Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 359 Sorry, I'm one step ahead again.

It was summer at the time, and there were people on the moon.

Wei Xuhang and Qian Fei, as astronauts on this lunar mission, are already on the moon.

They plan to stay on the moon for a full ten days.

This is Qian Fei's first lunar landing since recovering from his illness.

Once you set foot on the lunar soil, all the hardships and obstacles you had experienced in the past become insignificant.

Today, my thoughts are boundless and unrestrained; the sordid ways of the past are nothing to boast about.

Their mission this time is arduous, because they need to complete the initial site selection in Shackleton in order to build a lunar supercomputer.

The site will first be used to build a laboratory for preliminary experiments. Once the experiments are successful, it will be expanded into a real computing center.

The second test was the lunar-to-Earth communication test. As mentioned earlier, China's space program had already launched the Queqiao relay communication satellite to ensure that spacecraft could maintain communication with Earth's control center while crossing the far side of the moon.

This time, we will test the communication effect and data transmission quality of the Queqiao relay satellite communication network. After the test, we will formulate the next step plan.

China's space program plans to build a more complete communication network to ensure the quality of Earth-Moon communication, rather than relying on a single satellite.

Finally, we will explore the Degellach crater.

The Americans had their eyes on the Degellach crater, and the Chinese were about to explore it.

Because if you're going to build a superconducting computing center, then you definitely can't put your lunar rocket launch tower in the same place.

The vibrations from the rocket launch itself may affect superconducting calculations.

That's possible.

Superconducting chips have not yet been manufactured, and no one knows how robust they are or whether they will be affected by vibrations.

But they need to plan ahead and be sufficiently cautious.

The two impact craters are only 30 kilometers apart in a straight line. Since we're going to build a base anyway, it's good to occupy both of these places.

Whether you occupy one or two, it's all the same.

So, to put it simply, they had a tight schedule and a heavy workload this time.

"I'm on the moon, just got off the spaceship. This mission on the moon is very demanding, so I'll just briefly talk about my thoughts on America's trillion-dollar bill."

All I want to say is, bring it on! Our lunar base is already taking shape. When are the Americans going to send an astronaut up here so we won't be alone?

The two of you and the two of us can make a mahjong table.

Wei Xuhang answered from the moon.

Wei Xuhang called Qian Fei over, and the two took a group photo. The photo, along with the text he had just input via voice, was then transmitted back to Earth through the communication network. Earth staff then helped him reply to the question using the official Apollo Technology account.

The report from the front lines on the moon immediately garnered the most likes, exceeding 50,000 likes in just one day.

"Damn, having the ability gives you confidence. Bring it on! That's such a cool way to put it."

"I envy the real-name registration system. I also want to go to the moon. I would be willing to work on the moon and earn a million-dollar annual salary."

"So you took it all with you, huh?"

"Isn't anyone envious of Wei Xuhang? He escaped the first moon landing because he wasn't a moon landing astronaut. After that, with the first batch of Burning Gods and Aldrin no longer able to go to the moon, he firmly held the throne of the first moon landing. In just over a year, he has become the Earthling with the most moon landings. Isn't this a top-tier wish-fulfillment novel?"

"+1, Burning God isn't a wish-fulfillment novel. What kind of wish-fulfillment novel is it where you have to work hard to get something in return? It's the kind of wish-fulfillment novel where you get something for nothing and it falls from the sky."

"Does anyone know what mission we'll be carrying out on the moon this time?"

"It's about choosing a location for the computing center. Doesn't Apollo Technologies' website mention that they want to collect as much detailed data as possible for Earth analysis, including moonquake data, lunar wind conditions, lunar soil conditions, and so on—the more detailed the better."

"To be honest, I think there's nothing wrong with what the astronauts said. After all, they are there to do the work, and confidence is a good thing. But the astronauts must not let their guard down. They can be tactically contemptuous of their opponents, but strategically they must take them seriously. After all, we are not competing with America, but with the entire Western camp."

"It's precisely because we're competing with the entire Western camp that we don't need to be afraid, okay? They're already fighting amongst themselves. With so many countries and so many suppliers, and NASA having to subcontract layer by layer, how can they possibly form a cohesive force if they don't do their own work?"
I actually think Musk's tweet makes a lot of sense. Instead of giving that trillion dollars to NASA and having NASA manage it, it would be much more efficient to give it all to SpaceX and let Musk manage it himself.

The above is a comment from Wei Xuhang's answer. Chinese netizens highlighted a relaxed and confident attitude, and in this competition, China has already gained the upper hand.

America didn't even manage to land on the moon, let alone land at the south pole.

Chinese netizens remain optimistic.

Some people are optimistic, while others are pessimistic.

Musk is that pessimistic person.

He has publicly expressed his support for the Elephant Party and Big T, and has been cheering for Big T on Twitter in advance, while also criticizing the Donald Party in various ways.

That's why he wasn't even qualified to participate in small White House meetings.

When Musk saw the trillion-dollar space development fund in place, his reaction could be aptly described in four words: "His vision went black."

On the very day the plan was announced, he arranged to appear on a podcast.

"Hello everyone, welcome to Everyday Astronaut. I'm your host, Tim Dodd. Since China announced its lunar superconducting computing center plan, our country has responded quickly by announcing a lunar development plan worth one trillion US dollars, which is considered a response to China."

I'm delighted to announce that we have with us today a prominent figure in the aerospace field, and also a long-time friend of ours, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, to discuss the recent flurry of news in the aerospace industry.

Everyday Astronaut is a YouTube channel focused on space exploration, known for explaining rocket science and space technology.

Musk was a frequent guest on Tim Dodd's podcast.

Not just Tim Dodd, but also Lex Fridman Podcast, Munro Live, Joe Rogan Experience, and more.

Unlike Chinese entrepreneurs who like to create TikTok videos to promote themselves, America's entrepreneurs prefer to record podcasts.

This is related to the environment of the two countries. America is known as the nation of cars, where everyone owns a car, whether it's a nice car or a beat-up second-hand car. So they are used to listening to podcasts while driving.

Listening to podcasts has become mainstream.

Cars are not that common in China; long-form and short-form videos are the mainstream.

Therefore, commuting methods also affect internet models.

"Hi everyone, Tim, it's been a long time. It's a very happy thing for me to be able to come to Everyday Astronaut and chat with the channel's viewers about the moon landing, space, and recent news."

I've always believed that the viewers of Everyday Astronaut possess high scientific literacy and rational thinking abilities. Don't say Musk doesn't know how to flatter; he does, though not as naturally as Huang. He knows when to wear a suit.

"Elon, first question, what's your opinion on China's lunar superconducting program?" Tim asked.

Musk answered without hesitation: "It's a very imaginative plan. They're doing this to circumvent their disadvantages in semiconductors and hope to use aerospace technology to pave a new path."

It must be said that Randolph Lin's ideas in this regard are very creative, and from a first principle perspective, they are also highly feasible.

Based on what he has accomplished so far, the only factor limiting his success is actually the R&D capabilities of China's semiconductor industry—whether they can truly develop chips based on low-temperature superconducting materials.

This is the most difficult part.

Tim asked curiously, "Aren't the others difficult? I've seen some science channels talk about a lot of technical difficulties, such as heat dissipation, energy, moonquakes, and lunar dust."

Musk interrupted, "These are all solvable."

These problems are not difficult to solve given the availability of reusable rockets and the ultra-low cost of China's manufacturing industry.

It is important to note that China can routinely travel between the Moon and Earth, which is extremely important and is the fundamental reason why they are able to do so.

If it doesn't work the first time, try again; if it doesn't work the second time, try a third time. Basically, there are lunar landing windows every month, and you can use these lunar landing windows to go to the moon.

Moreover, the more times they land on the moon, the more advanced their infrastructure becomes, making it easier for them to go to the moon.

This is a snowballing process; issues such as heat dissipation, energy, moonquakes, and lunar dust can all be resolved through frequent experimental iterations and optimizations on the moon.

Therefore, our only advantage is actually the advantage of the chip industry.

We have an absolute advantage in the chip industry, with the most advanced industrial chain. Compared with China, we have abundant industrial workers, scientists, and production capacity.

Of course, when I say "we," I include allies like Japan and Korea.

If we were to build a superconducting computing center on the moon, this would be an advantage for us.

But the White House's plan did not include doing this; they only said they wanted to develop lunar exploration.

If our goal is simply lunar development, building lunar bases, and competing with China, I think we don't need to go to the moon at all. We should go directly to Mars and develop Mars directly.

This is the more realistic path.

This aligns with Musk's consistent stance: the moon is unimportant; Mars is the key.

"Why? In the past, when you came to our show, we always talked about Falcon 9, the latest developments in Starship, and the role Starlink played on the front lines of war. We never seemed to talk about Mars in the past. Because in the past, I felt that this topic was very far removed from us."

Now that the White House has actually spent a trillion dollars, I feel like a trillion dollars might be enough to send people to Mars.

I believe many viewers share the same feeling as me.

So I want to ask here, why, why do you feel this way?

"Because of first principles, starting from first principles, we can break down the problem into the most basic facts, and then reconstruct logical reasoning based on these facts."

There is no need to rely on analogies or traditional assumptions; conclusions are derived from atomic-level facts.

Going directly to Mars is more reliable, cost-effective, and reasonable than using the moon as a stepping stone. The moon is a distraction because it would divert resources without significantly reducing the overall difficulty or cost.

First, if we establish a base on the moon as a transit point, we will need to transport a large amount of mass from Earth to the moon, including fuel production equipment, habitats, etc., which will increase the kinetic energy required for the total acceleration.

The thin atmosphere of Mars allows for deceleration during orbital insertion, while landing and takeoff on the lunar surface require pure rocket propulsion.

In addition, a lunar base would introduce additional complexities, including highly corrosive lunar dust and an atmospheric environment with complete exposure to radiation.

According to our calculations, going directly to Mars would save 20 to 30 percent of the propellant required compared to going around the moon.

Another, more important reason is that the elements of a planet determine its potential for fuel and life support systems.

Simply put, Mars has an atmosphere, which is 95% carbon dioxide, and water ice is widely found underground.

Water ice on the moon needs to be found in the shadow layer at the lunar south pole, while water is everywhere on Mars.

Methane and oxygen can be produced on-site as rocket fuel directly through the Sabatier reaction and electrolysis.

Martian soil contains iron and silicon, which can be used for 3D printing, and the thin atmosphere can provide radiation protection, allowing for experiments on the greenhouse effect.

In every respect, Mars is almost perfect, a natural new continent left by the universe for human society.

Every time I look at Mars, I feel that the solar system was meticulously designed to be the most suitable environment for human development.

Earth is perfect, and we have developed a brilliant civilization on it. Mars is only slightly harsher than Earth, but that harshness is just right.

Randolph said the moon is our springboard to the universe, but I disagree with him. I believe Mars is the true springboard to the universe.

Once we have fully developed Earth, we can go to Mars to develop and terraform it. After we have exhausted Mars' resources, we can then turn our attention to the entire solar system, or even the Milky Way galaxy.

This is the reasonable development trend.

The White House's current lunar development plan, which will cost a trillion dollars, is a completely flawed plan.

We should not be drawn into China's rhythm.

They need to rely on the extremely low temperatures of the moon to achieve technological breakthroughs in the semiconductor field. Do we need that?

We don't need it; our advantage lies in the semiconductor field.

This means nothing to us; we have the world's strongest computing power.

Even if we build a lunar base on the moon, it will simply be another cosmic spectacle for us, similar to the Apollo moon landings, and will not have any impact on reality.

After Musk finished speaking, Tim asked, "So you think Randolph's view is wrong?"

Before releasing it, Musk would definitely have launched a tirade without hesitation, asking, "Who do you think you are? I'm definitely right."

Now, his tone is much softer, both because of Lin Ran's achievements and his close cooperation with Yanjing, which has made Musk more cautious.
"The solutions we each proposed are the most suitable for our own countries."

Randolph's plan was just right for China. They had no experience in lunar landings and had never achieved one before. This time, under Randolph's leadership, they successfully completed a manned lunar landing, an Antarctic landing, a search for water ice, and routine round trips in one go.

This means that they already have the capability to develop lunar resources.

Although such development is more costly than beneficial, they have already made a perfect start.

They can build on this perfect start and make some innovations based on the lunar environment, like the lunar superconducting project they've just announced.

This plan has strong practical significance for China and already has a good foundation.

We are different. Our inherent environment is different from that of China. It is unreasonable for us to compete with China for dominance on the moon.

What we should be doing is using that trillion dollars for technological research and development on Mars. That's what we should be doing.

Tim asked, "Elon, there's a theory that the research products derived from China's advancements in lunar superconductivity will be the raw materials for the next generation of semiconductors. So we can't fall behind in this race, and we should also have a base on the moon to conduct research on lunar superconductivity. What do you think of this theory?"

Musk said, "First of all, this is just a possibility. Whether the superconducting materials that can be used on the moon will continue to exhibit superconductivity under Earth's temperature and pressure, and whether they will be practical, are unknowns."

Are we going to spend a trillion dollars on this unknown?
Secondly, even if it were true, why can't we cooperate with China?

My consistent view is that we can actually cooperate with China.

There is no fundamental conflict between us, and we have many areas where we can cooperate.

America is responsible for technological innovation, while China is responsible for production and manufacturing, just like our past cooperation model.

If America is truly to be made great again, then the Mars colonization program is what can leverage investment, jobs, and resources.

If China achieves a breakthrough in semiconductor technology, and America completes the development of Mars first, you can imagine who would benefit more from this exchange.

We will have an entire new planet. We will have it first, an entire planet. This is something that semiconductor technology alone cannot compare to.

In my view, developing Mars is a faster and more certain endeavor than achieving breakthroughs in China's semiconductor technology.

Instead of leaving the question to host Tim, Musk continued:

"I think the White House is on the wrong track right now, and we're going further and further down that wrong track."

They were drawn into a battlefield that China was adept at defining.

If that trillion dollars were spent on Mars, the effects and value would far outweigh those spent on the Moon.

I am truly heartbroken to see this happen. Wasting so many resources on the wrong thing is a major waste and a strategic mistake.

"By the time the White House and NASA realize that going to the moon is pointless and want to adopt my plan again, will America, already heavily indebted, really have the financial flexibility to come up with another trillion dollars?"

Musk spoke with indignation and his expression was very unpleasant.

It's like a loser wailing.

It's very simple. One trillion dollars. Commissioners Smith and his team are all ready. How could they possibly stop pushing it forward just because of one sentence from you?
He was wrong about everything.

As for the high debt, why not just borrow more? Let alone one trillion, it's not impossible to come up with another ten trillion.

When Big T takes office, he will see the wildest extortion, a global extortion tour, with extortion demands for hundreds of billions of dollars. No money? Not a chance.

Compared to Big T's asking price, Scharvin is much more sensible.

"Suitability assessment of Degellach crater as a candidate site for a lunar base"

Report Number: AER-ART-2023-018
Submitted by: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Compiled by: Aerospace Corporation, Lunar Exploration Systems Division

Authors: Dr. Jonathan Smith (Principal Analyst), Dr. Marcus Hale (Geologist), Dr. Elena Vasquez (Engineering Manager)
Date: July 1, 2023

Category: Non-Confidential - For Official Use Only

Summary
Aerospace companies have conducted a comprehensive engineering and scientific suitability assessment of the Degellach crater (centered at approximately 88.5°S, 87°W, with a diameter of approximately 32 km) as a potential site for a lunar base under NASA's Artemis program.

This analysis is based on data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, including the lunar orbital laser altimeter topographic model, the temperature distribution from the Diviner lunar radiometer experiment, and Mini-RF radar imaging.

Key findings indicate that the Degellach crater is well-suited for its location near permanently shadowed areas, potential volatile resources, near-constant sunlight at its rim for solar power generation, and relatively suitable topography for extravehicular activities and in-situ resource utilization.

However, challenges include extreme thermal gradients (from -230°C within PSRs to +120°C at the edge of the pit) and moderate slope risk (average 10-15°).

Compared to the adjacent Shackleton Crater, Degellach…

Jonathan looked at the report in his hand. The contents were all too familiar. It was a report he had made in 2000. The only difference between this report and the one from 2000 was the number.

The improved accuracy of the detector necessitates some data corrections, but the core content remains unchanged.

NASA spent over $3 million on this report.

Of course, there was another report, about Shackleton Crater, which was also written by him. It cost $80 million, but NASA didn't use it; instead, the Chinese did.

After reviewing the report, he prepared to submit it to NASA as a preliminary result. Elena rushed into his office:

"Dr. Smith, something terrible has happened! China's lunar landing mission this month has landed in the Degellach crater."

(End of this chapter)