Considering the current strange and "historical spiral" development environment of Blue Star, Gu Qing can no longer sit behind the scenes like before and rely on confidants like Jiuzhou Think Tank and Zhang Tianhao to promote technological leaps.
Therefore, when he saw Yang Shixiong, the head of the space station research and development project, and other doctors and engineers frowning, but unable to come up with any substantial improvement plan, Gu Qing sighed quietly.
He walked to the auxiliary console next to the main console, opened the simulation system and the intelligent AI Tiangong "plug-in", and while sorting out the information, he said: "For the design of the space station, what we need is bold design, careful verification, and pragmatism. radical.
There is no air pressure in outer space, but the air pressure inside the International Space Station cabin is as high as 101 kilopascals. We all know that engineers are designing this to simulate the atmospheric pressure of the natural environment on the Blue Star ground, but this also means that some sections of the International Space Station have long-term They are all under extremely high internal and external pressure.
Information from Tiangong Survey shows that the thinnest part of the bulkhead of the current experimental module on the International Space Station is only 4 mm, but it has to withstand a high pressure of 101 kilopascals, which naturally leads to many problems.
For example, four years ago, there was an air leakage problem on the International Space Station. After investigation, the astronauts on the International Space Station located the leak point on the Star service module. When they found the leak point, the Star service module There is also a special problem of rising temperatures inside the cabin.
Three years ago, Mao Xiong astronauts discovered six cracks inside their country's Dawn module, which meant that the module had shown signs of metal fatigue.
Two years ago, a year ago, and even half a year ago, problems were discovered one after another on the International Space Station. Countries and institutions cooperating with the space station were gloating about the problems in other people's cabins, while looking at the problems in their own cabins with a sad face. .
In fact, once the use time of these design and construction weaknesses exceeds the designed service period, these problems are inevitable.
However, the frequent occurrence of these problems does not mean that the design of the International Space Station does not have advantages that can be absorbed.
As the International Space Station developed by the Blue Star technology powerhouses and countless scientists and engineers at that time, its overall design adopts a truss-mounted cabin structure. The service module, experimental module and other facilities are developed at both ends of the truss, and are formed when part of the vertical intersection The addition of the 'dragon skeleton' naturally enhances the rigidity of the space station.
Our annular space station can also use high-strength keels in the core part of the main body, and then these annular space station cabins do not need to be seeded with pure water. We can completely use the annular cabin to create centrifugal force to generate artificial gravity inside the space station. Of course I know This is a highly controversial design.
For example, a very high rotation speed is needed to generate a gravity comparable to the natural environment on the surface of a blue star. A high rotation speed will bring great difficulties to the mechanical structure and overall heat dissipation of the space station. It will also cause problems for astronauts and other people inside the space station. Crews bring great victory challenges and psychological pressure.
But this problem can be completely solved, because we do not need to pursue the same gravity as the Blue Star ground, we only need a stable gravity field, so the rotation speed can be controlled to a level acceptable to us humans.
And as long as they pass the training of the Future Warrior Project, they can basically be stress-free, or can easily withstand such changes in gravity and centrifugal rotation.
As for the high-speed rotation, it is difficult for air molecules to achieve a uniform and stable distribution throughout the space station, and it is easy for the core area of the space station to become the center of a tornado. For this problem, we can set up different living and working areas to allow astronauts entering the core area to Wear a flight suit to solve it.
Of course, in scientific experiments, if the circular space station relies on rotation to create gravity, then the central axis area will have a small rotation effect and will be difficult to achieve a microgravity environment, which is not conducive to scientific experiments. Don’t forget what the focus of our stage is. ?
It's a moon base!
We don’t need to conduct decades of experiments on the space station, and we don’t need to pursue the so-called zero gravity and microgravity on this circular space station.
If we can build one space station, we will be able to design, develop, and build a second, third, or even fourth or fifth space station in the future.
Everything is difficult at the beginning, but as long as we get started, we can continue to charge forward! "
Reducing task volume, lowering requirements, and increasing confidence and resources, the speeches centered on the three strategies directly made the atmosphere inside the laboratory lively again.
The smarter a person is, the easier it is for him to fall into his own misunderstandings and be unable to extricate himself.
Since joining Jiuzhou Technology, I have met a lot of industry giants and cutting-edge knowledge. These scientists and engineers, who are considered elites in the outside world, have naturally raised their sights a lot, and their requirements for themselves are equivalent to those of others. requirements.
This causes them to think about perfection after receiving a task. As long as there is any unqualified link, it will be like a stick in their throats, making them unable to let go.
Obviously, what Gu Qing initially requested was to build a space station as a springboard for Kyushu Technology to develop a lunar base, develop some equipment needed for outer space life, and collect data on outer space creatures, such as genes and bones of humans living in outer space environment for a long time. , Will there be any changes in the internal organs?
While these scientists and engineers are working on research and development problems day and night, they unconsciously regard this "mid-stage task" as their top priority.
It was Gu Qing who tore the window paper this time that made them suddenly look back and realize that they seemed to have been running down another dead end.
But ease is only easy for some people.
Yang Shixiong, the head of the space station R&D project, still frowned after hearing what Gu Qing said.
He lowered his head and murmured to himself: "Even so, the research and development and manufacturing technology of the circular space station are still very difficult.
To simulate the Blue Star environment without pursuing Blue Star gravity data, the radius of the ring space station must exceed 100 meters. At the same time, the orbiting cabin and the keel cabin are big troubles. It is better for us to just build a ring space station.
After all, it is springboard technology, with a single ring, and the keel main structure will be developed later.
But even so, it is still difficult to solve the problems of a huge and sophisticated rotating space station in the short term, whether in terms of design structure, space station engine power or system control. "
When Gu Qing heard his doubts, he did not shake his head, but directly gave a more practical solution: "Since we want to simplify it, we can use a combination of microgravity environment and short-term rotation to provide astronauts with practical solutions when they need it. gravity environment.
When materials and energy are about to be damaged and limited, power output is slowly paused. "
The plan given by Gu Qing was like a meteor that cut through the dark sky shrouded in countless questions in Yang Shihun.
The middle-aged man's eyes instantly flashed with excitement, "Yeah! Yes! An ordinary ring! It's an ordinary ring! From the very beginning, we can build the keel, and then build the ring on top of the keel.
It was very simple at the beginning, and gradually increased in difficulty. Step by step, we collected enough detailed data, added structure step by step, and improved the design.
In the future, a small ecological ring can even be expanded on this basis.
Not just a few astronauts, as long as the materials permit and our plan is correct, this space station can fully guarantee the lives and work of dozens of astronauts in the future.
In this way, in addition to space experiments, we can also develop space tourism, and even arrange for astronauts and scientists who want to go to the moon base to be on the space station as their first stop. After adapting to life on the space station for a period of time, they can return to Blue Star for repairs. , wait until everything is safe, and then set off to the moon.
This space station is a training base for novices! Experimental base!
As long as the direction is correct, we can collect more data. This data can fully support our design of the second space station. We can even rely on the huge area of the first space station to achieve profitability! "
The more he thought about it, the more dazzling the light in Yang Shixiong's eyes became.
The other people in the laboratory have also entered a state of excitement at this time.
"The boron nitride ceramic matrix composite electric propulsion system, as the propulsion technology of the Hall thruster, combined with the wireless array engine, can achieve no need for fuel under normal conditions and only use the ion flow ejected from electrical energy to provide power for the core module. Under special circumstances, A composite propulsion system that uses fuel and electrical energy to provide thrust.”
“The high-performance silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composite material jointly developed by the Titanium Star Department and the Aerospace Group can be used in key components of the space station’s solar wing extension mechanism.
And we don’t need to use lithium-ion batteries. We can use graphene batteries to ensure that more energy can be stored. "
"Medical sample analysis instruments, gravity analysis instruments, electromagnetic analysis instruments, and radiation analysis instruments can all use magnesium components and special titanium alloys from the Titanstar Department, which fully meet multi-functional requirements such as weight reduction, corrosion resistance, and interference resistance."
"But what to do with the engine? What to do with those high-temperature components? Although space is not a mountain of fire, there is a huge temperature difference between the sun and the shade. The engines on our space station do not have an environment suitable for air cooling and natural water circulation for cooling. "
An engineer with white hair on the sideburns and the sad faces of the team around him formed a very sharp contrast with the radical and excited scientists and engineers around him.
When Gu Qing looked around, he naturally noticed something strange about this small team.
He glanced at the information provided by Xuanwu in his SR1 glasses and sighed in his heart.
"When I let you enter the special equipment research and development center, you were unwilling to separate, so now you can't get some technical authorization, just drink and peck."
However, Gu Qing would not express the sigh in his heart on his face.
He walked straight to the side of the small team and said in a caring tone: "Dr. Xu, I heard you are thinking about the problem of high-temperature components?"
Xu Changqing heard a familiar clear voice coming from beside him, and he subconsciously turned his head and looked over.
"Well, Gu, Mr. Gu."
Facing this middle-aged man who was a little embarrassed to say hello, Gu Qing waved his hand and said: "Don't feel embarrassed, science and technology research and development is not going to be doomed if you sleep in the wrong place. The dispute between you and that colleague is all about the issue and the person.
So you do have a problem?
It's better to say it out loud. If one of us thinks about the shortcomings and the three of us think about the strengths, we might be able to find a breakthrough direction. "
Facing Gu Qing's attitude, Xu Changqing nodded slightly.
Of course he knows that his big boss is not just talking nonsense. Boss Gu, who has the massive technology and R&D resources of Jiuzhou Technology, if he can't solve the problem, then the only people on this planet who can solve this problem will only exist in a few extremely secretive and extremely confidential places. High laboratory.
So he got straight to the point and directly stated the problem that was holding his team back.
“Thermal barrier coating materials for high-temperature components used in power engines other than space station wireless array engines cannot be solved for the time being.
According to international solutions, this kind of thermal barrier coating generally uses a ceramic coating. As a thermal protective coating for high-temperature parts of aero engines and gas turbines, it can protect related important mechanical parts and special material parts. The good thermal insulation effect directly improves the service conditions of high-temperature components, extends the service life, and even saves the most precious fuel of the space station.
At present, the most commonly used thermal barrier coating material in the world is zirconia-based material. This material is expensive and troublesome to manufacture. Moreover, it will undergo phase change when it reaches a high temperature of about 1200 degrees Celsius, and the coating will fall off quickly. It will fail, which will directly lead to an exponential decrease in service life.
In the design of our space station, the operating temperature of some special engines can reach an ultra-high temperature of 2,000 degrees Celsius. This temperature will directly cause the thermal barrier coating material to fall off directly, or even become scrapped after a few operations. "
"This problem? It is indeed an international problem. I have learned about it before."
Gu Qing's words made the atmosphere of this R&D team a little lower.
A problem that even your own boss cannot solve is definitely a world-class problem that may not be solved within a few years.
Even if they are experts in this industry, they will still be disappointed after knowing Gu Qing's judgment...
"But you didn't have permission before, so you didn't know that our company's special equipment research and development center has developed ultra-high temperature resistant materials, and they are also customized materials for engines, engine systems, and aerospace products.
In addition, the special metal engineering laboratory of our company in cooperation with Yunming University of Science and Technology has just produced new results a while ago. The ultra-high temperature tantalate thermal barrier coating technology they studied can increase the maximum operating temperature to 1700 degrees Celsius. to 2100 degrees Celsius, and there is even room for improvement in the future.
Cooperating with the high-temperature-resistant metal materials from the Special Equipment R&D Center, we should be able to solve the problems of your project. "
(End of chapter)
