Super Copy of Great Power Technology

Almost all the young people in the venue were veterans of the virtual world, familiar with this kind of creation from nothing. In some closed environments within the virtual world, players with administrative privileges can indeed create things out of thin air; copying the same file dozens of times is just a matter of a thought. Some older experts and leaders, who rarely engage with the virtual world, were startled by the amazing scene unfolding before them, but they quickly recovered by remembering that this was a virtual world, and that their bodies and everything around them were virtual.

The virtual meeting room quickly fell silent, save for the sound of pages turning. Half an hour later, people had finished reviewing the documents and began exchanging ideas and discussing them.

"Isn't the 500-meter-long spacecraft shown in the US Mars landing plan PowerPoint presentation a bit too far-fetched? With their launch vehicle technology, can they really afford to build such a behemoth?"

"It's probably a bit difficult. The United States doesn't have plasma engine technology, let alone anti-gravity technology, so it can't send large spacecraft components into space. The large spacecraft shown in the PPT can only be transported by multiple rocket launches, breaking the spacecraft into smaller modules and parts and sending them into space, and then assembling them in orbit. Putting aside the high technical difficulty, the transportation cost to and from Earth is astronomical."

"Isn't SpaceX also said to have mastered rocket recovery and reuse technology? A launch shouldn't cost much, right?"

"SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets do have recovery and reuse technology, but only the first stage of the rocket can be recovered. The second stage cannot be recovered. Compared with the spaceplanes we currently use for round trips between Earth and space, the transportation cost is still several times higher, and it is still difficult to afford to use them too often."

"Besides transportation costs, there is another technological problem that the U.S. and Russia cannot overcome: anti-gravity technology. Without anti-gravity engines, their spacecraft can only rely on chemical fuel engines for propulsion, and it would take at least six months to travel from Earth to Mars. Without gravity generators, their astronauts would have to endure the long interstellar journey in a weightless environment, which would cause many inconveniences in their lives and work, and they might even suffer from space-related diseases such as osteoporosis. In such a harsh space environment, it might be possible to send a small number of well-trained astronauts to Mars, but to establish a Mars base and carry out large-scale Mars colonization is simply a pipe dream."

……

After an hour of discussion, everyone reached a conclusion: While the U.S. and Russia, with their massive investments, do indeed have the capability to send a few astronauts to Mars, that's all. To establish a Martian base, develop Martian mineral resources, or even conduct large-scale Martian colonization, as they claimed in their PowerPoint presentations, is simply wishful thinking. At least for the next ten years, Mars will remain solely the domain of the Chinese. As for ten years from now, perhaps by then, China's interstellar colonization will have extended beyond the solar system, covering several surrounding star systems, and they will no longer consider the harsh environment of Mars a threat.

We live in an era of information overload, where news topics shift rapidly. The topic of a manned Mars landing briefly generated buzz on the international internet before quickly fading into obscurity, replaced by other fresh topics. Perhaps only when Chinese astronauts successfully land on Mars will this topic regain popularity.

A week later, the alien spacecraft capture fleet sent back the latest news: they had reached the asteroid belt and located the largest pieces of alien spacecraft wreckage. They were currently pursuing them and expected to catch up with them within three days and complete the capture mission.

Two days later, the Mars landing fleet arrived near Mars and, after half an hour of deceleration and braking, successfully entered Martian orbit. All detection equipment was then activated to scan and model the Martian surface, searching for the optimal landing site. Astronauts on the fleet and hundreds of aerospace experts at the Earth's flight control center were all busy processing data, constructing a three-dimensional map of the Martian surface, identifying resource-rich areas, and selecting landing sites. After five hours of scanning and analysis, the final decision was made to choose the eastern part of Utopia Planitia. This area is flat and open, with a low elevation, reducing the risk of the spacecraft colliding with mountains or boulders during landing, thus facilitating a safe landing. Furthermore, Utopia Planitia has rich and diverse geological features, potentially preserving valuable information about Mars' early history. There may be large amounts of water ice beneath the surface; water is the source of life and an essential raw material for industrial construction, its importance self-evident. Through in-depth analysis of rock and soil samples from these areas, scientists hope to reveal major scientific questions such as Martian climate evolution, geological changes, and the possibility of life. At the same time, Utopia Plain is also a region rich in mineral resources. Landing here and establishing the first human base on Mars would be very beneficial for subsequent Mars mining plans.

To enhance international influence and boost national pride among the Chinese people, the entire manned Mars landing process was broadcast live. Thanks to quantum communication technology, the communication latency between the Mars landing fleet and Earth was virtually zero, while the bandwidth was almost unlimited, resulting in clear, smooth live video and an excellent viewing experience. Furthermore, Ruida Group provided 3D holographic live streaming signals for holographic projector users and virtual reality live streaming signals for brain-computer interface users. Viewers using these devices enjoyed an immersive experience, feeling as if they themselves had landed on Mars.

This live broadcast was simultaneously aired by CCTV-1, CCTV-4, and CCTV-10, along with ten leading domestic online live streaming platforms and three international online live streaming platforms. Combined with the Ruida Group's 3D holographic live streaming studio and virtual reality live streaming studio, the coverage was unprecedented. At 7:45 PM in China, the Mars landing live broadcast officially began. Large numbers of Chinese citizens who had received advance notice, as well as international netizens interested in aerospace, gathered in front of their televisions or screens to watch the live broadcast. The viewership of the CCTV stations broadcasting the Mars landing saw a significant increase, directly aiming for the top spots in its time slot. At the same time, millions of viewers flooded into various online live streaming rooms. The more people in the live streaming rooms, the more lively it became. Various colored bullet comments and gift effects of all sizes appeared densely, almost covering the entire live streaming screen, forcing viewers to turn off bullet comments or reduce their settings. In the discussion area at the bottom of the live streaming screen, various messages scrolled upwards and refreshed at a speed like a carousel; without pausing the scrolling, it was impossible to see the content of the messages. (End of Chapter)