Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 295 The Beginning of the Lunar Base (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
Lin Ran's math class has had a very low profile since its inception.

Lin Ran personally taught very little.

This doesn't mean it's meaningless, because all the members of the math class have interned at Apollo Technology. With that resume alone, there are plenty of places in the world they could go.

It's just that things are different from what everyone expected before they came.

I originally thought that coming to Lin Ran's math class was to learn from a math master and study pure mathematics properly, or at least to be trained in that direction. Lin Ran is good at number theory, but that doesn't mean he only knows number theory.

Modern mathematics has developed to this stage, and number theory requires extremely strong analytical skills.

What no one expected was that studying in Lin Ran's math class felt like a one-way street to cultivating applied mathematics talent.

The teaching emphasizes calculation and various problem-solving strategies. Although it is not mandatory, can you say no if the professor recommends it?

If you've interned at Apollo Technologies, the Americans would be thrilled to have you there. But the question is, can you actually go? Even if they issue you a visa, your home country won't let you go.

My internship at Apollo Technology focused on mathematics and physics, and had nothing to do with pure mathematics.

As for the opportunity to interact with Lin Ran, it's possible to only get one class session per semester.

The class was not held on the Jiaotong University campus; we had to go to Kunshan and go through multiple security checks.

At first, Lin Ran would occasionally attend classes at Jiaotong University. Now, whenever Lin Ran appears in a classroom, the classroom is immediately surrounded by students from Shenhai University, not just Jiaotong University.

If a Tongji University student who's doing an internship at your factory wants to come visit, boss, can you refuse? If a Fudan University student from the School of Economics and Management wants to visit their senior and ask for a place to stay, can you refuse?
If you don't refuse, the classroom will be packed with people, and the security situation will become extremely difficult.

Therefore, after landing on the moon, Lin Ran only returned to Jiaotong University to teach one class, which caused a sensation throughout the campus.

I never went back.

Yanjing University was also worried about unexpected events, since Shenhai University not only had Chinese students but also international students.

It's better to block than to dredge.

Therefore, Lin Ran is a full-time professor at Jiaotong University, and his salary and wages are paid as usual. No one dares to leave out this double academician in every evaluation and commendation.

Although Lin Ran's position no longer requires him to compete with younger teachers for honors, Jiaotong University still needs to do a good job with every prestige project. It would be much better for Lin Ran to refuse rather than for them not to put him on the list.

After all, Jiaotong University wouldn't release someone just for the sake of creating a buzz.

In fact, Lin Ran rarely has the opportunity to teach students. Although he is a full-time professor, his teaching time is less than that of a visiting professor.

The only advantage for students in Lin Ran's math class is that they can attend one of Lin Ran's math classes at Apollo Technology every month.

This is also the part they look forward to the most each time. After the math lecture, they can ask Lin Ran about spaceflight and the moon landing. This is real first-hand information.

This time was no exception. Because the Apollo moon landing was underway, everyone eagerly raised their hands after math class.

Compared to 20 people last year, there are 20 more new people this year.

Because Jiaotong University consistently ranks among the top three universities in China, and with the addition of university-run enterprises like Apollo Technology, the admission scores for some of its top-tier programs are even comparable to those of mid-range programs at Yenching University.

This shows how quickly his status has risen.

The minimum score requirement is also consistently higher than that of Fudan University.

"I know you all have a lot of questions you want to ask. Just like you, I've been scrolling through social media, and everyone's talking about the moon landing, Shackleton Crater, and what we're going to do next."

Considering that my time with everyone is limited, I will ask questions in turn, from front to back, so that everyone has the opportunity to ask a question.

Of course, I can't answer all questions; I'll avoid some that are too sensitive.

"Wang Jiarui, let's start with you."

Lin Ran said to Wang Jiarui, who was sitting on the far left of the first row.

"Professor, can you tell us if Apollo Technology is going to make Starlink? There are rumors online that Apollo Technology is going to join forces with Huawei to create a Chinese version of Starlink, and that Huawei phones next year will be equipped with Starlink communication technology."

"If that's the case, then I'm thinking of waiting another year, until the Party will never be a slave!" Wang Jiarui asked.

Everyone present listened attentively; they were very interested.

Lin Ran smiled and said, "That's right, but it's not just with Huawei. To be precise, it's with three companies: Apollo Technology, Shenhai's newly established Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., and Huawei. We will work together to create a Chinese version of Starlink, called Project Qianfan."

Musk's Starlink has caused a great shock to China, especially after the war in early 2022. Everyone realized that there are only so many available locations, and Starlink satellites cannot be allowed to occupy them all.

Therefore, China successively launched a series of Chinese versions of Starlink, such as the Rainbow Cloud Project, the Wild Goose Constellation, and the StarNet Constellation. However, the Qianfan Constellation, sponsored by local state-owned assets in Shanghai, ultimately stood out among all the proposals.

Thanks to Apollo Technology, Shenhai was more confident in vying for the location of the Chinese version of Starlink, and the Qianfan constellation entered the design phase a year earlier than before.

"Professor, so when will we launch a probe satellite to the moon? To conduct routine monitoring of the moon?"

"We will launch a satellite this year to build a lunar communication network."

"After the astronauts return, they will launch a water ice rover, a lunar communication base station, and six satellites. The lunar version of Starlink will be online even earlier than on Earth," Lin Ran explained.

"So, Professor, when will you go to the moon again?"

As soon as the question was asked, all the students looked at Lin Ran with curious eyes.

Lin Ran explained, "I may not be able to go to the moon for a long time. The last time I went was just an accident. If accidents happen often, then they are no longer accidents."

"What about us, Professor? Do we have a chance to become astronauts and go to the moon?"

Lin Ran looked at the glasses the chubby young man was wearing and said with a smile, "In the past, people who wore glasses might not have been allowed to go, but the future is hard to say. I believe that if you all go to work at Apollo Technology in the future, you will have a real chance to go to space or even the moon after passing the astronaut selection."

As far as I know, one of the astronauts on China's next space mission is a professor from Yenching University, and that professor seems to wear glasses.

The students below the stage began to whisper excitedly to each other, because in the past, their education and the TV programs they watched all showed that astronauts were selected from air force pilots, and if an air force pilot was nearsighted, they would be rejected without any conditions.

Indeed, technological advancements have brought about new changes.

Liu Jiyuan and Wang Jiarui felt that they had new experiences every time they attended Lin Ran's class.

"The Q&A session felt almost as long as the professor's lecture," Wang Jiarui complained later while eating at the Apollo Technology cafeteria.

Liu Jiyuan said, "It's not like I gained nothing. At least I can go back and post the professor's latest emoji to show off!"

Posting on WeChat Moments to show off is too deliberate. Generally, Lin Ran's math class classmates will only post once, take a group photo when they first meet Lin Ran, and then post it on WeChat Moments with an emoji like "I kneel down to God Ran" to show off.

But Lin Ran's class is only once a month, and you can't possibly post something like this on your WeChat Moments every month. While this kind of showing off is effective, it feels very deliberate.

The students at Jiaotong University disdained using this method.

Their solution was to post Lin Ran's latest WeChat Moments update, and then manually create the meme to ensure it hadn't been circulated in the Jiaotong University WeChat groups before. This way, everyone would know they had seen Lin Ran again, achieving their goal while also enriching everyone's collection of professor memes.

Moreover, if your memes are interesting enough, they can spread widely among Jiaotong University alumni, and the particularly interesting ones can even go viral, which is also an affirmation of your ability to use memes.

This led to everyone sending Lin Ran's emojis in their original freshman groups and class groups, which became an unspoken way of showing off.

Of course, they made other discoveries today as well.

Wang Jiarui nudged Liu Jiyuan's arm: "Look at the direction behind you, nine o'clock."

Liu Jiyuan asked, puzzled, "What is it?"

Wang Jiarui said, "The professor and Pony are eating. Pony from Tencent, so even big shots eat in the cafeteria? I thought they had special meals. My dad's boss eats in a special meal, and he never squeezes into the cafeteria with the clerks."

Liu Jiyuan whispered, "Take the photos quickly, we have new material."

Wang Jiarui asked, "What materials?"

Liu Jiyuan said, "Think about it, you take a picture of two people and then add text. Pony says, 'How many stars and how many moons do you have?' The professor replies, 'One star, five dwarf planets, eight planets, 500,000 asteroids, and 82 satellites.'"

Pony asked me if I meant my QQ level, and the professor replied, "I meant the responsibility I bear on my shoulders!"
Finally, give the professor a full-body photo, with stars from the solar system covering his shoulders. That should do it all!

Wang Jiarui quipped, "You're a genius at using memes! Holy crap, that's really good. I have a feeling this three-panel comic will go viral."

On the moon, this is the final stage of lunar exploration. After this process is completed, they will prepare to return to Earth.

Wei Xuhang stood next to the lunar lander, inspecting the instrument boxes on the lunar rover.

The seismograph is a compact device, about half a meter tall, equipped with three adjustable legs and foldable solar panels. Inside, it contains highly sensitive sensors that can detect ground vibrations as low as 0.3 nanometers and capture signals from moonquakes and meteorite impacts.

The radiation detector is a small cube covered with silicon detectors to measure the intensity of cosmic rays and solar particles.

Both instruments are connected to the lunar lander via small communication modules, transmitting data back to Earth in real time.

“Li Cong, according to the map, there is a flat area 200 meters to the west, which is suitable for placing a seismograph,” Wei Xuhang said through the headset, his tone calm, his eyes scanning the topographic map on the tablet.

He pointed to a marked point on the screen, "This spot is far from the lunar module, so the vibration interference is minimal."

Li Cong nodded and adjusted the oxygen valve on his spacesuit, trying to alleviate the clumsiness caused by the gloves.

“What about the radiation detector? Does it need an open area?” He looked up at the shadowy area in the distance, where the outlines of rocks were vaguely visible in the darkness.

“Yes, the radiation detectors need to be placed in an unobstructed location to ensure they capture omnidirectional rays,” Wei Xuhang replied, patting the lunar rover’s cargo bay. “Let’s load the instruments first and then we’ll set off.”

The two carefully secured the seismograph and radiation detector to the lunar rover.

This six-wheel drive mechanical monster, with Xiaomi's logo on the front and wide tires, is designed specifically for the soft lunar soil and rocky terrain of the moon.

The solar panels on the roof gleamed in the low-angle sunlight, while small radioactive isotope heaters inside the vehicle ensured that the equipment operated normally in the extreme cold.

Wei Xuhang climbed into the driver's seat, started the lunar rover, and the electric motor emitted a slight hum.

Li Cong sat in the passenger seat, checking the instruments for proper securing. "They're all secured, Xuhang. Remember to drive carefully; we can't let anything happen to these precious instruments on the road."

Li Cong wanted to ease the tense atmosphere and help everyone break free from their rest and get back into work mode.

The lunar rover moved slowly forward, its tires kicking up dust as it rolled over the lunar soil, which floated like a thin mist under 1/6 gravity.

The terrain was rugged, with small craters and scattered rocks making driving a cautious affair.

It had nothing to do with racing; the speed was even slower than driving on a mountain road.

Wei Xuhang gripped the control lever tightly, avoiding a protruding rock, and the car tilted slightly.

“This terrain is much more complicated than the training ground,” he said in a low voice.

Li Cong nodded and said, "Of course, after all, no matter what you do on Earth, you can't simulate the feeling of one-sixth of the moon's gravity." 200 meters away, they reached their target area, a relatively flat lunar surface with only a few scattered small rocks around it.

Li Cong jumped out of the car, his boots sinking into the soft ground and kicking up dust.

"Looks good, Xuhang. Let's get started on the cleaning."

The two bent down and used small shovels to clear away the loose rocks on the ground.

The low gravity makes the movements seem light, but the heavy gloves of the spacesuit make every grasp feel like a struggle with the moon.

Li Cong picked up a fist-sized stone and gently tossed it into the distance. The stone traced a slow arc in the air and landed almost silently.

“It feels like playing slow-motion time-lapse photography,” he complained.

After cleaning, they unloaded the seismometer package from the lunar rover.

The instrument case has a compact design, and the folded solar panel resembles a metal petal, waiting to bloom.

Wei Xuhang carefully unfolded the solar panel and adjusted the angle to aim at the low-hanging sun.

“The sun’s angle is low in Antarctica, so we have to make sure the plate receives as much light as possible,” he said, while checking the protractor to confirm that the plate was tilted at about 15 degrees.

Li Congze opened the instrument case and took out the seismograph itself.

He gently placed the instrument on the ground to check the built-in level.

"It's a bit off-center; the left support leg is a little too high." Li Cong squatted down and adjusted the support leg screws, moving slowly and cautiously to prevent loss of balance under low gravity.

Wei Xuhang assisted by illuminating the ground with his headlamp to ensure there were no small stones to disturb the peace.

“Be careful, this thing needs to be stable enough to capture moonquakes.” He checked the level, and the bubble was finally centered: “Perfect!”

Next is the communication module connection stage.

A thin cable extends from the seismograph to a small transmitter, which transmits data to the Queqiao satellite and then relays it to Earth.

Li Cong plugged in the cable and confirmed that the connection was secure.

He flipped the switch to turn on the power, and the instrument emitted a few crisp beeps. The screen lit up, indicating that initialization was complete.

"Wenchang Control Center, the seismograph is operating normally," Wei Xuhang reported to the mission control center through his headset.

"Xuhang, received. Begin deploying radiation detectors!"

They returned to the lunar rover and retrieved the radiation detector.

This device is much simpler in design; it can be placed in an open area without requiring complex adjustments.

“We need to find a place with no obstructions,” Li Cong said, looking around.

The terrain in the sunny areas is relatively flat, but rocks at the edges of the shadows may interfere with measurements.

He pointed to an open space 10 meters away, "How about over there?"

Wei Xuhang nodded: "Good, stay away from rocks and lunar rovers."

They carefully moved the detectors, walking slowly to prevent dust from covering the sensors.

Li Cong placed the detector on the ground, turned it on, and the screen displayed the initial radiation reading: approximately 0.2 micrograys per hour, which was in line with expectations.

“Wenchang Control Center, radiation detectors are activated,” Li Cong reported. “Background radiation is being recorded.”

"Received! Be careful." This is the only way on Earth to remind them that Earth is with you.

Wei Xuhang stood aside, staring at the instrument, and said with emotion, "This thing will tell us how dangerous the radiation on the lunar surface is. The location of the future base will depend entirely on this data."

Suddenly, the seismograph transmitter emitted a slight alarm, indicating a slight ground tremor.

Li Cong quickly checked the screen: "It might be a small moonquake; data recording has already started!"

His voice was filled with surprise, and his eyes sparkled beneath the mask.

Wei Xuhang grinned and said, "Starting work right after installation, that's quite efficient."

He patted the rover's body, "This thing helped us accomplish a great mission."

This statement was deliberately arranged to give sponsors enough screen time; otherwise, their 20 billion would have been wasted.
The two stepped back a few paces to admire their work.

The seismograph stood firmly, its solar panels gleaming in the sunlight, capturing every ray of light.

The radiation detector worked quietly, and the numbers on the screen kept changing, recording the radiation environment of the moon.

The distant Earth, suspended in the black sky, resembled a blue lighthouse, reminding them of the significance of their mission.

“These instruments will work here for several years,” Li Cong said quietly. “They will tell us the secrets of the moon and help us build our future home.”

Wei Xuhang nodded, his gaze shifting to the shadowy area: "Yes, but our mission isn't over yet. We need to go back to the shadowy area to find Shui Bing."

They climbed back onto the lunar rover, preparing to return to the lunar module.

The lunar rover's tires rolled over the lunar soil, leaving deep tracks, as if etching China's mark on the moon once again.

A voice from the Wenchang control center came through the headset: "Well done, instrument deployment successful, data reception normal."

Wei Xuhang and Li Cong exchanged a smile, a sense of accomplishment rising within them.

They knew that these instruments were not only sentinels of science, but also the cornerstone of China's future on the moon.

Neither of them had such lofty ideals, nor would they say anything about doing it for all of humanity.

They were more inclined to agree with Lin Ran's claim that China was opening up an exclave 38 kilometers away.

The lunar module stood quietly on the high ground in the sunlight zone, its silvery-white shell already covered with lunar dust, while the lunar rover was temporarily placed in the shadow zone.

When they come back next time, they can restart it by changing the battery.

Inside the lunar module, Wei Xuhang and Li Cong were busy organizing the mission's results: three water ice core samples, data storage devices for the seismograph and radiation detector, and a box of geological samples.

The air was thick with the smell of metal and plastic, and the low hum of the life support system echoed inside the cabin.

The spacesuit hung on the bulkhead, and the helmet still bore traces of frost from the exploration of the shadowy areas.

Wei Xuhang sat at the control panel, checking the fuel readings.

The screen showed that the liquid hydrogen and oxygen transferred from the fuel tank had filled the lunar module's tanks, enough to support a direct return to Earth from the lunar surface.

He took a deep breath and glanced at the dashboard: "Fuel status is good, propulsion system is normal. Li Cong, check the sample fixation."

Li Cong floated inside the cabin, inspecting the sample containers fixed in the storage box.

He used magnetic clasps to lock the box in place, ensuring that floating objects under low gravity would not interfere with the equipment.

"The samples are all fixed, and the data storage is also safe."

After answering, Li Cong asked, "Is our way of returning to the moon this time different from the way the professor and doctoral students returned to the moon last time?"

"Of course they are different. This lunar module is completely different from the Apollo lunar module. It has enough thrust and heat protection to bring us home in one breath."

He patted the control panel, his tone full of trust in Lin Ran.

The refueling tanks enable it to take off from the lunar surface, perform trans-Earth fuel injection and combustion, and complete atmospheric reentry.

This was one of the most daring technological attempts of this lunar landing, pushing the limits of aerospace engineering.

"Wenchang Mission Control Center, this is the lunar lander. We have completed all tasks and are ready for takeoff," Wei Xuhang reported through the communication system.

The voice from control center came through: "Lunar module, received. All systems have passed check. You are cleared for takeoff. Good luck!"

Li Cong fastened his seatbelt, gripped the handrail tightly, and glanced at the lunar horizon outside the porthole.

The gray-white crater and the shadowy area in the distance gradually blurred in his eyes.

韦旭航启动起飞序列，屏幕上倒计时开始：“10、9、8……3、2、1，点火！”

The lunar module's engines spewed out scorching flames, and the vibrations spread throughout the entire module.

Lunar soil was stirred up by air currents, forming a cloud of dust that slowly diffused under low gravity.

The lunar module slowly ascended, and Shackleton Crater rapidly receded from view through the porthole, becoming a huge gray ring.

“Thrust normal, trajectory good,” Wei Xuhang stared at the navigation screen, his hands firmly gripping the control stick, ready to take over at any time.

The lunar module broke free from the moon's gravity and entered space, where the moon's grayish-white surface gradually shrank.

Li Cong gazed at the moon through the porthole and exclaimed, "It feels like a dream. No wonder the doctor has always been so obsessed with landing on the moon. This feeling is truly amazing!"

His voice was filled with reluctance.

Wei Xuhang chuckled: "Of course it's not a dream, we can come again next time! We brought back hope for the future base."

He adjusted the navigation parameters, preparing for TEI combustion, "preparing for trans-Earth injection, T minus 10 minutes."

Li Cong thought to himself, "You'll definitely be able to come again next time, but I might not be. There are so many astronauts in China's space program, who knows when it will be my turn next time."

Looking at the receding moon, the thought of changing jobs had never been stronger than before. Li Congke had never imagined that astronauts in China's space program could change jobs.

Ten minutes later, the lunar module's engines reignited, completing the crucial TEI combustion and sending them into orbit to return to Earth.

The thrust pressed the two people into their seats, and the cabin lights flickered slightly.

After the burning ended, the screen showed that the trajectory had locked onto Earth and was expected to arrive in three days.

"Wenchang Mission Control Center, TEI combustion successful, we are returning to Earth," Wei Xuhang reported, breathing a sigh of relief.

The control center responded: "Received. Lunar module trajectory confirmed. Reentry scheduled for October 11. Maintain system monitoring."

　It's the last day! Please give me a monthly pass! Waaaaah!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)