A big country of aerospace with black technology

The titanium-nickel alloy keel was quickly constructed under vacuum cold welding.

Even because of the weightless environment, the construction speed is much faster than the construction speed on the ground.

The central main shaft and the secondary shafts attached to both ends have been assembled.

From the outside, it looks like two umbrellas with their handles connected together and then the cover removed.

The alloy surface that has undergone ultra-fine grinding and polishing reflects the brilliance of stars hundreds of millions of kilometers away.

Emits silvery white glitter.

"There have been a lot of reports of meteor sightings recently."

Geng Bo said while playing with his mobile phone.

"There are quite a few that look like reflections from our star ports."

Titanium-nickel alloy is very reflective because the silvery white color has a very high refractive index.

When the reflection crosses the ground, the brightness can even reach -1.6 degrees.

More than most stars in the night sky.

Only a few planets in the inner solar system can outshine it.

For example, Venus.

"Stop scrolling on Weibo, there's a meeting coming soon."

Zhang Xingyang glanced at him and said.

The electronic technology tree in this world is developing much faster than in previous lives.

The development speed of smartphones is already equivalent to the level of the previous life from 2010 to 2012.

Various new social platforms have also entered everyone's field of vision.

Among them, the Weibo platform attracts the most users.

Geng Bo is also one of them.

Even because I am too busy at work and in an area without network.

Geng Bo is more addicted to Weibo than the average person.

The witness reports he just mentioned are the various photos and texts posted by people on Weibo under the topic of meteors.

"I know, I know."

Geng Boyi put down his phone reluctantly, and then complained to Zhang Xingyang.

"Everyone hasn't arrived yet. It should be quite early for the start."

This meeting will discuss the next construction plan of the Star Port.

The main frame of the star port has been completed.

But this is also the easiest step.

Subsequent large-size arc cabins, or various moving components.

The installation difficulty is far greater than that of spindle assembly using vacuum cold welding.

After waiting for several more minutes, the person in charge of the last relevant unit arrived at the scene.

As the world's largest space project.

The Star Port Project involves more than 30,000 different design and manufacturing units in China.

There are more than a thousand directly related units in the aerospace field.

Responsible for providing various equipment and services required by the star port.

Those participating in the meeting today are more than a hundred of the most important and core units.

"Now that everyone is here, let's start today's topic directly."

After Zhang Xingyang saw the guard closing the door of the auditorium, he didn't give everyone present time to react.

He started talking directly.

"According to the original plan, the Institute of Space Technology was responsible for the development of the cabin."

Zhang Xingyang turned his attention to the people sitting on the left side of the first row.

They are the person in charge of the research and development of the arc cabin.

"Tell me about your current work progress."

After Zhang Xingyang finished speaking, a staff member immediately handed the microphone to them in the audience.

An old gentleman with gray hair stood up and said:

"We have just solved the processing problem of large-size curved aerospace aluminum materials and are further improving the related manufacturing technology."

The radius of the star port will initially be 450 meters and will eventually increase to ten kilometers.

Such a huge size brings unimaginable difficulty to production and processing.

Especially the processing of aviation aluminum materials used as cabin outer walls.

"We are still developing processing technology for space environments."

The old gentleman talked about the many difficulties currently encountered.

"We lack a vacuum weightless laboratory on a large spatial scale, and progress in this area has been slow."

Most of the processing processes in the star port are carried out in space.

Because the oversized finished cabin section cannot be launched directly from the ground.

The rocket simply cannot carry a cabin section with an arc length of 100 meters.

Raw materials can only be transported to space and then processed in space.

Space processing, both domestic and foreign.

Before this, I had no relevant experience.

Although the previous space stations were also combinations.

But there are relatively mature individuals in each cabin.

Even each combination has its own motivation.

"I will solve the problem of the vacuum weightless laboratory for you."

Zhang Xingyang did not argue with the other party, as long as it was the equipment or laboratory needed for the research and development process.

Zhang Xingyang was directly approved.

As for how much it will cost, it is no longer a matter of consideration.

When many countries thought they were developing space weapons domestically.

The country took the opportunity to announce that we were building the largest space station in history.

All countries are welcome to participate in the peaceful development of space resources.

Although a formal cooperative construction project has not been approved yet.

However, funds from various countries are already like sharks smelling the smell of blood, frantically being transferred into the officially announced capital accounts.

And there are no accompanying requirements for these funds.

I just hope that the Dragon Kingdom will not leave them behind during the next great development of space.

The royal family from the desert oasis is even more crazy.

Ten billion dollars were invested directly and wildly.

There are no other requirements, just that it can be completed after construction is completed.

Let them go up there to play and visit.

Zhang Xingyang was stunned by their enthusiasm.

At that time, I couldn't help but complain that the big dog owners were really stupid and had too much money.

So nowadays, money is really not the reason that hinders the progress of the project.

There are at least more than 20 billion US dollars in funds lying in the special fund account.

And if all the money is spent, as long as Zhang Xingyang blows some wind, a lot of hot money will flow in.

Of course, they won't lose even if they invest so much money.

After big investors invested tens of billions, the value of their national funds soared instantly.

Not only did they not lose money, they even made a lot of money.

"What equipment is missing and how much money is missing? Just make a list."

After Zhang Xingyang finished speaking, his eyes swept across everyone in the auditorium.

"Today we not only need to determine the overall construction issues, but also solve the problems you encountered during the research and development process."

"In a word."

"If you need money, give money; if you need equipment, give equipment."

"As long as the research and development progress is guaranteed, I will take care of all your worries."

After solving the problem of the Institute of Space Technology.

Zhang Xingyang talked about the next topic.

"The second is the core energy system of the star port."

Just when everyone in the auditorium turned their attention to the people in the center of the first row.

Zhang Xingyang said directly:

"I am mainly responsible for the core energy system."

"I believe everyone had some doubts about this before this."

"Why don't our starports have huge solar panels?"

"That's because we're going nuclear!"

Behind Zhang Xingyang's back, slides were played at the right time.

That's an operational photo of an experimental thorium-based molten salt reactor.

Zhang Xingyang turned his head, looked at the smaller experimental pile and said:

"This is the fourth-generation nuclear reactor we have just successfully developed, using thorium-based molten salt as nuclear fuel."

There are actually not a few spacecrafts powered by nuclear power.

The Institute of Atomic Energy has previously developed related isotope thermal batteries.

But an entire nuclear reactor is directly used as the power source.

But it shocked everyone's jaws.

Because isotope batteries only use isotopes to generate heat and generate electricity, the power is actually very low.

It can only last for a long time, and its service life can even reach decades.

The power of a nuclear reactor can reach millions of times that of an isotope battery.

The mass of an isotope battery is only tens of kilograms, and the power is only tens to hundreds of watts.

The power of thorium-based molten salt reactors is at least in the megawatt level.

The difference between the two sides is six orders of magnitude.

"Has the thorium-based molten salt reactor been successfully developed?"

"Didn't our third-generation reactor just come into commercial use?"

"The country's confidentiality work is really good, but we haven't heard any news at all."

Everyone in the audience commented one after another.

Most of them are leaders or actual persons in charge of major scientific research units.

"Many of you here should be very familiar with the situation of thorium-based molten salt reactors."

"If there's anything unclear, please get to know each other, so I won't go into details."

Zhang Xingyang did not explain the basic knowledge of thorium-based molten salt reactors.

Instead, he directly talked about the current research and development progress.

"We have completed the construction of the experimental reactor. Currently, the experimental reactor has conducted a total of five trial runs, all of which have been successful."

"The current maximum operating time is 168 hours."

"As we sit here, the sixth trial is still underway."

"This trial run will last for at least a year."

"In addition, preliminary development work has been completed for ship-type molten salt reactors."

"The first one will be used on a 240,000-ton ultra-large container ship manufactured by Jiangnan Shipyard."

"Used in conjunction with the thorium-based molten salt reactor, our latest developed supercritical carbon dioxide generator will be used."

"Everyone is well aware of the nature of the molten salt reactor, so even if nuclear power is used, its safety can be guaranteed."

It has experienced the blow of the successful development of fourth-generation reactors.

For marine-type molten salt reactors, the success of supercritical carbon dioxide generators.

But no one had much reaction.

Everyone feels numb now.

Even Zhang Xingyang suddenly announced that he had successfully developed nuclear fusion technology.

Everyone here probably wouldn't be too shocked.

"However, for safety reasons during the construction of the star port, the reactor will have to undergo detailed testing on the ground before it can be officially installed on the star port."

Zhang Xingyang said finally.

Even though molten salt reactors are safe, there are still certain risks.

Especially in space because the density of matter is lower.

Once a leak occurs, it is difficult for high-temperature molten salt to cool down quickly.

Cooling is easy to achieve on the ground, mainly through thermal convection.

But in space, heat dissipation is mainly through thermal radiation.

The cooling efficiency of thermal radiation is extremely low.

Therefore, after leakage, the high-temperature molten salt will remain in a fluid state and will continue to cause great damage to the star port.

We must find ways to prevent these, and we can only work harder on the ground. (End of chapter)