interrupted the old gentlemen's tirade, stood up, ordered the secretary to serve tea, and then calmly said: "Let's make a long story short, the Starlink project will interfere with major observatories around the world, we have already expected things."

The old gentlemen were all taken aback, showing angry expressions.

"Since it was expected, why didn't you notify us in advance?"

"That's right, we are very passive now, and astronomical observation research has almost completely stopped!"

"How can it go on like this! You must give us an explanation."

Musk nodded slightly, "As Luo Jia, the boss of Xingchen Technology, often said, everything has a price, and now is the price that must be paid for the launch of the Starlink project."

"Please wait a little longer, I will give you an explanation after a while."

Considering that Musk has a lot of bad words in the past, the old gentlemen of the Observatory did not buy his promises, and they still refused to let go.

"How can you explain it!?"

"The communication satellites in the base orbit can only become more and more, can it be reduced?"

Musk shook his head seriously, "In any case, the Starlink project must be launched. Our old rival Star Technology has launched two space super projects in one go, namely the Zero Space Station and the One Space Elevator. Starlink is the only one we can The existence that opposes it must not be changed or given up."

Musk changed the subject and said in a low voice: "Although the observatories on Earth are being interfered with, please don't forget that we and our European allies have space telescopes. In the field of space observation, we have an absolute advantage!"

"And our old rival, how many space telescopes does Huaxia have?"

"The answer is zero, none of them! So the Starlink project is not hit hardest by you dear directors, but by our opponents."

Several old men curled their lips, "Although that is the case, relying solely on space telescopes cannot completely replace ground-based observatories."

"Is that true?" Musk shrugged and sneered.

"The Hubble Space Telescope, launched by the space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, is a reflective astronomical telescope with a clear aperture of 2.4m, used to detect cosmic objects from ultraviolet to near-infrared 115-1010nm, equipped with a spectrometer And high-speed photometer and other auxiliary equipment, the high-gain antenna is connected to the ground through the relay satellite, and after the maintenance in 1997, it also has the near-infrared observation capability.”

"The Compton Gamma-ray Observatory, launched on April 5, 1991 by the space shuttle Atlantis, works in the gamma-ray band and can also be extended to the hard X-ray band."

"The Chandra X-ray Telescope, launched by the Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, works in the soft X-ray band."

"The Spitzer Space Telescope, launched on August 25, 2003, by a Delta II rocket, works in the infrared band."

"The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope was launched by a Delta II rocket on June 11, 2008, and is operating in a low-altitude orbit near the Earth. Its main mission is to study black holes and dark matter."

"The Kepler Space Telescope, launched on March 6, 2009, runs in the solar orbit following the Earth, and uses the method of transit to observe exoplanets."

"The Gaia space telescope was launched by a Soyuz carrier rocket on December 19, 2013. At the Lagrange L2 point 1.5 million kilometers away from the earth, it observed the position and motion of about 1 billion stars in the Milky Way, and drew The most accurate three-dimensional map of the Milky Way to date and helps answer questions about the origin and evolution of the Milky Way."

"ASTRO-H X-ray telescope, on February 17, 2016, was launched into space by the H-2A rocket from the Neon Kagoshima Space Center, running in an orbit around the earth at an altitude of about 580 kilometers, observing black holes and galaxy clusters X-rays."

"James Webb Space Telescope, the main reflector is made of beryllium, with a diameter of 6.5 meters and an area more than five times that of the Hubble Space Telescope. It was launched in October 2018 and observes the universe through the infrared band. It is currently the The most advanced and most expensive space telescope in the world!"

The more Musk talked, the more excited he became, and several directors gradually raised their heads. From Hubble to Webb, this series of space telescopes is the pride of the West.

If you want to know how big the gap between China and the West is in the field of astronomical observation, just count the number of telescopes in space.

"Everyone, I must remind you that we and our allies have not one but nine space telescopes!" Musk said in a passionate voice, "These nine space telescopes have different angles and different wave bands. , to help us understand and recognize the vast universe, are our eyes in space."

"As for our opponent Huaxia, how many space telescopes do they have?"

"No! They don't even have a space telescope!"

"In the field of space observation, our advantages are enough to kill Huaxia in seconds and crush them into scum!"

"And you know what, this is just the beginning!"

"LUVOIR, Origin, Hound, Goddess, Gaia 2, these five newest space telescopes will all be launched this year! We will expand the number of our space telescopes to an unprecedented fourteen !"

Accompanied by Musk's hoarse voice and scorching eyes, several observatory directors were almost suffocated, and their whole bodies were trembling with excitement.

"This year...we're launching five space telescopes!?"

"There are so many!?"

"Yes!" Musk said categorically: "I have an agreement with the owner of the White House. Since the earth is no longer suitable for observing space, then we will put the observatory directly in space!"

"And you know, what's better?"

"What is it?" the directors asked hastily.

The corner of Musk's mouth raised, revealing a smug smile, "They are all sky survey class, even super sky survey class."

The directors were all shocked, speechless for a while, showing infinite fascination.

The survey class means reaching the same level as the Webb Space Telescope. If the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990 was the benchmark of the last century, then Webb is the benchmark of the 21st century. As for Origin, its capability is high. Because of Webb, it is called the Super Survey Space Telescope, but unfortunately the specific parameters are a mystery.

In short, except for a few astronomers, few people can count how many sky telescopes there are in space and their names. This is normal. After all, astronomy is very far away from the lives of most people. As for the level of space telescopes, Even fewer people understand.

Musk slowed down his voice and said: "What I just said is just this year's plan. Next year and the year after that, we will also launch the Mayflower, Mississippi, Canyon, and Phoenix. ESA will launch Gaia 3. , Gaia 4, the British will launch the Newton, Neon will launch the Sanwang, South Korea will launch the King Kong, Israel will launch the Haifa, and Australia and New Zealand will jointly launch the Stallion.”

"Look, our allies are all over the world, and the total number of our space telescopes will exceed 20 next year! The year after, the year after, will exceed 30!"

"Huaxia doesn't even have a space telescope, how can it compare with us!?"

"So when the Starlink is built, we will gain three hegemonies at the same time!"

"Low-earth orbit hegemony! Global communication hegemony! And, space observation hegemony! We will completely crush China in these three major areas!"

"Guys, please wait and see, this is not the end, on the contrary, it is just the beginning!"