Chapter 59 Earth-Moon Lagrange_L1

Shui Wa was a pure human being; he redirected the gaze of humanity deep into the cosmos, allowing their thoughts to soar beyond the confines of star systems.

The people living on this world really should look up at the stars; the Chinese Sun that flies out of the Solar System will make the pleasure-seeking humans look to the starry sky once again, reawakening their dreams of cosmic voyages and reigniting their desire for interstellar exploration.

In the Trisolaran universe, this might be a dead-end path, as the darkness of the universe cannot accommodate such a pure person; it is not a pristine virgin land waiting to be explored by humanity.

Lin Sen, who had crossed over into this world, had never heard of any plans to initiate the Chinese Sun Project.

Reflecting on the possible alternate lives of Zhuang Yu and Shui Wa, Lin Sen sought out Logic.

Looking at the information from Zhuang Yu, he asked, "Are you interested in recruiting your brother-in-law to your direct research department? I'd like to personally invite him."

Logic: "Oh, does he have any special qualities?"

Lin Sen: "Yes, he invented a kind of nanomirror film material, which is very soft and smooth and almost weightless to the touch in its normal state.

When a weak electric current passes through it, it becomes like metal. A light tap will emit a pleasing metallic sound, and its surface is polished, with good reflectivity like a mirror. The material's strength is also decent."

Logic: "Sounds like a very good material. Does it have any practical uses?"

Lin Sen: "Hmm, the documentation says it can concentrate sunlight for generating electricity or boiling water, but they underestimate this material.

Have you ever thought that humans are now plundering resources recklessly without regard for the environment, and they have already caused significant damage to Earth's ecological balance.

Someday, Earth will reach its carrying limit, and the environment will deteriorate, with the future climate potentially becoming extremely harsh.

If a Giant Reflective Mirror is constructed in Earth's geosynchronous orbit, acting like an artificial sun and combined with computer technology to simulate regional atmospheric conditions, the application of heat from the artificial sun could eventually achieve climate regulation."

Logic: "It's a good idea. On the ground, this material doesn't do much, or the benefits are too low. But in space, it's different; it might be the most suitable material there is.

Still, such work is massive, and climate and the environment aren't humanity's current concerns. I doubt the PDC would approve this plan."

Lin Sen: "Its uses are far from limited to this...

Rey Diaz went to build a Moon Base, and the first problem to solve was the closed-environment Life Support System and large-scale artificial biospheres.

With the current conditions, only a few places on the Moon are suitable for base construction, but we need to build on a large scale, and the challenges are enormous.

That's not even the key issue; the most crucial is still the energy problem. Initially, the Moon can only utilize solar energy, which with current technology, is not sufficient to support large-scale construction.

We can't bring too many resources to the Moon with us, so solar energy is our only exploitable resource. A day on the Moon is actually a month long, so during the night, we would almost lose all energy supply. We can't afford to work for half a month and stop for half a month.

With no atmosphere on the Moon and its low thermal conductivity, the thermal differences between lunar day and night are significant, around 310 degrees Celsius, which is also not conducive to the base construction.

I hadn't thought of building an overly large Moon Base at once, but this material gives us that possibility.

If we place a Giant Reflective Mirror at the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point, when the Moon Base enters the Moon's night, the giant mirror could reflect sunlight, providing the Moon Base with ample solar energy.

We might even build a space elevator at the L1 and L2 Lagrange Points, paving a highway between Earth and the Moon."

The distance between Earth and Moon is 380,000 kilometers, and there are 5 Lagrange Points between them - points of gravitational and centrifugal balance (don't spray, centrifugal is not a force but analyzed as one in physics) - L1 to L5.

The significance of Earth-Moon Lagrange Points is that they are stationary relative to both Earth and Moon, serving as crucial space waypoints or relay stations.

L1 is located between Earth and the Moon, about 60,000 kilometers from the Moon.

L2 is on the other side of the Moon from Earth on the extended line connecting Earth and the Moon, also about 60,000 kilometers away from the Moon.

L3 lies on the side of Earth opposite the Moon, about 380,000 kilometers from Earth.

L4 forms an equilateral triangle with Earth and the Moon, slightly further from Earth and closer on the side near the Moon.

L5 is on the other side of the equilateral triangle formed with Earth and the Moon, closer to Earth's side.

In particular, L1 and L2 points, on the near and far side of the Moon, respectively - since the Moon always shows the same side to Earth, these points are essentially lunar synchronous orbit points.

Humans can build space bases at the L1 and L2 Points and construct giant mirrors on them to reflect sunlight onto the lunar surface, providing sufficient energy for the Moon.

Logic: "A very creative idea. From a simple nanomirror film material, you've made the leap to addressing the energy challenges of Moon Base construction. I'm increasingly impressed with you."

Lin Sen: "Stop praising me, your creativity far surpasses mine. I suffered enough at your hands when I was a kid. That being said, do you want to go meet your uncle?"

In the original timeline, when the Trisolarans blocked the magnifying effect of the Sun, making it impossible for Logic to send signals into space using the Sun, Logic caught the Trisolarans off guard with the Snowfield Project. Lin Sen considered his own brilliance inadequate compared.

Logic: "I think I'll go meet him. Our destiny cannot change, maybe we can never go back. Yanyan has no family left, and I want to do something for her, to make up for what I owe her."

Zhuang Yan's identity must be kept secret, even from outside contact, so Zhuang Yan did not know Zhuang Yu's current situation. Logic had even anticipated his own future and the impossibility of being with his wife and daughter; he owed Zhuang Yan too much.

Strictly speaking, the current moment was the most dangerous for Logic and Lin Sen. It would be wiser just to let the PDC invite Zhuang Yu over, but Logic sensed Lin Sen had other motives and thus agreed.

Once the decision to meet Zhuang Yu was made, Logic contacted Kent, now serving as Logic's Wallfacer steward, or liaison. The itinerary was organized immediately.

That same day, Logic and Lin Sen arrived at the rental house where Shui Wa lived. Since it was evening, both Shui Wa and Zhuang Yu had already returned home, cooling off in the courtyard with others.

Suddenly, a multitude of uniformed personnel appeared, ignoring those enjoying the cool air and swiftly securing all entrances and exits, meticulously checking every inch of ground, all indoor ceilings, and extending their surveillance outward, leaving no potential hiding spots unchecked.

The authority of a Wallfacer, especially Logic after the public had learned of his report at the Wallfacer Tribunal, was very high.

At first, people experienced panic and unease, but as time passed, their feelings gradually calmed, and the sense of despair also eased significantly.