Cataclysmic Era: I can unlock the tech tree

On the test bench inside the research institute, a ring-shaped engine, entirely black, exudes a mysterious aura.

These are the results of everyone's research over the past ten days!

Improved Hall thruster.

A more accurate term would be Hall thruster!

Next to it is a small cylindrical nuclear fusion device!

At this point, the small nuclear fusion device, having been equipped with various facilities, was a full size larger than before.

Even so, it remains the slimmest of all large generators.

The nozzle of the Hall thruster was facing a concrete wall made of special materials!

The function of this wall is very simple.

Block the jet wake of the Hall thruster unit!

The Hall thruster uses a high-temperature helium ion stream generated by nuclear fusion as its working fluid.

Therefore, the jet wake temperature of the Hall thruster is extremely high!

It can even reach hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius!

"Professor Lü, all checks are complete, and the Hall thruster unit is ready for trial operation!"

Upon hearing the report from beside him, Lü Yongchang's expression became more serious.

He nodded solemnly: "Ready to begin trial operation!"

"yes!"

At Lü Yongchang's command, the eyes of all the researchers in the institute immediately became excited!

This is not the first Hall thruster in human history.

But this is absolutely the first Hall thruster in human history to achieve a thrust level of kN!

As the small fusion reactor slowly started up, a deep humming sound followed.

"The small fusion reactor is functioning normally!"

"Power output is normal!"

"Prepare to activate the Hall thruster!"

Academician Cao Liangcai, who was standing to the side, swallowed slightly and pressed the button on the control panel in front of him with his right hand trembling slightly.

The next moment, a stream of blue plasma appeared at the nozzle of the Hall thruster!

As the operating power of the Hall thruster unit continued to increase, the light of the plasma flow gradually became stronger!

The thrust data displayed on the screen in front of everyone gradually increased!

1KN!

10KN!

50KN!

100KN!

The thrust data gradually stabilized.

Cao Liangcai stared blankly at the thrust figures in front of him, and the next moment, a look of excitement flashed in his eyes!

"We did it! We did it!"

"100 kN! 10 tons of thrust! That's 10 tons of thrust!"

Cao Liangcai's lips trembled slightly, his eyes fixed on the faint blue light before him.

nice!

So beautiful!

This faint blue flame symbolizes that human space technology has entered a new era!

Chemical fuels have become a thing of the past!

After a brief moment of joy, Lü Yongchang was the first to calm down.

"Alright, let's stop the Hall thruster unit for now!"

"Stop? Why stop?" Cao Liangcai frowned subconsciously. "Let's strike while the iron is hot and thoroughly test all the data of the Hall thruster unit!"

Lu Yongchang shook his head with a wry smile: "Academician Cao, before you do that, why don't you take a look at that concrete wall?"

Cao Liangcai paused for a moment, then turned to look at the concrete wall in the distance.

A deep crater had been burned into the very center of the one-meter-thick concrete wall!

Just as the wall was about to be burned through, he realized what was happening and frantically pressed the stop button!

Faced with Lü Yongchang's mocking gaze, Cao Liangcai blushed deeply. He retorted angrily, "Damn it, who's in charge of this wall?!"

"What kind of lousy materials did they use! It couldn't even last a few minutes!"

"Did the employers cut corners?"

"...Director Cao, yes, it was me who was in charge." A researcher stepped forward with a wry smile. "The materials used were approved by you, and they were already the best quality batch."

Cao Liangcai: "..."

……

An hour after the trial run ended, Hong Qiming finally arrived at the Aerospace Research Institute from Beijing.

Originally, Councilor Li was prepared to come in person, but due to some trivial matters, the task ultimately fell to Hung Kai-ming.

"Minister Hong? What brings you here?"

Upon seeing Hong Qiming, Lü Yongchang's eyes widened in surprise: "Didn't you just return to Beijing this morning?"

Hong Qiming glanced at Lü Yongchang with a resentful look: "What do you think?"

"I, the Minister of Science and Technology, am practically your errand boy now!"

Upon closer reflection, it seems to make sense.

Since Lu Yongchang appeared, he, as the Minister of Science and Technology, has gradually become a mouthpiece between the Speaker of the Legislative Council and Lu Yongchang!

Knowing he was in the wrong, Lü Yongchang chuckled awkwardly and didn't reply.

Hong Qiming didn't continue the topic. He straightened his expression and said, "What do you mean? Is the experiment about to begin?"

Lü Yongchang: "..."

Hong Qiming: "???"

What is that?

ended?

Then he came for nothing!

Hong Qiming had a look on his face as if he had eaten shit.

"Ahem...but I can tell you the result."

Seeing Hong Qiming's gradually changing expression, Lü Yongchang quickly said, "The trial run was a complete success! The thrust of a single Hall thruster unit is 100 kN!"

Hong Qiming paused slightly, then muttered to himself.

"100 kN... Um, 1 kilogram is approximately equal to 9.8 Newtons..."

Lü Yongchang: "...about 10 tons of thrust."

"10 tons? That's so little?" Hong Qiming's brows furrowed instantly.

"I remember the Boeing 747's CF6 engine has a maximum takeoff thrust of around 105 tons, right?"

"Is 10 tons of thrust a bit too little for a spaceplane?"

Lü Yongchang chuckled softly.

"Minister Hong, you still haven't understood what I'm saying."

"The thrust of a single Hall thruster is 10 tons."

"I never said that a spaceplane can only carry one Hall thruster!"

Hong Qiming's pupils suddenly contracted!

He swallowed hard, then hesitated before saying, "You mean... we can install a large number of Hall thrusters on a spaceplane?"

Lü Yongchang nodded slightly, then quickly shook his head.

"Hmm?" A hint of doubt flashed in Hong Qiming's eyes. "Yongchang, what does it mean that you're nodding and shaking your head like that?"

Lu Yongchang pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "That's right. Although theoretically Hall thruster units can be installed without limit, the actual situation is not like that."

"We need to take into account the size and purpose of the spaceplane to calculate a reasonable thrust."

Hong Qiming nodded as if he understood, then waved his hand and said, "Hey! Why are you telling me all this technical stuff?"

"Just tell me one thing: how many Hall thrusters do you plan to install on the first spaceplane? I need to report this to the Speaker of Congress."

Lü Yongchang chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Ten!"