Free Web NovelChapter 1363: Chapter 651 Time and Space
"Z-wave Detection Technology" is a technology used to explore whether space travel routes are safe. The purpose of the research is to detect whether there are massive obstacles along the route.
This technology can only be used for space exploration because, in a complex environment such as the surface of Earth with air, mountains, and flowing water, instant detection is meaningless.
Additionally, if the exploration isn’t measured in light-years, there’s also no need for such high-end technology.
For instance, within the solar system, the area covered by the eight major stars contains only the asteroid belt, which has been thoroughly observed. Larger celestial bodies have already been discovered, so one can directly determine whether a route is safe based on recorded data.
Therefore, Z-wave detection technology can only be used for extraterrestrial exploration beyond the solar system.
When used for extraterrestrial exploration, the research is related to the spaceship project.
Zhao Yi also submitted the application under the guise of spaceship project-related technologies.
In reality, the current spaceship project team is under tremendous pressure, which differs from what was initially anticipated.
The pressure isn’t due to funding or the complexity of the project, but because the team has realized that their manufacturing speed can’t keep up with the advancement of new technologies.
At first, the feasibility study for spaceship manufacturing merely involved combining various cutting-edge technologies, including space shuttle technology, anti-gravity technology, and controlled nuclear fusion technology.
These critical technologies, combined, could be used to manufacture spaceships capable of space travel.
The original spaceship manufacturing feasibility study was just about construction, considering the vessels to travel within the solar system, exploring the eight planets from Earth, not truly venturing beyond the solar system.
The first spaceship held tremendous strategic significance by merely orbiting Earth because its continuous operation could be seen as a deterrent in space, holding considerable strategic value.
Furthermore, the first spaceship also had significant scientific research importance and would accumulate a wealth of manufacturing experience, paving the way for the construction of subsequent spaceships.
However, the situation had changed even while the spaceship was still in the feasibility stage.
The coverage of Z-wave satellites had already achieved strategic objectives, eliminating the need for spaceships.
In terms of scientific research, especially when it comes to exploring the inner solar system, Yixing Technology had placed a lot of pressure on the spaceship project team.
Originally, the inner solar system exploration was the responsibility of the spaceship project team. Once manufactured, the spaceship could travel to the eight planets.
But now, that seemed unnecessary.
Yixing launched high-power Z-wave satellites, directly establishing a space route from Earth to Mars, enabling ordinary anti-gravity space shuttles to shuttle directly to Mars.
This was just the beginning.
Zhou Hong, the chief person in charge of the spaceship project team, stated with confidence during an internal meeting, "Yixing will definitely continue to establish space routes. Next time, it might be direct to Pluto, Mercury, or even Ganymede. They will conduct a series of explorations of celestial bodies within the solar system."
"Ganymede is very significant because its environment might contain water."
"Mercury will become a transit station to the sun. Yixing keeps launching Energy-Gathering Satellites; they always need a regulatory transit station. Perhaps Mercury will become their base."
"Pluto will become their outpost for exploring beyond the solar system!"
Zhou Hong’s analysis made those in the meeting nod frequently. They were all internal members of the project team and national strategic personnel, eagerly anticipating the completion of the spaceship project so the vessel could extend its reach and truly explore the universe.
But what frustrated them was that the end of spaceship manufacturing was nowhere in sight, and the inner solar system was almost fully explored.
So what was the point of the spaceship then?
Of course.
The spaceship could achieve exploration beyond the solar system, but this also significantly increased the difficulty of their project.
The current situation was such that if the spaceship was manufactured but couldn’t leave the solar system, it would become an absolute useless endeavor.
Therefore, the spaceship was being pushed to travel beyond the solar system. But how difficult could it be to exit the solar system? This concept was completely different from exploring within the solar system; it required constant verification and contemplation of the technologies needed.
In exploring the inner solar system, at least the celestial bodies present are well understood.
It’s different outside the solar system. The distances alone are terrifying.
Outside the eight planets of the solar system is the Kuiper belt, located beyond Pluto, which is the origin of short-period comets. Only in recent years has the Kuiper belt come into the astronomers’ view; the area is dense with many small celestial bodies. Pluto itself is a typical Kuiper belt object at its edge. freewёbnoνel.com
Using the Kuiper belt as a benchmark, the radius of the solar system reaches 100 astronomical units (about 15 billion kilometers).
Outside the Kuiper belt lies the Oort cloud, which is largely theoretical but highly probable in existence.
The Oort cloud is where long-period comets come from, a spherical cloud enveloping the solar system, full of inactive comets, and it extends from about 50,000 to 100,000 astronomical units from the sun, with the largest radius nearing one light-year.
