The auditorium of Sandaokou University was packed with people.
The top academicians and professors in mining and mechanical engineering from Xia Kingdom took their seats.
Besides, several unassuming biology professors were sitting in a corner of the auditorium.
Do you know what the purpose of this meeting is?
A slightly younger professor couldn't contain himself and spoke first, asking the professors around him.
"I don't know..."
"Don't look at me, I don't know either. Let alone the purpose of the meeting, I don't even know who convened this meeting."
“Hiss…now that you mention it, it seems I didn’t see any specific names either!” A professor with graying temples frowned slightly and said in a low voice, “I came to the meeting because I received a notice from above.”
"Me too!"
Just as everyone was discussing the matter, the doors of the auditorium slammed shut, and several soldiers in crisp uniforms began distributing confidentiality agreements to the crowd.
Upon seeing this, the pupils of everyone in the audience contracted slightly.
"This meeting...it's quite a grand affair!"
“I just looked around, and most of the people here are academicians and professors from the mining and mechanical engineering departments!” one academician said softly. “I reckon that Xia Country may have discovered some large, difficult-to-mine mine!”
"That's not right... I haven't heard anything about any mineral veins being discovered in Xia Country recently!"
At the same time, Lü Yongchang, dressed in formal attire, slowly walked onto the podium.
Looking at the crowd below the stage, he straightened his expression and reached out to turn on the projector.
"Everyone, let me introduce myself first. I am Lü Yongchang, the first director of the Xia Country Space Agency!"
"Since everyone has signed a confidentiality agreement, I won't beat around the bush."
"The main purpose of gathering everyone here today is to advance the Moon Palace Project!"
As Lü Yongchang finished speaking, a line of large characters appeared on the projection screen.
Fully Automated Lunar Mining Program
boom!
In an instant, murmurs of discussion erupted throughout the auditorium!
The academician who had just speculated that Xia Guo had discovered a large mine stared wide-eyed at the large characters on the projection screen.
Good heavens!
This is a real, huge mine!
"First, we need to clarify the mineral resources on the moon."
As he spoke, Lü Yongchang clicked the mouse and switched the PowerPoint presentation.
A high-resolution thumbnail of the moon appeared on the projection screen.
"40% oxygen, 20% silicon, 14% aluminum, calcium and small amounts of titanium, manganese, magnesium, chromium, and most importantly, helium-3."
"The main purpose of Project Lunar Palace is to obtain the abundant helium-3 resources in lunar soil."
"The amount of helium-3 in lunar soil is estimated to be over one million tons. For every ton of helium-3 extracted from lunar soil, 6,300 tons of hydrogen, 70 tons of nitrogen, and 1,600 tons of carbon can be obtained!"
"In addition to these basic resources, ilmenite in lunar mare basalt is also a key project of the Lunar Palace Project."
"In order to realize the Lunar Palace Project, we urgently need an integrated lunar mining equipment that combines automated mining, sorting and refining."
"This is also your task for the next step."
As Lü Yongchang finished speaking, the auditorium fell silent.
Kong Xingbang stared tremblingly at Lü Yongchang on the podium, and swallowed hard.
As a senior academician in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Xia Guo Academy of Sciences, Kong Xingbang could hardly believe his eyes.
Do humans—no, does the Xia Kingdom—truly have the capability to mine on a large scale on the moon?
He slowly raised his hand and gestured towards Lü Yongchang on the stage.
Lu Yongchang immediately noticed Kong Xingbang's raised right hand, and his pupils widened in shock the moment he saw the old man's face!
It's him!
Academician Kong Xingbang!
Countless fragments of memories surfaced in his mind.
In his previous life, Academician Kong Xingbang's name was known to everyone!
Although the underground city plan was proposed by Lü Yongchang, it was Academician Kong Xingbang who truly put it into practice.
It is no exaggeration to say that Kong Xingbang single-handedly overcame most of the difficulties in the construction of giant underground cities!
Therefore, in his previous life, Academician Kong Xingbang was even hailed as the savior of human civilization!
Unexpectedly, my meeting actually brought in this big shot, Kong Xingbang!
Lu Yongchang took a deep breath, his expression showing respect, and said softly, "Academician Kong, do you have any questions?"
Kong Xingbang was slightly taken aback, and subconsciously asked, "Professor Lü, you... know me?"
Lü Yongchang chuckled and nodded, saying meaningfully, "Who doesn't know the name of Academician Kong from the Department of Mechanical Engineering?"
Faced with Lü Yongchang's praise, Kong Xingbang blushed slightly and waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "Oh, it's just some minor achievement!"
"Not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning!"
"Getting back to the main point, I wonder if Academician Kong has any questions about this plan?"
Kong Xingbang's expression turned slightly serious, and he asked in a soft voice, "Professor Lü, does Xia Country currently lack the capability to send large quantities of supplies into space?"
"Not to mention building such complex mechanical equipment on the moon."
"I can be a bit blunt sometimes, I hope Professor Lü won't mind."
In response to Kong Xingbang's question, Lü Yongchang smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's alright."
"Academician Kong should be familiar with the Xuan Nu-1 spaceplane that recently underwent its test flight, right?"
Seeing Kong Xingbang nod, Lü Yongchang pondered for a moment and then said, "Xuan Nu No. 1 can carry ten tons of supplies to the lunar surface at a time."
Kong Xingbang's pupils suddenly contracted!
Ten tons of supplies?!
so much? !
But soon, his brows furrowed: "Ten tons of supplies seems like a lot, but compared to the massive mining equipment... it's still a bit too little."
"Academician Kong, don't rush, let me finish," Lü Yongchang said with a smile. "Let me give you some calculations."
"Outside the atmosphere, the maximum speed of Xuan Nu-1 can reach the second cosmic velocity, which is 11.2 km/s. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is about 400,000 kilometers."
"Including take-off, landing and unloading time, a conservative estimate is that it will take about two days for a round trip."
"Transporting ten tons of supplies in two days seems much more reliable, doesn't it?"
"Furthermore," Lu Yongchang's lips curled into a bright smile, "the Xuan Nu II project is under development, and its transport capacity is expected to reach 50-80 tons!"
"Well, Academician Kong, any more questions?"
Kong Xingbang shook his head in shock and said with difficulty, "If what Professor Lü said is true, then I have no problem."
Lü Yongchang nodded slightly and turned back to the stage.
"A rough project plan is already placed in the drawer of the table in front of you. You can take a look at it yourself."
"Feel free to ask any questions."
As soon as he finished speaking, the soft rustling of papers turning over echoed from every corner of the auditorium!
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