March 15, 2024, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Underground Laboratory
Li Xinmin's finger hovered over the touch screen of the quantum key generator, and the hexagonal crystal structure in the holographic projection was slowly rotating.
These transparent minerals extracted from lunar lava tubes refract a light blue spectrum in the strong magnetic field of the laboratory - highly consistent with the spectral characteristics of the lunar soil brought back for the first time by the Guanghan Palace lunar base.
"The refractive index is 1.732, which is exactly √3." Xiao Zhen poked the projection with a laser pointer. "Do you know what this means?"
Xiao Zhennan, wearing a white coat, suddenly looked up: "The optimal ratio of three-dimensional space expanding into higher dimensions."
Zhennan called up the photos taken by Tianwen-3 on Mars and zoomed in on a certain crater wall - countless identical hexagonal crystals were arranged in a honeycomb structure, stretching for more than 20 kilometers.
This discovery instantly silenced the laboratory, and everyone remembered the unpublished lunar soil X-ray diffraction data from the lunar exploration mission.
The air in the laboratory suddenly became thick.
The vibration sensor on the sole of Li Xinmin's tactical boots issued an early warning, and he quickly drew his gun and pointed it at the ventilation duct in the northwest corner.
Three mechanical inspection robots were emerging from the gaps in the grid, with the Moscow Electronics Factory's logo flashing on their abdomens.
"Don't be nervous, this is a 'small gift' from the Russian side." Xiao Zhen smiled and pressed the button on the console, and the gravity field in the laboratory suddenly reversed.
The mechanical robot hit the ceiling in a state of weightlessness and was frozen into an ice block by the sudden spray of liquid nitrogen - this liquid nitrogen generator technology was exactly what China modified from the drilling equipment of Chang'e 6.
The holographic screen suddenly switched to the National Defense University's encrypted channel. The starry sky behind Fan Dabo distorted slightly. "Old Xiao, Japan's Hayabusa-3 probe was launched ten minutes ago. The thermal signature of the payload compartment indicates... they're carrying metallic hydrogen."
March 16 Earth-Moon Lagrange L2 point
The "Jingwei" space station of Interstellar Resources Group is assembling its seventh smelting cabin.
On the outer wall of the circular cabin with a diameter of 100 meters, Feng Yi led the security team to inspect the laser defense array.
Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation in his exoskeleton gloves - this was the warning from the quantum intuitive early warning system developed by Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The principle is similar to the lunar dust monitoring technology used by Chang'e 4 when it landed on the far side of the moon.
"Everyone enter level two combat readiness!" Feng Yi's roar exploded in the vacuum through the bone conduction headphones.
The engineering team instantly put away their tools, and twelve maintenance robots deployed their electromagnetic shields.
This electromagnetic shield technology originates from the lunar dust protection system designed by China for Chang'e-6.
Six spots of light suddenly appeared in the dark deep space, and the Japanese probe's separation capsule was heading towards it on a suicidal trajectory.
Feng Yi sneered and activated the holographic terminal on his wrist. Thirty silver spheres suddenly popped out from the outer wall of the space station.
This is an improved version of the orbital interception device that Xiao Zhen "borrowed" from Russia. It has been equipped with China Interstellar's quantum jammer - its principle is the same as the optimized version of the Hall thruster used by the Chang'e 5 orbiter.
A violent flash of light burst forth in the silence.
When the Japanese flight control center cheered for hitting the target, Feng Yi was looking at the wreckage of the imaginary enemy on the holographic screen and sneering - the real "Jingwei" space station had already passed through the electromagnetic stealth coating and was transferred to the orbital shadow area 300 kilometers away.
This coating technology is what China is developing for its future lunar lava tube base.
On the same day, Saudi Arabia's New Future City underground command post
Xiao Zhenbei's leather shoes squeaked as he stepped on the simulated moondust.
The Arab version of the moon base in front of him, which cost tens of billions of dollars, fell into silence because of his arrival.
On the holographic sand table, where the location of the Chinese scientific research station should have been marked, the twelve-star flag of the European Union is now flashing.
"Your Highness, this coordinate error is quite interesting." Xiao Zhenbei pointed at the sand table with his e-cigarette. "Need I remind you why the cargo spacecraft launched for Dubai last month was able to reach the moon safely?"
The holographic screen behind the Saudi prince suddenly started flashing with snowflakes, and the real-time image of the ASNO oil field was forcibly cut in.
In the picture, the quantum security electromagnetic barrier is turning the sandstorm into a blue light curtain. Inside the barrier, Chinese engineers are safely debugging the shale oil cracking device - this technology is a preliminary research project developed by China for the oxygen production system of the lunar base.
"Perhaps we could discuss a crystal-sharing plan." The prince wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Our country is willing to use the ancient black stone beneath the Holy Temple in Mecca..."
"We want the future, not antiques." Xiao Zhenbei suddenly pulled up a diagram of the atomic structure of lunar crystals. "But three days ago, Cairo University discovered a calcite slab in the dark chamber of the Great Pyramid of Khufu... The geometric patterns on it look quite familiar."
March 17 Xichang Satellite Launch Center
Li Xinmin watched the fuel filling pipe detach from the Raptor 9 rocket, and the tactical eyepiece continuously refreshed the parameters of various systems.
The launch was ostensibly to transport materials for the second phase of the lunar base project, but in reality, the secret cabin contained twelve new types of drilling equipment - Xiao Zhen called them "dimensional keys".
The drill rods of these equipment are made of the same high-strength and tough aluminum-based composite material as Chang'e 6, which reduces weight by 65% and has wear resistance comparable to steel.
"Xinmin, come and look at this." Xiao Zhen waved in front of the podium.
On the holographic star map, abnormal gravitational fluctuations suddenly appeared near Jupiter's orbit, as if an invisible giant was awakening.
In the picture magnified 100,000 times, the surface of a seemingly ordinary asteroid vaguely shows the same honeycomb-shaped mineral structure as lunar crystals - this reminds people of the unknown minerals discovered by Chang'e 4 on the back of the moon.
"Report! A certain country's spacecraft suddenly changed its trajectory!" The controller's exclamation broke the tense atmosphere.
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