Chapter 105 Moon Space Elevator_1

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After three days and three nights, Lin Sen once again arrived at the Geostationary Space Station.

The best way to travel to the Moon was through the Geostationary Space Station, by transferring to the Earth-Moon Large Transport Spaceship bound for the Lagrange L1 Point Space Station between Earth and the Moon.

The Earth-Moon Large Transport Spaceship shuttled between the geosynchronous orbit and the Lagrange L1 Point Space Station, and it was currently the Moon Base's important material transport channel.

Before the Moon Base could become self-sufficient, this transport channel was also the Moon Base's vital lifeline.

The materials transported to the Moon were unloaded at the Lagrange L1 Point Space Station and then carried to the Moon by lunar landers.

The Lagrange L1 Point was stationary relative to both the Earth (referring to the center of the Earth) and the Moon, and was also stationary relative to the lunar surface, allowing the Moon Base to make use of the Lagrange L1 Point to build a lunar space elevator.

Actually, building a lunar space elevator was simpler than building one on Earth; first, the Moon's gravity was weaker, and second, the main concern when releasing the cable was the gravitational pull between the Earth and the Moon. Linking to the Moon Base could be done easily; one didn't even need to connect to a spacecraft—simply releasing straps on both ends would suffice.

The preliminary work for the elevator was already prepared, and the nano-materials were also ready. The Lagrange Point Space Station was a hive of activity, as it was now the final phase of the lunar space elevator's construction.

The Lagrange L1 Point Space Station released nano-cables in both directions. Since it was about 60,000 kilometers from the Moon, its counterweight was about 40,000 kilometers away from the L1 Point (with a total length of about 100,000 kilometers), thus the cost was extremely high. (The height of the geostationary space elevator was 36,000 kilometers, and with the counterweight, the total height was about 90,000 kilometers.)

The nano-cables were minimally affected by the Moon's gravity, and since the Moon did not rotate on its own—well, not that it didn't rotate, but rather its rotation was equal to its orbital period. Moreover, the Moon was not entirely stationary relative to the Earth; it oscillated periodically, which increased the difficulty of constructing the lunar space elevator. The nano-ribbons required a stronger adjustment capability.

There was one difference between the lunar space elevator and the Earth space elevator: the segment between the geostationary space station and the counterweight on the Earth space elevator didn't need to have transport functions. However, the segment between the L1 Space Station and its counterweight on the lunar space elevator could also be used for transport; the heavier the counterweight for the lunar space elevator, the shorter the elevator could actually be.

The cabins of the lunar space elevator, designed to be 30 times larger than those of the Earth's space elevator, would have a transport capacity 50 times greater once completed.

Firstly, because the Moon's gravity was one-sixth of Earth's, the gravity exerting on the cable itself would be very small, and the capacity to carry the elevator cabins could increase significantly.

Secondly, since there would only be two space elevators on the Moon, it was necessary to increase the transport capacity of each to suffice for the future's vast lunar development.

The L1 Point Space Station was affected by the gravitational forces of both the Moon and Earth; the Earth's gravity dominated the end closer to Earth, while the Moon's gravity dominated the end closer to the Moon.

Some people have also proposed the idea of directly connecting a space elevator from the lunar surface to near the Earth's geosynchronous orbit, essentially building a superstructure almost 300,000 kilometers long, where the Moon's base station would have to withstand an immense upward pull.

In theory, it was indeed feasible, but not necessary. The most important purpose of a space elevator was to save energy and increase transport efficiency.

Using such an elevator between Earth and the Moon, the energy loss during the transmission process would exceed the consumption of direct ship transport. Besides, with current ship transportation, one can also accelerate through gravity slingshot effects, and in the future, it would be possible to use reactionless drives, which are actually very efficient.

Above the Lagrange L1 Point Space Station, a Giant Reflective Mirror was also constructed, reflecting sunlight to provide energy for the space station and the Moon Base. Once the Moon's controlled nuclear fusion power station was completed, the Giant Reflective Mirror could also provide illumination for the lunar surface.

Lin Sen followed the lunar lander and directly landed on the Moon's surface, where the Moon Base had already begun to take shape.

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The Moon Base was largely constructed relying on the foundation of the space elevator. From the outside, it doesn't appear majestic, but inside it reveals another world. To reduce construction difficulty, most of the Moon Base is built along lunar caves.

Lunar caves are cavity-like structures that exist beneath the surface of the Moon, also known as "lunar lava tubes." The base's main projects are installed beneath the lunar surface, connecting the caverns below.

Utilizing the Moon's natural terrain and geology as external protection shields the base from cosmic radiation and extreme temperatures, not only increasing the safety of the Moon Base but also reducing the difficulty and risks involved in its construction.

During the construction, robots and brain-computer interface technologies were also heavily utilized. The builders at the base aren't all highly educated individuals; many have only a high school level education.

However, after receiving training for a while, with the help of artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces, they can all complete their tasks smoothly. They have a very low error rate, making them the perfect workers. Most of the base's constructors are from the Third World and Huaxia, sharing the common traits of not fearing difficulties and persevering through hardship.

Lin Sen put on a relatively light exoskeleton armored spacesuit. On the back of the spacesuit was a small backpack containing the life support system, which, thanks to advances in nanotechnology, did not make the suit bulky.

Research stations, life cycle systems, storage and transportation equipment, energy stations... and other infrastructure have all been completed. Now there is large-scale expansion going on inside the lava tubes to develop the base's industrial chain and achieve a complete industrial system.

The value of Moon development, in some respects, is greater than that of Earth, and the mineral resources on the Moon are more easily mined. Apart from fossil resources such as coal, oil, natural gas…which are absent, the Moon possesses all other mineral resources available on Earth.

Soon after, Lin Sen was taken to Rey Diaz's base storeroom, where he removed his helmet.

Lin Sen, "It really wasn't easy coming to see you!"

Rey Diaz, "Hey… Wallfacer, can't handle it already? I've been here for four years. In the beginning, the conditions here were much worse, and a lot more dangerous."

It's been four years, and Rey Diaz's personality hadn't changed; bickering with Lin Sen seemed to have become a habit, or perhaps it was only in front of Wallfacer Lin Sen that he could feel a sense of kinship.

Lin Sen, "These years… they have been hard on you."

Rey Diaz, "Getting praised by you isn't easy. Actually, I prefer being here. I was once a politician, but deep down, I hate politicians the most.

"My time as a Wallfacer was spent in endless debates with those politicians. I've had enough of that life.

"I like it here, as everyone's daily work is meaningful, and I want to struggle alongside them."

Lin Sen, "Indeed, this place might be more suitable for you.

"I came here to understand when the Moon Base can utilize lunar resources to establish a self-sustaining base industrial chain system, independent from Earth's resources, and even capable of replenishing Earth."

Rey Diaz, "It's not possible in the short term, but the biggest challenge has already been solved by you. The third-generation controlled nuclear fusion uses helium-3 as a raw material, and there are abundant helium-3 resources on the lunar surface.

"This makes replenishing Earth possible, but establishing a complete industrial chain system on the Moon is much more challenging since many industrial devices need to be transported from Earth. Moreover, many devices require redesigning. These tasks are predicted to need at least eight to ten more years."

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