Chapter 354 Give Academician Luo a Big Gift! (5K Votes Requested, Please Follow Up)
Snapped!
The old gentleman's face was livid with anger, and his wrinkles seemed to become more profound at this moment. His eyes were widened, as if fire was about to burst out of his eye sockets.
He waved the document in his hand, and each page seemed to carry his anger and disappointment, hitting the table with a crisp sound.
"Is this your so-called perfect plan? Is this the foolproof thing you promised? Now, the whole world is watching our joke, how can you make our National Space Administration lose face!" His voice was weak. Trembling, every word seemed to be squeezed out from between teeth, full of anger and disappointment.
Bill lowered his head slightly and did not dare to speak.
"Thank you! If you guys at NASA don't do something, just resign collectively!"
"Sir, please allow me to explain that the dust storms on Mars are indeed different from those on Blue Stars. Their formation mechanisms and change patterns are quite complex."
"There is no local weather station on Mars yet. Even if we have advanced detection equipment and technology, it is difficult for us to achieve real-time and accurate monitoring due to the harsh environment and communication delays on Mars."
He paused, looked at the old man's face, and continued: "And dust storms on Mars are often sudden and unpredictable."
"Sometimes, they burst out suddenly in a very short period of time, and our equipment may not be able to capture these changes in time, which is why we were unable to completely avoid the impact of sandstorms in our previous plans."
Bill's voice gradually returned to calmness, and he tried to support his explanation with facts and data.
He cited some examples of dust storms encountered by past Mars exploration missions and the measures they took to deal with these challenges.
"We have been working hard to improve our monitoring technology and prediction models, but the Martian environment is indeed too harsh for us to be foolproof."
"Then why don't you prepare yourself before going up?" the old gentleman said dissatisfiedly.
Bill hesitated and said, "Because you said before, Mr., that manned landing on Mars must be achieved as soon as possible, and we must be in the first echelon of Blue Star technology."
"Did I really say that?" The old gentleman's face showed confusion.
Bill didn't know whether the other party was pretending or whether his memory was poor in old age, so Bill said: "It's absolutely true. At that time, you asked your secretary to send me an email to urge me."
Bill thought that he would be scolded anyway, so he might as well tell the truth.
Old gentleman:......
Why do you have such a good memory?
The old gentleman was speechless for a moment. He had indeed urged Bill to achieve the goal of manned landing on Mars as soon as possible, but he did not expect that it would lead to such serious consequences.
He frowned, took a deep breath, and decided to change the topic immediately.
"What I said is not important now. You have seen the current situation. We are facing huge challenges and doubts. Now is the time to think of a solution." The old man said seriously.
Bill nodded: "I actually think this is a good opportunity to test the human life support device they carry."
"Although sandstorms on Mars pose great challenges, they also provide us with a rare testing environment. The human life support devices we carry are precisely to protect the lives of astronauts in extreme environments. "
"This sandstorm is just the right time to test the stability and reliability of these devices."
Bill paused, observing the old man's reaction, and then continued: "We can definitely use this opportunity to collect a large amount of data and provide valuable experience for future Mars exploration missions."
The old gentleman stared at him with half-closed eyes and said, "Are you sure nothing will happen to the people above?"
Who in their right mind would admit that there is a problem at this time?
Bill replied seriously: "Of course not."
"Okay, then next, I want you to come up with a specific solution!"
"We must stabilize the media!"
Bill nodded immediately. He understood what the old gentleman meant. Under the current situation, the most important thing was to stabilize the media and control the direction of public opinion.
Bill thought for a while and said: "In addition to maintaining close contact with the exploration team on the Mars exploration vehicle, understanding their physical condition and material reserves, and providing necessary support and guidance, I suggest that they can be sent on the spacecraft at the right time. Ship V3 leaves Mars."
"Starship V3?" The old man frowned, "Are you sure it can take off from the sandstorm at this time?"
“Just detect the right opportunities.”
The old gentleman knew that this was the best way at present, so he agreed.
Soon, Bill held a press conference.
At the press conference, the spotlights were flashing, and reporters, holding recorders and cameras, were nervously waiting for Bill's speech. Bill stood on the stage, facing the camera. He took a deep breath and adjusted his emotions.
"Hello, fellow reporters." Bill's voice was clear and firm. "Thank you all for coming here at such a critical moment. On behalf of our team, I will give you an update on the current Mars exploration mission and the issues we are facing. Detailed notification.”
He paused and continued: "First of all, I want to emphasize that we always put the safety of the exploration team first. At present, we have established stable contact with them. They are in good physical condition and have material reserves. It will be enough to last for a while, and we are doing our best to provide them with the necessary support and guidance."
The reporters jotted down the key points, and some had slightly relieved expressions on their faces.
"As for the issue that everyone is concerned about about how to evacuate from Mars, we already have a specific solution." Bill's voice revealed a bit of confidence, "We will use Starship V3 for evacuation, although it is still in the test flight stage. But our team has conducted a comprehensive inspection and optimization to ensure that it can take off safely in extreme environments."
"Of course, we are also well aware of the risks and challenges involved." Bill said frankly, "Therefore, we will closely monitor the dust storm conditions on Mars and look for the best time to take off. At the same time, we will also do all possible things Contingency plan to ensure the safety of the exploration team.”
He continued: "As for the media, we understand everyone's concerns and concerns, and we will regularly release the latest rescue progress and situation reports to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information."
"At the same time, I also hope that everyone can treat this incident rationally and refrain from excessive speculation and hype, so as not to bring unnecessary pressure to the detection team and our team."
When have reporters ever listened?
When they heard what Bill said, someone immediately asked: "Is it impossible that what Academician Luo of China said could happen?"
"For example, Starship V3 will malfunction?"
He took a deep breath and responded calmly: "Academician Luo is an authority in the industry, and his views are certainly worthy of respect, but scientific exploration itself is full of unknowns and challenges. We believe in our technology, and regarding Starship V3, we have Comprehensive inspections and testing have been carried out, so everyone can rest assured.”
The reporters were obviously not satisfied with this answer, and someone else asked: "But Academician Luo clearly expressed his concerns about Starship V3 in previous interviews. He believed that there would be huge risks for this experimental spacecraft to take off in a Martian dust storm." risk, how do you respond to this?”
Bill frowned slightly, knowing that this question was difficult to avoid.
After thinking for a while, he said: "We understand Academician Luo's concerns, but he is not omniscient. He has no idea about the design structure of Starship V3 and our countermeasures."
"Academician Luo is an outstanding scientist, but on this specific issue, we rely more on our professional team and technical strength."
Bill's voice gradually became louder: "The design of Starship V3 itself is to cope with extreme environments. Our team includes a group of top aerospace engineers and technical experts. They have rich experience and professional knowledge and can respond at critical moments." Make the right decisions.”
"I hope you will trust our technical staff instead of listening to the words of foreign experts."
Seeing that Bill was so confident, the reporters naturally believed what the other party said.
They returned to their respective jobs and began writing press releases.
They knew the importance of this press conference, so everyone was extremely serious.
"According to Mr. Bill, they fully trust their professional team and technical strength, and are fully aware of the design structure and response measures of Starship V3. They firmly believe that Starship V3 can take off safely in the Martian sandstorm and successfully evacuate the exploration team." one reporter wrote.
"At the same time, Mr. Bill also emphasized that Academician Luo's views are not necessarily accurate, and they rely more on their own professional judgment. He called on the public to trust NASA technical personnel instead of blindly listening to the words of foreign experts."
Soon, these press releases were sent to major media platforms and spread quickly.
The public began to trust Bill's words and had more confidence in the safety performance of Starship V3.
Of course, some people were skeptical of Bill's words, thinking that they were just nice words to appease public sentiment, but most people still chose to believe it. After all, they had no other better choice.
Amid the overwhelming publicity from the Chinese media, Luo Yao received data from the rover on Mars.
“A global dust storm is going to happen on Mars?”
Luo Yao looked complicated, thinking that it would be a miracle if the starship V3 on Mars could come back.
That night, Huaguo News broadcast the news.
"According to data from unmanned exploration vehicles far away on Mars, there will be a very large dust storm on Mars that will last for more than five months. The dust storms on Mars will roll into the sky and form dust clouds on Mars."
"These dust clouds have strong light-shielding capabilities and will significantly reduce sunlight exposure, making the surface of Mars dark and cold."
"What's even more serious is that dust clouds sometimes spread across the planet and turn into global dust storms."
"In such extreme weather, the surface of Mars is almost covered with thick sand and dust, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate, causing the temperature to drop sharply, by as much as 10 to 30 degrees Celsius."
"Due to the accumulation of dust, the air pressure on Mars will also rise significantly, increasing by several hectopascals. This harsh environmental condition is undoubtedly a huge challenge for exploration activities on Mars."
Although the Chinese news did not mention the exploration team, the Blue Star people quickly thought of the three people on Mars.
"Here, is it true, a super-large sandstorm for five months? Can the people on the exploration team still survive?"
"If they don't listen to Academician Luo, it will be terrible, right?"
"You don't think our people have nothing to do, right? Let me tell you, NASA's technology is the best. If Director Bill says he can come back, he can come back!"
"I keep preaching about how awesome NASA's technology is, but the result is that the exploration team is in such a predicament? Who would believe it now that they can come back?"
"Let Director Bill come out quickly and teach these people what real great power technology is!"
While people on the Internet were arguing endlessly, Bill looked at the snow-covered screen of the NASA command center with an ugly expression.
"Try contacting them again."
The engineer worked quickly.
"No, Director, the signal connection failed."
Bill frowned and stared at the screen covered with snowflakes, his heart filled with anxiety.
He confirmed again: "Are you sure you can't contact the detection team?"
The engineer replied solemnly: "Yes, Director, we have tried many times, but we have never been able to establish a stable signal connection. The sandstorms on Mars may have seriously affected the normal operation of the communication equipment."
Bill took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.
He knew that communication interruptions were common in such extreme weather, but he still couldn't suppress his inner worry.
He had just boasted about Haikou at the press conference. How come he couldn't even contact the people from the exploration team in the blink of an eye?
"Continue to monitor the weather conditions on Mars, and once the dust storm subsides, immediately try to re-establish contact." Bill ordered decisively.
The engineers took action, knowing that time was of the essence for the exploration team, and every minute and every second could be related to their life or death.
but.
How can they contact the Mars exploration team in a sandstorm on Blue Star?
Engineers feel like they are working in vain.
"Director, may I suggest we request backup?"
Bill looked gloomy and said, "What kind of support are you asking for?"
The engineer said: "From China, I remember they have the Baidi space plane. The Baidi's speed can reach Mars in about a month..."
"Shut up, since when did we need help from the Chinese?!"
Bill's anger erupted like a volcano. He stood up suddenly and glared at the engineer who made the request.
The engineer was startled by Bill's sudden reaction, but he persisted in his point of view.
"Director, I understand what you mean. NASA has always been a leader in the aerospace field, but this time the situation is really critical. The safety of the exploration team is the first priority."
"China's Baidi Space Plane is currently the fastest means of transportation on Blue Star. They have the ability to reach Mars in a short time. We..."
"That's enough!" Bill interrupted, with a firm light shining in his eyes, "We at NASA have our own dignity and pride, and we will not ask for support from any country, especially them."
"Our technology is the most advanced, our team is the best, and we have the ability to solve this crisis."
The engineer was shocked by Bill's words. He lowered his head and stopped talking.
He knew that Bill's decision was irreversible, but he was still worried about the safety of the exploration team.
Bill took a deep breath and tried to calm down his emotions. He understood that the most important thing now was to calm down.
"Continue to try to contact the exploration team and activate our backup communication channel." Bill ordered.
"yes."
A week later, NASA engineers finally contacted the people on Mars.
"Tucker, how are you doing?"
Tucker gasped and said anxiously: "There is something wrong with the starship."
Tucker's words silenced the entire command center.
"What exactly went wrong?" Bill asked in a deep voice, trying to stay calm.
Tucker tried to calm his breathing and described the situation in as much detail as possible: "A key component of the engine was damaged, resulting in unstable power output. We tried emergency repairs, but due to the impact of the sandstorm, visibility was extremely low and the operation was extremely difficult. .Also, our maintenance tools and equipment are limited.”
"How much energy reserves do you have now?" Bill asked.
Tucker hesitated and replied: "Not much. We have been trying to save energy as much as possible, but the problem with the engine prevents us from entering the energy-saving mode, and the energy is consumed very quickly."
Bill's heart tightened. He knew that time was running out and he had to make a decision as soon as possible. He quickly summoned engineers for an emergency meeting to discuss solutions.
The atmosphere in the conference room was tense and solemn. Engineers put forward their own suggestions and ideas. Some people suggested sending a rescue team to Mars.
"It will take at least three months to go to Mars. Do you think they can wait three months?" Bill said angrily.
At this time, Alexander, the head of Daxiong's Space Commission, had already learned about the encounter of the Mars exploration team on Mars through monitoring.
"Is there really something wrong with the engine?"
"It seems that Academician Luo is indeed right."
Alexander was shocked by the sudden news.
Originally, he thought that Luo Yao's speculation was just to stimulate the nerves of the ugly people, but he didn't expect that it really happened!
He couldn't help but have mixed emotions in his heart. He was amazed at Luo Yao's accurate judgment, but also felt that Luo Yao was scary.
It’s strange that there are people like this in China and they can’t develop!
"Sir, are we going to announce the news to the outside world this time?" the subordinate asked.
"Wait a minute and let me contact Academician Luo. I want to give this gift to him."
If this kind of first-hand information was given to Luo Yao from him, Luo Yao might be able to take a good look at him when he cooperates with him in the future, and it might even affect the attitude of the entire Huaguo Space Center towards them.
Alexander is well aware that in this era of rapid technological change, international cooperation and competition coexist, and establishing a solid cooperative relationship can often bring unexpected benefits.
Alexander quickly dialed Luo Yao's phone number...