The evolution of insect swarms from XNUMX million years ago

Chapter 223 Solar System Defense Plan

There are two ideas about nuclear-powered rocket engines in later generations. One is the atomic rocket engine that Lin Yi has made before, which uses heat to heat the working medium and eject it for propulsion.

The second method is to convert nuclear energy into electrical energy, and then use the electrical energy to accelerate a small amount of propellant to form an ionized high-speed jet to generate thrust. This is called an electric rocket engine.

The specific impulse of this method is very high, and the propulsion mass consumption is relatively small. It can operate for a long time and seems to be a good choice for space navigation. Moreover, its lower temperature can also meet the needs of concealment.

But in fact, the thrust of this electric rocket engine is very low and is not suitable for use as the main power source for larger structures.

But it is not without its uses, such as small engines for attitude control and position maintenance on large entities, or for decelerating the small detectors or reconnaissance satellites that are envisioned.

Electric rocket engines can be subdivided into several types. One type is the electrothermal rocket engine, which uses arc or resistance to heat the working fluid and expand it to accelerate its ejection. However, this method also emits powerful thermal radiation, which is contrary to the original intention.

The more realistic one is the electrostatic field rocket engine - in this kind of engine, there is a special ionization chamber, the working fluid is input from the storage tank, where it is decomposed into positive and negative ions, and the ions are affected by the electrostatic field of the focusing electrode and accelerating electrode. It is accelerated into an ion beam, forming a high-speed jet and generating thrust.

Electric rocket engines do not necessarily require nuclear reactors to provide energy. If they do not need long-term operation and can only be used to maintain position and control posture, the nutrients provided by the photosynthesis and radiation synthesis of the carpet will be sufficient.

It is envisioned that a layer of electric plate column power generation organs will be distributed under the outer shell of these new structures' mushroom blankets, which will use the chemical energy generated by the mushroom blankets to generate electricity and supply the operation of the electric rocket engine nozzle.

At the same time, Lin Yi does not intend to directly compose these larger structures entirely with biological structures, but to use a method that serves multiple purposes with one stone, while simultaneously improving concealment and reducing costs.

That is, find an asteroid of suitable size, directly hollow out its interior, and install various required organ structures. From a distance, it looks like an ordinary asteroid. Only when it enters the range will it reveal its murderous intent.

In space, because there is no resistance and friction, continuous acceleration and accumulated kinetic energy can also allow the speed to reach a certain level, but it is not possible to take off from the surface of the planet.

As for the choice of working fluid, Lin Yi still chose hydrogen. Although some alkali metals are more effective, considering the cost issue, he still used hydrogen, which is easiest to extract in large quantities, as the propelling fluid.

Therefore, for large structures that cannot be launched by electromagnetic guns, Lin Yi is also preparing to install larger electric rocket engines to allow them to slowly float to the predetermined location at a slower speed.

In the same way, large electromagnetic gun carriers used to launch small detectors will also be built directly inside larger asteroids. In addition to launching detectors, these large electromagnetic guns with longer ranges will also play a role in long-range defense. Form another line of defense.

The information transmitted back from the large array of optical sensing organs on the body - in human terms, it is a specialized compound eye - shows that the huge body of the space creature has approached a dense area in the asteroid belt.

In the carrying compartment structure under the body, the special valve structure slowly opened, revealing the objects carried below - which were thick and long capsule-shaped objects. At this time, as the structure operated, it separated from the body and began to slowly change its orbit. . These are a small launch vehicle system developed by Lin Yi to land on a large number of scattered asteroids in the asteroid belt. Its size is similar to the previous Cornerstone No. 1 biological launch vehicle, and it can carry enough nutrient resources to pupate a mother's nest.

Landing on those asteroids will be completed by these large numbers of small biological launch vehicles. Since the process of breaking through the planet's gravity is no longer required, they do not need to be graded, which makes their construction much simpler.

Currently, for the launch vehicle series, Lin Yi has decided to continue to use the name of the Cornerstone series. For this small biological launch vehicle used in space, Lin Yi plans to call it the Cornerstone type to correspond to the fact that it does not need to consider air resistance issues. It has a capsule-like shape.

The space creatures continue to travel through the asteroid belt, and from time to time they release saccharite launch vehicles to airdrop to nearby asteroids.

Once it landed on the surface of the asteroid, the amphibolite type pupated and dissolved itself under the control of Lin Yi, turning into a carpet tumor and a large number of carpet structures that continued to spread around, and quickly penetrated the root system deeper. , potatoes begin to grow, oh no, various special root organ structures that expand.

Some pogoliths also store concentrated nuclear fission fuel in their bodies. When encountering an asteroid of suitable size, they will directly begin to pupate into an energy supply system including bionuclear reactors and electric plate column power generation organs.

Smaller asteroids are directly collected by the nest and turned into nutrients, while medium-sized asteroids are hollowed out and transformed into platforms for defense structures, ready to be launched to the outer circle of the solar system. Larger asteroids are also hollowed out and transformed into Fixed transmitting station.

The electromagnetic guns installed inside these large structures are larger than those on the surface of Mars, almost reaching the limit of what current materials can achieve, and much larger than the biological electromagnetic guns on space creatures. There are also more electric plate column power generating organs and nuclear fission reactors to power it.

Some small-sized detectors or reconnaissance satellites have also begun to be produced and launched into the outer space of the solar system, initially forming a complete reconnaissance and strike defense system.

Such a defense system that surrounds almost the entire outer solar system is no small undertaking, even if the gaps between its components are considerable.

Fortunately, asteroids contain sufficient material resources, and energy is more or less sufficient. With the full synthesis and operation of a large number of structures, the progress of this amazing plan is still increasing rapidly.

It is expected that in the near future, the entire solar system will be completely controlled by Lin Yi, and the pace of the nest group will further look into the farther and wider space.

And during this period, many traces of Bao's past were indeed unearthed in the asteroid belt, or to be precise at the former fifth planet. Let the technical level of some details of the nest group be further improved.

At the same time, more space creatures are being manufactured and produced in the orbit of Mars and the asteroid belt, and during this period, Lin Yi has also made more improvements to space creatures.

(End of this chapter)