A big country of aerospace with black technology

Before the Chang'e Project could return samples from the moon, only 0.5g of lunar soil could be studied in China.

This is half of the 1g of lunar soil given by Yingjiang more than 20 years ago.

Of course, it is difficult to study anything from this half gram of lunar soil.

Even researchers have tried their best to improve utilization.

After grinding it, spread it on carbon-based transparent tape, and observe it with a scanning microscope and spectrometer with a resolution of nanometers.

Only from this, the composition of part of the lunar soil was analyzed, including certain elements such as iron, tin, and copper.

This is of course not because everyone is not working hard, but because the samples are too few.

In fact, being able to analyze so much content is pretty good.

"How is our Moon Rabbit doing now?"

In the laboratory, Zhang Xingyang walked in from outside the door and asked.

"The walking mechanism has been completed, and there has been some progress."

Zhou Xuan said somewhat relaxedly:

"Within a year, the research and development work should be completed."

"Don't worry."

Chang'e-1's lunar exploration process went very smoothly, and it has completed dozens of explorations of the lunar surface area.

It is a big step forward to complete the lunar exploration work.

Zhang Xingyang no longer needs to worry too much about this part.

In comparison, the subsequent lunar rover on Chang'e-3 requires Zhang Xingyang to spend more energy and attention.

"The nuclear battery at the Isotope Institute of the Institute of Atomic Energy has made a lot of progress and may be used on the lunar rover."

Zhang Xingyang came this time and brought some exciting news to Zhou Xuan.

"Really or fake?" Zhou Xuan asked excitedly.

"Their plutonium-238 isotope battery is expected to be completed next month, which can completely catch up with your progress."

Zhang Xingyang looked at the lunar rover with only one chassis and wheels on the workbench and said.

"Is this the walking mechanism you developed?"

After talking about the isotope battery, Zhang Xingyang pointed to the wheel hub of the lunar rover and asked.

In order to reduce the weight of the lunar rover, the wheel hubs of the lunar rover are basically hollow designs.

Even with the design with several reinforced ribs, it still looks very slender.

It makes people doubt whether this can support the movement of the lunar rover on the moon.

However, Zhang Xingyang also knew that such a design would most likely have no problems.

The seemingly slender wheels can actually support a lunar rover weighing hundreds of kilograms to walk on the lunar surface.

After all, consider that gravity on the moon is actually less than one-sixth that of Earth.

The pressure exerted by the lunar rover's own weight on the wheel hub is not as great as on earth.

"This is a special wheel structure we developed specifically for the lunar rover, which enhances the cushioning capacity."

Zhou Xuan pointed to the device on the lunar rover and said.

"The gravity of the moon is low, so we have to consider the stability in the cratered areas on the lunar surface, so we made this design."

The hollow wheel surface has a lightweight metal mesh surface to increase stability.

"Actually, we are still a little worried about whether this design can adapt to the environment of the lunar surface."

After Zhou Xuan introduced their design, she said with some doubts.

After all, China has no experience of landing on the lunar surface.

All of this is currently designed by them based on theory.

Whether it can be put to use is still unknown.

Only Zhang Xingyang, who is from the future, understands that this design is not only very effective.

Moreover, it actually increases the service life of the lunar rover.

Lightweight hollow wheels are less susceptible to damage.

"It will definitely work, don't worry too much."

Zhang Xingyang patted the other party's shoulder and said:

"Besides, after your research and development is completed, it will not be launched directly to the moon."

"I also want to go to the lunar surface simulation experiment base!"

The lunar surface simulation experimental base built in the desert has been completed since the site selection work was completed last year.

Intense construction work has begun.

Thanks to the day and night hard work of the construction workers, the molten salt tower power station has entered the final commissioning stage in one year.

It will only take up to half a year to start generating electricity continuously.

Simultaneous construction work on the Mars and lunar surface simulation bases has basically entered the final stage.

The most complex construction here is the gravity simulation laboratory.

Because the moon's gravity is less than one-sixth that of the earth.

Mars is slightly better, but its gravity is only two-fifths.

The greatly reduced gravity will be a severe test for astronauts who will land on the moon and Mars in the future, as well as for various equipment.

"Is the construction of the base going to be completed so soon?" Zhou Xuan asked in disbelief, as if the day of traveling through the thousands of miles of desert last year was still before her eyes.

Although I knew that the domestic construction speed has been getting faster and faster in the past two years, I didn't expect it to be so fast.

"Before you complete the research and development of the lunar rover, you will definitely be able to complete the construction."

Zhang Xingyang started to carefully study the structure of the lunar rover and said.

"In the future, you will probably have to travel back and forth more and more days, so be prepared to sit on the plane until you vomit."

Because the base is built deep next door, if you go back and forth by car, the time spent on the road will be very long.

Therefore, the base built a simple heliport directly next to it.

The movement of personnel is generally carried out by helicopter.

Zhou Xuan felt helpless after hearing this, but there was nothing she could do.

"I heard that Chang'e-1 has completed geological analysis of several planned areas, right?"

Zhou Xuan changed the topic and no longer thought about the sad thing of traveling back and forth.

A large part of Chang'e-1's work is to map the topography of the lunar surface and conduct geological analysis of several originally set areas.

Make preliminary preparations for the subsequent lunar landing.

"Part of it has been completed so far, and only a small part remains."

At this time, Zhang Xingyang also put down the wheel in his hand and said seriously:

"Actually, I personally still hope to land in the Imbrium Basin."

Zhou Xuan is a high-level researcher in the field of deep space, especially in the field of lunar research.

Naturally, I understood what Zhang Xingyang meant.

This also starts with the geological age of the moon.

The geological age of the moon is divided into five eras, namely the Pre-Dionysian, Dionysian, Plutonian, Eratosian, and Copernican periods.

Many lunar programs in the last century basically simply carried out some lunar geological survey missions without in-depth exploration.

The formation period of the Imbrium Basin is relatively new, and it is speculated that most of the rocks should be Eratosian rocks.

This will be of great help in obtaining the most detailed on-the-ground data on the recent history of the moon.

On the other hand, there is also a word in the Imbrium that cannot be ignored when studying the history of the moon - Oceanus Procellarum Krip.

According to previous analyzer surveys of many lunar satellites, the content of many trace elements here is many orders of magnitude higher than the average composition of the moon.

This is not the difference between one and two, but the difference between one and a thousand, or even ten thousand.

This area is very important in Zhang Xingyang's eyes.

Because it involves a major event in the solar system.

Many things in the future are inseparable from this elemental anomaly area.

However, according to the current time, this matter will take at least a hundred years.

Not too anxious yet.

But this time, Yingjiang must not be the first to complete the survey.

A lot of content went through Zhang Xingyang's mind rapidly.

But in Zhou Xuan's eyes, he just blinked twice.

"This area does have great research value." Zhou Xuan said after touching her chin.

"Whether it is the study of elements on the lunar surface or the study of the history of the moon, it is of high value."

Research on the moon actually has two general directions.

One is the study of lunar elements, such as the study of various minerals on the lunar surface.

One is the exploration of the history of the moon, such as exploring the origin of the moon.

Both of these help us understand what has happened to the entire Earth-Moon system over the past billions of years.

Therefore, Zhou Xuan also agrees with Zhang Xingyang's ideas in this regard.

"By the way, can vegetables be grown on moon soil?"

While Zhang Xingyang was thinking, Zhou Xuan asked unexpectedly.

According to the custom of Chinese people, they will try to grow vegetables wherever they go.

This is true on Earth, from the arid Sahara to the polar ice-covered Antarctica, we can see Chinese people making various attempts to grow vegetables.

"Simple moon soil won't work."

At this time, Zhang Xingyang also recovered from the chaos of a hundred years later, and happened to hear Zhou Xuan's question answered smoothly.

In fact, Chinese people have made many attempts on this matter in the future.

However, in the end, various experiments showed that it was impossible to successfully plant on lunar soil alone.

A few times, young seedlings have even been planted.

However, the roughness and high energy of the lunar soil still caused the young seedlings to die soon after.

In fact, this is also related to the moon itself. The experiment selected the lunar soil on the lunar surface.

Because the moon has no atmosphere and is affected by various high-energy rays all year round, the various trace elements in this part of the lunar soil are greatly different from the earth's environment.

It is difficult for plants that have not been genetically edited to adapt.

So later on, Chinese people basically gave up on growing vegetables on moon soil.

Find another way to plant on the moon.

That is what has been studied a lot nowadays, hydroponics.

Instead of using soil, use nutrient solutions to grow various vegetables and even rice.

Zhang Xingyang remembered that such an experiment was actually conducted on the Tiangong space station not long after.

The rice in the glass petri dish successfully grew into ears after several months of growth.

“Wouldn’t it be okay if we added fertilizer?”

Zhou Xuan asked curiously:

"If there is enough fertility, it should be possible, right?"

Because there is not enough lunar soil to conduct actual research.

Zhou Xuan’s previous ideas about lunar soil could only be studied theoretically.

"Actually, we have tried this topic before. We used simulated lunar soil and volcanic ash to conduct experiments and successfully grew some mustard seedlings."

No wonder Zhou Xuan kept asking relevant questions, and Zhang Xingyang realized something.

So he patiently explained: "There are still many differences between simulated lunar soil and real lunar soil. Even if the composition is similar, the environment in which the lunar soil was born is very different from that of the earth, and they cannot be simply compared."

"Especially the lunar soil is also greatly affected by various meteorites in space, so the difference is even greater."

Because the earth has a relatively dense atmosphere, the number of meteorites that can affect the surface is smaller.

The moon can only rely on itself to host these interstellar visitors.

This also causes the soil on the lunar surface to be very complex in composition due to the influence of meteorites.

Some lunar soils are even older than the surrounding lunar rocks according to detection, and they have this impact.

"In fact, hydroponics can be used for planting on the lunar surface, which is more convenient."

Zhang Xingyang then said:

"Although we have not yet explored the water on the lunar surface, according to previous research, there is a lot of solid ice in the polar parts of the moon, which allows us to more conveniently carry out hydroponic cultivation."

Water on the moon is also a key target for everyone's exploration.

This is also an important reason why a permanent base was built at the south pole of the moon.

There are a lot of water resources here.

After a series of operations, it can be used directly, reducing the need for transportation thousands of miles from the earth.

Zhang Xingyang knew better. There was a lot of solid ice in the craters at the south pole of the moon.

Some of this ice may have existed for hundreds of millions of years, just sitting there quietly.

During the great development of the lunar surface in the second half of this century, these ancient water resources were exploited by humans hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.

Used for various purposes.

"Our follow-up plans include plans to search for water resources in the polar regions."

Zhang Xingyang smiled and said.

"At that time, maybe we will find two pieces of ice from the moon."

"Perhaps, water from the moon will become a popular drink in society in the future!"

Zhang Xingyang's words were really beyond Zhou Xuan's expectation.

After all, it is difficult for people at this time to imagine what kind of circumstances would allow everyone to afford drinking water on the moon!

It's like the nuclear soda that was developed in the 20th century when nuclides were first discovered.

As long as it is profitable, there will be no shortage of businessmen trying.

One hundred years later, the transportation between the earth and the moon has become relatively developed.

Mineral water from the moon is a fashionable product on earth.

Some advertisers even put out ads.

“We don’t produce water, we are just porters on the moon!”

Don't tell me, many humans who live on the earth all year round really like to drink this kind of water.

It is said that one can drink the vicissitudes of hundreds of millions of years of wind and frost.

Of course, for people who live in space and on moon bases all year round.

This is just a space age IQ tax! (End of chapter)