Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

Time: Spring of 2040.

Location: Wenchang Space Launch Center, Nantianmen Project Headquarters.

Five years have passed.

The success of the "Golden Crow" reactor has completely changed the energy landscape for humankind.

In the past five years, China has built twenty more nuclear fusion power plants with a total installed capacity of 500 gigawatts, equivalent to the power generation of 500 large thermal power plants. The fuel consumption of these power plants is equivalent to extracting less than 1,000 tons of deuterium from seawater.

Cheap and abundant electricity has driven the upgrading of industries across the country.

Electric vehicles have completely replaced gasoline-powered vehicles, and air quality in cities has reached its best level ever.

Seawater desalination plants sprang up like mushrooms after rain, and the deserts of the Northwest began to turn into oases.

High-energy particle accelerators, quantum computers, and artificial intelligence data centers—research facilities that were once limited by their high energy consumption—can now operate at full power without any worries.

Most importantly, the abundant energy provided a solid foundation for the implementation of the "South Heaven Gate Project".

Su Zheng stood on the observation deck of the Wenchang Space Launch Center, looking up at the giant building that was two thousand meters tall in the distance.

That was the "Luan Bird"—the flagship of Project Nantianmen, the first true space carrier in human history.

Unlike traditional rockets, the "Luan Bird" employs a revolutionary nuclear fusion pulse propulsion system. Instead of carrying large amounts of chemical fuel, it directly converts deuterium extracted from seawater into propulsion power through an onboard small nuclear fusion reactor.

This colossal vessel, five kilometers long and two kilometers wide, possesses a complete ecological cycle system and can accommodate 10,000 crew members for long-term stays in space. Its interior is divided into twelve levels, including residential areas, research areas, industrial manufacturing areas, agricultural planting areas, and even a small park.

Even more impressive is that the hangar of the "Luan Bird" houses thirty-six "Cloud Sky" class shuttles, capable of freely traveling between Earth and space. Each shuttle is equipped with an anti-gravity engine, enabling it to take off and land vertically within the atmosphere, completely overturning the design concept of traditional spacecraft.

"Old Su."

A young voice interrupted Su Zheng's thoughts.

He turned around and saw a young officer in a blue spacesuit walking towards him. This man was Lin Hao, the captain of the "Luan Bird" and an ace pilot of the Chinese Aerospace Force. He had already been promoted to major general at the young age of thirty-five.

"Captain Lin," Su Zheng nodded with a smile, "how are the preparations going?"

"Everything is ready." Lin Hao's voice was full of confidence. "All systems have passed ground testing, and the nuclear fusion reactor has been preheated to standby mode. At your command, 'Luan Niao' can take off at any time."

"Very good." Su Zheng patted him on the shoulder. "But I must remind you, the significance of this mission is extraordinary. 'Luan Bird' is not just a spaceship; it represents a leap forward in human civilization. You bear the mission of exploring the stars for all of humanity."

Lin Hao stood at attention, deeply respectful, and saluted: "Please rest assured, Elder Su, we will certainly not fail in our mission!"

Su Zheng nodded and turned to walk towards the command center.

At this moment, the huge command hall was already packed with people.

In addition to the space agency's technical personnel, there were also leaders from the State Council, the Central Military Commission, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as a delegation from the International Astronautical Federation who were invited to attend the ceremony.

All eyes were focused on the giant screen in front of them. The screen displayed the "Luan Bird's" status parameters in real time, as well as high-definition images taken from various angles inside the ship.

Su Zheng walked to the podium and picked up the microphone.

"Distinguished leaders, honored guests, comrades," his voice was deep and powerful, "today, we are about to witness one of the greatest moments in human history."

"For five thousand years, the Chinese nation has created a splendid civilization, but our ancestors were always bound to this blue planet. We looked up at the stars, dreaming of flying, but we suffered from a lack of sufficient technology."

"Until today."

"Thanks to breakthroughs in nuclear fusion technology and the efforts of generations of aerospace engineers, we have finally built the 'Luan Bird'—an interstellar spacecraft capable of changing the fate of humanity."

"From this day forward, Earth will no longer be humanity's only home. The Moon, Mars, Jupiter's moons, and even more distant galaxies will become our targets."

"The ultimate goal of the Southern Heavenly Gate Project is to establish a complete industrial system within the solar system, enabling humanity to become a true interstellar civilization. The maiden voyage of the 'Luan Bird' is the first step in this grand plan."

Su Zheng paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"I know there are many dissenting voices outside. Some say we're aiming too high, others say we're wasting resources. But I want to tell these people: a nation that only focuses on its own small plot of land will never become great."

"Back then, when we were extremely poor, we built the atomic bomb, and people said we were crazy; when we launched a satellite under blockade, people said we were delusional; when we built a space station under technologically backward conditions, people said we were overestimating our abilities."

"But what was the result? We not only did it, we did it better than anyone else!"

"Today, we must once again prove to the world that the Chinese nation is a nation that never gives up and never stops moving forward!"

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall.

Su Zheng took a deep breath and turned to the communications station: "Connect to the bridge of the 'Luan Bird'."

"The bridge is now connected," the technician replied.

Lin Hao's face appeared on the screen. He was sitting in the captain's seat, with rows of busy operators behind him.

"Captain Lin, on behalf of the Nantianmen Project Command, I hereby order: 'Luan Niao' space carrier, prepare for takeoff!"

"'Luan Bird' received!" Lin Hao stood up and saluted. "All ships, initiate takeoff procedures!"

With the command issued, the "Luan Bird" began to operate internally.

As the nuclear fusion reactor's power gradually increased, the enormous energy generated was transmitted to anti-gravity generators distributed throughout the ship. These generators created an upward thrust by distorting the surrounding spacetime structure, counteracting the binding force of Earth's gravity.

This marks the first time that anti-gravity technology has been successfully implemented in engineering.

The theoretical basis of this technology comes from a manuscript that Su Zheng obtained from a Soviet theoretical physicist thirty years ago. The author of that manuscript was the legendary genius scientist Sakharov, who proposed a mathematical model of spacetime distortion in his later years, but it was not taken seriously because it was too advanced for his time.

Su Zheng, with his keen eye for talent, brought the manuscript back to China and organized the country's top theoretical physicists to conduct research. After thirty years of effort, they finally turned the theory into reality and built the world's first anti-gravity engine.

"Anti-gravity engine activated, power 10%...20%...50%..."

"The ship's attitude is stable, and lift is normal."

"All systems are functioning normally; prepare to lift off the ground."

In the command center, everyone held their breath.

Through the monitoring cameras at the launch site, they saw the massive "Luan Bird" ship slowly lifting off the ground.

There was no roar like a rocket, no exhaust plume, and not even any smoke or dust.

The colossal spaceship, weighing five million tons, floated up as lightly as a feather.

"Oh my god..."

Some people couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

The scene was so shocking that many people were unable to comprehend what was happening for a moment.

In human understanding, sending such a massive object into space would require an astronomical amount of fuel and produce a deafening roar. But now, the "Luan Bird" has taken flight silently, seemingly defying the fundamental laws of physics.

But the facts are right in front of us.

Breakthroughs in antigravity technology have completely rewritten the rules of the game in aerospace engineering.

"Altitude one thousand meters... two thousand meters... five thousand meters..."

"Speed ​​remains stable, hull structure intact."

"Continue climbing, target altitude: 36,000 kilometers, geostationary orbit!"

Lin Hao's voice was transmitted throughout the command center via the communication system.

At this very moment, billions of people around the world are watching this historic moment via live stream.

At the space center in Houston, NASA officials looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Russia, the once proud aerospace engineers remain silent, knowing that an era has ended.

In a conference room at the European Space Agency, someone proposed to immediately initiate cooperation negotiations with China, otherwise Europe would be completely eliminated from the space race.

Meanwhile, in the developing world of China, countless young people watched the giant ship slowly rise into the sky on the screen, their eyes blazing with hope. They knew that this was not only a victory for China, but a victory for all humanity.

"At an altitude of 20,000 kilometers."

"The 'Luan Bird' is about to cross the Van Allen radiation belts. Please take precautions."

"Received. Activate electromagnetic shield."

It's another cutting-edge technology.

The Van Allen radiation belts are a layer of high-energy particles surrounding the Earth, posing a significant threat to spacecraft and astronauts. Traditional spacecraft can only mitigate this radiation by adding thicker shielding layers, but this greatly increases their weight.

The electromagnetic shield technology used by the "Luan Bird" can deflect high-energy particles by generating a powerful magnetic field, just like the Earth's magnetic field protects life on the surface.

The inspiration for this technology also came from a serendipitous encounter Su Zheng had when he was young.

It was in 1995 when he met an Indian physicist at an international academic conference. The elderly man, after a few drinks, revealed that he had participated in a top-secret project researching how to use magnetic fields to shield cosmic rays. Although the project was ultimately canceled due to insufficient funding, the old man still possessed some experimental data.

Su Zheng offered a price that the other party couldn't refuse and bought the data.

These data ultimately formed the basis of the "Luan Bird" electromagnetic shield system.

"Successfully traversed the radiation belt; ship intact."

"At an altitude of 30,000 kilometers."

"Preparing to enter geosynchronous orbit."

At this moment, looking up at the sky from the ground, the "Luan bird" could no longer be seen at all.

However, through satellite relay and shipborne cameras, the large screen in the command center still clearly displayed real-time footage of the "Luan Bird".

It was a magnificent sight unlike anything ever seen before.

The azure Earth hangs against the black backdrop of space, like a sparkling gem. White clouds drift above the continents and oceans, outlining dreamlike patterns.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the earth, a golden dawn is slowly rising.

"It's so beautiful..."

Someone sighed softly.

Yes, it's so beautiful.

This is humanity's home, the cradle that has nurtured countless lives and given birth to brilliant civilizations.

Now, humanity finally has the ability to leave this cradle and explore the wider universe.

"The 'Luan Bird' has entered geosynchronous orbit and is in a stable position," Lin Hao's voice rang out again. "Nantianmen-1 space station is ready for docking. Requesting instructions."

"Dockwork permitted." Su Zheng issued the order.

Nantianmen-1 Space Station is a super-large space facility built two years before the launch of the "Luan Niao" spacecraft. Its main structure is circular with a diameter of five kilometers. It uses rotation to generate artificial gravity and can accommodate five thousand people for long-term residence.

This space station is not only a research base, but also a manufacturing center for the space industry. Three "Luan Niao" class space carriers, as well as dozens of small shuttles and cargo ships are under construction in its dock.

According to the Nantianmen Project, within the next ten years, China will build a complete space city cluster in Earth orbit, including ten space stations, one hundred large spacecraft, and one thousand permanent space personnel.

And this is only the first step.

After that, they also plan to establish a permanent base on the moon and extract helium-3 from the lunar soil as nuclear fusion fuel;

To deploy automated factories on Mars to produce components needed for various space facilities;

Mining stations need to be established in the asteroid belt to extract rare metals and ores;

They even plan to establish research outposts on Jupiter's moons to prepare for exploring deeper space.

This is a mega-project spanning half a century, requiring the mobilization of the entire nation and even all of humanity.

But Su Zheng believes that with enough determination and perseverance, nothing is impossible.

After all, they have already gone from having nothing to becoming number one in the world. Going forward is simply a continuation of this perseverance.

"Dockwork complete."

"The 'Luan Bird' has successfully docked with the Nantianmen-1 space station."

"The first batch of 300 researchers and engineers began their relocation."

The screen displays images of the interior of the space station.

Staff members in spacesuits orderly passed through the docking tunnel and entered the "Luan Bird" spacecraft. Their faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, for they knew they were about to become the first interstellar colonists in human history.

The first mission of the "Luan Bird" is to go to the far side of the moon and establish a large scientific research base there.

Because the far side of the moon is always facing away from Earth and is unaffected by Earth's radio signals, it is an ideal location for astronomical observation and deep-space communications. Furthermore, the latest data shows that the south polar region on the far side of the moon contains large amounts of water ice, which could provide a water source for a base and produce rocket fuel.

The mission is expected to take three months and will transport 1,000 tons of building materials and equipment, as well as an advance team of 50 scientists and engineers.

If all goes well, the base on the far side of the moon will be completed within a year, becoming the first permanent human settlement on an extraterrestrial body.

"All personnel have been transferred."

"The 'Luan Bird' is preparing to detach from the space station and head to the moon."

"Have a safe journey." Su Zheng's voice reached everyone's ears through the communication system. "Remember, you represent not only China, but all of humanity. Go forth, to explore our own vast universe!"

"clear!"

Lin Hao and his crew answered in unison.

The next moment, the "Luan Bird" slowly detached from the space station, adjusted its posture, and flew towards the moon.

The command center erupted in enthusiastic applause once again.

Su Zheng turned and walked out of the hall to the outdoor platform.

It was already evening, and the sunset on the horizon was ablaze with color.

He looked up at the faintly visible moon in the sky and murmured to himself, "Xinyi, look, our children are flying higher."

The system's voice sounded in his mind again.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the first phase of the Southern Heavenly Gate Project.]

[Awards: Deep space navigation technology, dark matter detector design, and a theoretical framework for planetary terraforming.]

[New mission issued: To lead human civilization out of the solar system within one's lifetime.]

Su Zheng smiled.

Stepping out of the solar system?

This task is quite interesting.

Although he is over 100 years old, thanks to the life extension technology provided by the system, he can live for at least another 50 years.

Fifty years is enough time for him to fulfill his final grand ambition.

Night falls, and the stars shine brightly.

Meanwhile, in the distant reaches of space, the "Luan Niao" space carrier, carrying humanity's dreams, is heading towards the moon.

This is a small step for human civilization.

But it is also a great step forward for the Chinese nation.

From the intrigues and power struggles within the traditional courtyard houses to the grand journey to the stars and the sea, Su Zheng exemplified the meaning of "master craftsman of a great nation" throughout his life.

He not only changed his own destiny, but also the destiny of a country, a nation, and even all of humanity.

And all of this is far from over.