I ask you to build tractors, but you build rockets?

"Five detectors, five detection points."

Zhong Cheng held the conference table with both hands, and a large laser projection of a color map of Mars floated in front of everyone, and it was extremely detailed.

The whiteboards that used to be used to put PPT on were rarely used. Most of the time, people preferred to use more sci-fi laser projectors.

This table was donated by Xinyuan after the Tianmu-3 mission. It applied the latest laser technology and achieved large-scale three-dimensional color projection for the first time. The precision has reached the level of mid-to-high-end projectors.

There was no product of the same level on the market. Zhong Cheng could tell that it was definitely worth a lot just from the rich precision components he accidentally saw during installation and the terrible power consumption when it was turned on.

But the benefits are obvious. Now when I have a meeting, I finally have the feeling of being in the starry sky. A huge star map of the solar system can be seen with a finger. The operator will even have an erratic feeling that transcends the earth.

Five locations are highlighted on the suspended map of Mars, carefully selected by various groups of experts.

Lin Ju glanced at it, then frowned slightly.

These detectors are all too far away from Plain Zero, especially Tianwen-5, which the base has high hopes for, because it was the most important and was directly arranged to go to the Antarctic ice cap.

That is the place on Mars that is considered most likely to have water. Water is an important basis for the operation of the complete set of chemical equipment carried by the Zhurong.

The base still plans to launch the probe to Plain Zero, but instead of launching it separately, it will be loaded into the cargo hold of the Zhurong. The latter can carry 60 tons of cargo, and it is easy to stuff a Mars rover into it.

The newly added Mars rover has a mass of about 4 tons, is nuclear powered, and is equipped with robots and drones, with an extremely wide detection range.

The original plan was for Zhurong to land on the edge of Antarctica, and then the two new large rovers would slowly move to the vicinity of Plain Zero.

But the South Pole is too far away. Even if a nuclear-powered Mars rover can run there, it is likely to fall on the road due to mechanical failure.

However, he had no intention of changing the goals that the space agency had set, so he thought for a moment and added:

"The location where the Zhurong landed happened to be on the Antarctic. The terrain there is actually not conducive to building residential areas, and the value is not high. We should look for suitable future residences in slightly lower dimensions around the Antarctic."

As he spoke, he placed his hand near the midline from Plain Zero to the South Pole, where the terrain was relatively flat.

"Adding another Mars rover will be carried out in the name of our school-enterprise alliance. Anyway, the research and development expenses are almost spread out, so it won't cost much more."

Lin Ju was ready to push forward independently to avoid being rejected because of the budget, but the reality was beyond his imagination.

After hearing this, Zhong Cheng looked seriously at where his finger was for a short while, then looked around and asked:

"What's everyone's opinion?"

After a few scattered answers, Zhong Cheng made a direct decision:

"If there are too many lice, they won't bite. There won't be much difference between five and six. It's better to just give the serial number of Tianwen-6. Xiaolin, can Xinyuan deliver it for launch in time?"

"Uh..." Lin Ju was still shocked by his decisiveness, and was stunned for a moment before he realized:

"Of course it's no problem, these are all universal chassis."

In fact, from ice mining on the moon, nuclear power generation vehicles to the Tianwen series of "Yinghuo" Mars rovers, although there are slight differences in volume and weight, the chassis, structure, components, etc. are basically universal designs, which not only reduces costs, but also Greatly improved delivery speed.

"Then there is nothing to argue about. Many people here have also participated in the demonstration and research of the deep space exploration plan. We must understand that the current space competition has entered a white-hot stage. Our goal has changed from touching the unknown bit by bit to It becomes understanding the unknown.

The first factor to consider is not money, but how wide and far our horizons can expand. "

…

Northwest, a certain digital code base.

While the Mars project was being discussed in full swing in the capital, Serev was personally feeling the wind and sand of the Great Gobi.

Chengdu is the closest big city to the western region. You can also experience exaggerated strong winds in spring and autumn, but they are nothing compared to the real northwest winds.

To describe it in one sentence: The wind and sand in the northwest can blow people to death!

Even if you are lucky enough not to be buried by the sand, breathing in the storm mixed with yellow sand will be greatly restricted, and respiratory diseases will remain if you stay for a little longer.

Fortunately, Serev has taken very thorough protection and generally does not go out easily.

And now he was wrapped in a gauze scarf commonly used by young civilians and was heading to the testing site not far away with the major stationed locally.

This was once an unused underground nuclear test base, and was later converted into a nuclear engine test site. Every A100 engine must be fully tested here after leaving the factory.

The weather is not good today, but the test work is still going on as scheduled.

Because the engine tested today is codenamed "Everest" and its internal name is NPAE.

After more than two years of continuous development, this engine, which together with the A100 locks the upper limit of the fission engine, is finally available.

When the first two prototypes were shipped out together, the space agency still couldn't believe that its development had been completed.

Currently, only one engine is installed on the test bed, and preparations for testing have been completed and will be started for trial operation.

Following Serev was Dou Ping, who was promoted to a higher level and was already responsible for most of the key national defense equipment. This time he came to the scene in person.

"Chief Engineer Xie, we have launched a new test bed for you this time. I hope you won't be disappointed."

Nuclear engine test beds are built on the basis of underground nuclear test pits. One has been used for the A100, and there are still two test beds left in the base.

The new test bench was launched because the radiation content of Xin Yuan Cheng Ruo's NPAE ejecta is so low that it meets the requirements for direct discharge into the atmosphere. Using the test bench used by A100 may affect the pollution measurement results.

But if it fails to meet the standards, it means that the last test bed needs to be used for testing again, and the amount of work to build a nuclear engine test bed in the northwest is obviously not small.

"Don't worry, I'm still counting on you to change Project 909."

Serev smiled with his face hidden under the gauze scarf. Xinyuanke planned to promote NPAE to the military as well, and the last thing he wanted was any oversight.

During Project 909, the military ordered five H2N space shuttles at once, but the enthusiasm quickly faded after the emergence of the aerospace plane. In fact, the money for the purchase of four aerospace planes basically came from the remaining four H2Ns.

However, they only asked the remaining four to "slow down." After all, the aerospace plane's load capacity is far inferior to that of the space shuttle, and they are still in the wait-and-see stage.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year a week ago, the "Liuyun" aerospace aircraft was officially delivered to the military and flew to Qiongzhou to start executing the flight plan with "Tengyun".

In accordance with the base’s previous sales plan, Serev took advantage of the NPAE test run to begin marketing the NPAE powered version of the aerospace aircraft.

After the nuclear power transformation, the load capacity quickly increased to 65 tons. It is extremely tempting. Except for cargo with special size requirements, it can simply lift all space shuttles and giant rockets below.

By then, an aerospace plane can easily take two to three hundred people into space, and the cost of laying various military satellites will also be reduced rapidly. In addition, it can carry laser weapons, and it will be the perfect prototype of the future space force.

According to the latest theory of the military on space stations, the development of the space force needs to go through several stages of development from near earth to the moon, then to the asteroid belt, and finally to deep space.

The first priority is of course near-Earth space, and then based on A100, military presence in the asteroid belt can be basically realized. This has become the basic consensus of relevant researchers.

The prospect of nuclear-powered aerospace aircraft is so wonderful that the military is even willing to bear the huge risks of nuclear contamination and the pressure of public opinion for it.

But the premise of everything is that NPAE really lives up to its claims. The radiation value is so low that it will have no impact even if it is directly discharged into the atmosphere. A more specific indicator is that it has the ability to take off and land at a conventional airport, and the operators do not need special protective facilities.

Previously, through the space agency channel base, large-scale equipment of NPAE intra-atmospheric aircraft was tested, but the results were ambiguous or potential resistance. Now we hope to use the power of the military to overcome the obstacles.

Dou Ping rather believed in Serev. After all, Xinyuan's technical strength had always been online and had almost never fallen behind.

The Snow Falcon project he was previously responsible for has already built its third prototype, and after it passes the test flight, it will be a mass-produced aircraft.

The Air Force is quite satisfied with the performance of the Snow Falcons and plans to place one squadron each in the northeast and southeast, maintain two squadrons in the west, and station a squadron at the Jbuti peacekeeping base with 20 aircraft in combat order. A total of 36 aircraft and 9 squadrons will be purchased. The remaining The lower ones are used for training and mobile garrisoning.

The first squadron will be delivered to the southeast first, and then begin to perform a cruise mission around the entire Pacific Ocean. By then, the huge noise of hypersonic shock waves will be heard around the world every day.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel better, and said again:

"Then let me tell you the bottom line. As long as NPAE's pollutant standards stay within the prescribed limits, the Air Force will be 70% sure of advancing nuclear power transformation.

Don't think that we are too cautious. After all, we may face accusations and pressure from the whole world, including our own country. No matter how cautious you are, the military must face more obstacles than you think. "

But only the military has the ability to resolve these obstacles.

Serev thought in his mind that the two of them had already walked to the test bench. More than a dozen engineers here were doing the finishing work. After confirmation, they would all be evacuated to the safe area.

Inside the test bed building, what can be seen is a precision machine that is tightly arranged, square and small in size. From the outside, there are almost no gaps and various components are everywhere.

Serev and Dou Ping carried out various re-inspections according to the program list. After confirming that everything was correct, the engine control signal was turned on.