A big country of aerospace with black technology

“What’s it like working in Gaul?”

During the video chat, which is still relatively rare these days, Zhang Xingyang asked with a slightly teasing smile.

"Apart from the fact that the work progress is slow and the efficiency is low, there is no other feeling."

Zhou Xuan, on the other end of the video thousands of miles away, smiled and said:

"However, Gallic cuisine is pretty good in the league."

Compared with the fish and chips that have remained unchanged for thousands of years, the Gallic meal is indeed rich and colorful.

"Before I came, I thought there was nothing to eat, so I brought a lot of instant noodles from China." Zhou Xuan said with a smile:

"It's not of any use."

Bringing instant noodles and pickled mustard abroad was actually a relatively common thing in the past ten years or so.

Some are due to lowering expenses, while others are because they are really not used to eating foreign food.

Zhou Xuan and the others have joined the Gallic Space Agency, so they are responsible for food and don't have to spend any money themselves.

Naturally, it was of no use.

"Let's get down to business, how is the development progress of the Mars rover now?"

After the two chatted for a while, Zhang Xingyang asked.

Within the Joint Mars Exploration Program, Gaul is responsible for the development of landers and rovers.

Zhang Xingyang and others are responsible for the research and development of launch vehicles and Mars orbiters.

"The research and development of the lander is relatively smooth. A large part of it has been completed and has entered the physical development stage."

When it comes to work content, Zhou Xuan also starts to take it seriously.

"However, the development work of the Mars rover has not been so smooth. It is still in the theoretical research stage."

"It's been more than three years since the joint Mars exploration plan was signed, and the drawings of the Mars rover haven't been completed yet?"

Zhang Xingyang asked somewhat incomprehensibly.

The technology of the Mars rover should not be difficult for Gauls with certain experience.

How come the research and development has not been completed until now?

Even the drawings were not completed!

You should know that China has no experience in designing deep space planet orbiters, and it has now entered the physical development stage.

"They're just so inefficient."

Zhou Xuan, at the other end of the video, couldn't help but complain:

“Originally, the demonstration of the walking mechanism could be completed within a week.”

"However, I watched them argue for nearly two months!"

"Many issues have been brought up again and again."

After saying this, Zhou Xuan frowned and said with some uncertainty:

"I even wonder if they want to leave us alone."

This question was somewhat beyond Zhang Xingyang's expectations.

Zhang Xingyang can actually understand the progress issue just mentioned.

Because the research and development funds for the Mars rover were entirely funded by Gaul himself.

And now, the aerospace project they attach most importance to is the construction of the International Space Station.

In particular, their Minister of Science and Technology Enel, as a female astronaut who has entered the space station several times, is even more attentive to the construction of the space station.

The research and development funds allocated to the Mars rover are naturally much less.

Without money, progress will naturally slow down.

Scientific research work attaches great importance to research and development funds, especially in this non-theoretical research field.

If you want to see output, you have to spend as much money as you can.

"Why do you feel this way?"

Zhang Xingyang still doesn't believe that Gaul wants to give up the joint exploration plan.

In any case, Gaul has also invested a lot of money, manpower, and material resources in the Mars exploration plan.

It's not like I suddenly gave up at this time.

"Starting a month ago, colleagues have been leaving the project team one after another."

Zhou Xuan's face was still a little ugly and she said:

"Last week, there was a large number of resignations."

"Now, the number of people working in the project team has less than 60% of the original number!"

Such a high turnover rate made Zhang Xingyang feel something was wrong.

Nearly half of them left!

Needless to say, everyone knows that the development work of the project team has definitely stalled!

"The personnel situation is so bad, can you still continue the development work?" Zhang Xingyang asked.

Zhou Xuan replied: "Except for some unimportant projects, the project team is still working on most of them."

"Our overseas staff are relatively dedicated to their duties. Even under such circumstances, they still work hard."

"However, with so many people missing, no matter how hard our people work, they can't change the status quo where the progress is close to tentative."

"Where's Paul Sutter from the Joint Mars Exploration Program?"

Zhang Xingyang mentioned a person's name at this time and said:

"Didn't you talk to him?"

Paul Sartre was the person in charge of Gaul when we first discussed this cooperation plan.

"I have looked for him several times, but I have never been able to see him." Zhou Xuan said with some embarrassment.

"Perhaps you still need to come forward to stop him from escaping."

"I will have a good chat with him at the annual Mars Exploration Program meeting next month."

Zhang Xingyang agreed to the matter simply.

However, the strange behavior of Gaul also gave Zhang Xingyang a wake-up call.

In terms of the Mars exploration plan, it seems that it is unreliable to rely on the Gauls.

After thinking for a few seconds, Zhang Xingyang raised his head and said seriously to Zhou Xuan:

"In Gaul, we still need to learn as much theoretical knowledge as possible about Mars rover development."

"Maybe after this, we need to do the research and development of the Mars rover ourselves."

Zhang Xingyang's judgment may not be correct. Maybe Gaul is just temporarily adjusting its personnel.

However, it is undeniable that this possibility exists.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, it is still very likely to happen.

Although Zhou Xuan was a little surprised when she heard it, she didn't have a big reaction.

Obviously, he also thought about this possibility.

As the old saying in the Dragon Kingdom goes, if you rely on mountains and mountains, you must rely on water to flow, but people still have to rely on themselves.

"I will." Zhou Xuan nodded and said:

"We can see most of their drawings and theories now."

"Only a small number of designs are beyond our authority."

This part is actually the power system of the Mars rover.

As one of the five permanent members, Gaul can legally develop nuclear energy.

There is also a lot of research on isotope radioactive thermal batteries.

They are planning to use this technology on this Mars rover.

Isotope radiothermal cells have significant advantages over solar panels.

That is, not afraid of violent sandstorms on Mars.

Sandstorms on Mars are many times larger than those on Earth because Mars has low gravity and no magnetic field!

If the Mars rover is covered by a sandstorm, it will use solar panels.

Then it must enter a dormant state, otherwise the power system will not have enough power to drive.

Only in the coming summer will the rover begin to wake up.

However, there is a high probability that the awakening will fail.

Because when dust storms permeate Mars, the solar panels on the Mars rover will be covered with a lot of dust.

If the rover cannot shake off the dust on its body, what awaits it will be an endless sleep.

In comparison, isotope batteries generate electricity through the temperature difference of radioactive heat sources and do not have such disadvantages.

It can withstand very large dust storms on Mars.

However, radioactive batteries may cause unexpected nuclear contamination.

It can only be said that there are advantages and disadvantages between the two.

"We can actually solve the power part ourselves."

Zhang Xingyang revealed a little bit of the news to Zhou Xuan.

Just last week, the domestically produced lunar rover completed its research and development work and entered the simulation experimental base in the Gobi to begin field testing.

In this lunar rover, although it uses a more conservative solar electric drive.

But thanks to high-efficiency flexible solar panels, the power output of the lunar rover is actually relatively powerful.

The lunar rover can climb steep slopes up to 20 degrees.

This ensures that the lunar rover can climb over some small craters when it cannot circumvent them.

——

"Mr. Sartre, we have some questions about the progress of the Mars joint exploration plan. I wonder if you can answer them."

At the annual meeting, many issues of Mars exploration are discussed.

Zhang Xingyang asked the Gaul side very politely:

"I wonder why you withdrew most of the scientific researchers from the Mars Joint Exploration Plan rover project team without any major changes?"

"We believe that this has caused serious interference to the development progress of the patrol device."

Paul Sartre said with an apologetic look:

"Zhang, this is not my decision."

"It's the decision of our Ministry of Science and Technology."

"They believe that our most important task at the moment is the construction of the space station."

"Most of the personnel have been asked to leave by the space station project team."

As time enters 2004, the International Space Station has also entered a more rapid construction stage.

Because according to the original plan, the construction of the space station should be completed before 2008.

"Can I take your statement to mean that you are preparing to withdraw from the Mars joint development plan?"

Zhang Xingyang said to Paul Sartre with a cold face.

Dragon Kingdom has invested its efforts in the Mars joint development plan.

Whether it is the modification of the rocket or the development of Mars orbiting satellites, a lot of energy has been spent.

And in terms of funds, although everyone basically spends their own money, Longguo invests more.

Nearly 100 million yuan has been invested!

At this time, Gaul suddenly wanted to withdraw from the project.

For Zhang Xingyang and the others, it was undoubtedly a severe backstab.

Because Gaul itself is responsible for the more difficult development of lander and rover.

If you want your previous investment not to go to waste, then you can only grit your teeth and continue to develop landers and Mars rovers yourself.

However, this requires greater investment.

Greater investment means greater risk.

Because Long Guohai does not have any actual experience with deep space landers and rovers.

The possibility of failure is also very high.

"Personally, I don't want to withdraw from the joint Mars exploration program."

Paul Sartre said somewhat helplessly:

"But I can't guarantee that other people think the same way I do."

"Exploring Mars is my lifelong dream, and I will not give up easily."

Everyone on Zhang Xingyang’s side also understood at this time.

The Gaul side really wants to withdraw from the joint Mars exploration plan.

Although it is relatively common for international cooperation to suddenly break contracts, there are many precedents in various fields for various reasons.

However, Gaul's sudden move still made everyone very angry.

Because at this time, the relationship between the two parties in the aerospace field was still very close.

So even in front of the Gauls, someone whispered in Chinese in the conference room:

"treachery!"

Fortunately, the other party didn't understand, otherwise the relationship between the two parties might have dropped to a freezing point.

"We welcome any scientists who want to participate in the Mars exploration program."

After the meeting, Zhang Xingyang directly extended an olive branch to Paul Sutter.

"I wonder if you are interested in participating in this cause."

Zhang Xingyang had seen at the previous meeting that Paul Sutter himself was very sorry for the breakdown of the cooperation.

"Of course I am very interested!" Paul Sartre's eyes lit up and he said holding Zhang Xingyang's hand.

"Are you going to continue with the Mars exploration program?"

"certainly!"

Zhang Xingyang smiled the whole time and said:

"We will do what you don't want to do!"

"Even without you, we can still accomplish our goal of landing on Mars!"

Zhang Xingyang's words were slightly thorny.

But Paul Sartre doesn't really care. He is a relatively pure scientist.

He just wants to fulfill his dream and explore Mars!

"As long as you continue the Mars exploration project, then I am willing to participate in it!"

The once-hot Mars joint exploration project, which lasted four years, has just come to an end.

But for Zhang Xingyang and others.

This end means more that the people of the Dragon Kingdom will independently launch the Mars exploration project!

They will rely on their own efforts to complete the research and development of launch vehicles, orbiters, landers, and rovers.

Then, a few years later in the Martian year, launch all of this stuff to Mars.

Since thousands of years ago, the planet known as "Yinghuo" and regarded as a disaster star will also reveal its mysterious veil to the people of the Dragon Kingdom.

After the joint project ended, Zhou Xuan recruited many scientists from Gaul who were interested in the Mars exploration plan.

And brought many people to the country.

These people will embark on human exploration of Mars in this foreign country.

Among them, the most valuable to Zhang Xingyang and others is Paul Sutter.

As the former leader of the Mars Express project, he has a full understanding of the research and development of the Mars rover.

This will undoubtedly fully accelerate the progress of Longguo's self-developed Mars rover.

Of course, Zhou Xuan also has arrangements for scientific researchers who are unwilling to leave their hometown and go to a foreign country.

He opened a company in Gaul, which was actually a scientific research unit.

Used to conduct some auxiliary research.

In this way, the research capabilities of these researchers are not wasted.