Not to Be Lost
After reviewing the PowerPoint presentation, Shen Qi had a general idea of the technical problems facing the "Project Starlight": "Director Ma, the 'Project Starlight' is an incredibly massive undertaking. I believe that if all the technical data for this project were stored on a USB drive, it would require at least a truckload of such USB drives, right? This PowerPoint presentation is rather general and doesn't show many specific technical parameters. My understanding after reviewing this presentation is that there's a problem with the membrane carried by the satellite?"
"Academician Shen is indeed insightful. This plan can be described as a synergy between space and ground. The infrastructure projects on the ground are progressing relatively smoothly, but the most critical issue lies in space. If the reflector satellite cannot operate as planned, the supporting facilities on the ground will be meaningless," Director Ma said with a solemn expression.
"The 120 reflector satellites themselves are not a problem. We can use Long March Rocket to send them into Synchronous Orbit in batches. However, whether the satellites can achieve the expected reflection and focusing effect after they are launched is our biggest concern..."
"To be honest, through Computer Science simulations, we found that these satellites did not achieve the expected results after launch... That's right, the membrane carried by the satellites needs improvement."
"Academician Shen, I know that without all the technical parameters, it will be difficult for you to provide an effective solution. The main reason I am visiting Academician Shen today is to report on the overall progress and technical difficulties of the 'Project Starlight.' All the technical data for this project is in the project team's technical database. If you agree to lend an Academician Shen, you can retrieve the specific technical parameters from the database at any time."
The "Project Starlight" consists of 120 reflective satellites, each carrying 100 kilograms of Fluid Planar Thin Film.
Fluid Planar Thin Film is a monolayer, and the theoretical area of a 100-kilogram Fluid Planar Thin Film when fully expanded is 100 square kilometers.
Once all the Fluid Planar Thin Film carried by the 120 reflecting satellites have been deployed, they will form an ultra-thin and ultra-large reflecting mirror in Geostationary Orbit.
This giant reflector in space concentrates sunlight at a ground-based power station in Northwest China with an efficiency 400 times that of Natural Light Intensity, creating a green and environmentally friendly power generation behemoth with a capacity of 50 million kilowatts to ensure the power supply for the Northwest region.
It's easy to imagine how magnificent and spectacular a space-ground integrated project would be if the "Project Starlight" were successfully completed.
The entire "Project Starlight" involves many fields such as energy, aviation, physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials, Computer Science, and engineering construction.
Such a massive project was able to enter the substantive testing phase because China has a group of dedicated and outstanding elite scientists and Engineer, as well as the support of its strong national power.
In short, the "Project Starlight" cannot afford to fail.
However, such a large project is bound to encounter problems.
The theoretical basis for using a single-molecule Fluid Planar Thin Film to reflect sunlight in space is the "Magnetic Field Confinement Ring Particle Flow". This theory was first proposed by Soviet Union physicists Tamm and Sakharov, and Soviet Union Engineer first built Tokamak based on this theory.
The materials team within the "Project Starlight" project developed a single-molecule Fluid Planar Thin Film carried on a reflector satellite, based on the theory of Magnetic Field Confinement Ring Particle Flow proposed by Soviet Union physicists and emerging Material Science theories of the 21st century.
However, in the simulation experiments, the project team's materials team found that the single-molecule Fluid Planar Thin Film they developed could not always maintain an ordered whole with uniform surface density under the interference of Solar Wind, Light Pressure, and magnetic field.
The problem the materials team feared most has materialized—turbulence.
Uncontrollable turbulence.
Just like a driver is driving a car, the car must always be kept in a safe driving state. Once a part of the car malfunctions, it will lead to an irreversible safety accident.
Turbulence is a hidden danger in the "Project Starlight".
Perhaps we should add "one of" after the word "hidden danger".
In light of the above issues, Director Ma reiterated in the most earnest tone. "Academician Shen, when you first received the Nobel Prize in Physics, it was for your groundbreaking research achievements in Condensed Matter Physics materials. You received the Nobel Prize in Physics a second time because you solved the Navier-Stokes equation."
"You once published a Condensed Matter Physics, in which you devoted a full thirty-two pages to explaining your understanding of turbulence, chaos, and complexity theories. I bought both the first and second editions of this book and read it every day."
"Your center's FASTER Project Team specializes in the research of Condensed Matter Physics materials. In the field of Condensed Matter Physics alone, your center's research strength ranks among the top in the country... So Academician Shen, you are the only one who can help us."
"This..." Shen Qi looked hesitant, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Director Ma humbled himself greatly. "I'm just a director, I know my rank is too low. Originally, our director was going to visit Academician Shen in person, but he was suddenly summoned to a secret place by the elder in charge of energy, so I can only represent our director to meet Academician Shen."
"For the sake of our increasingly powerful nation, and for the hundreds of millions of people in Northwest China, we urge Academician Shen to seriously consider the 'Project Starlight'."
Shen Qi knew that the "Project Starlight" was a very important component of the national strategic equipment series, and the country attached great importance to this century-long project. The person behind Director Ma was the head of their Energy Administration, and the bigwig above the head was the elder in charge of energy.
The feasibility study, demonstration, and testing of the "Project Starlight" lasted for twenty years. Due to the change of leadership, there were three elders in total who were in charge of the project.
The success or failure of "Project Starlight" concerns the interests of the entire country, and each term has an elder in charge of the project. Director Ma has already made his point, so Shen Qi must express his opinion.
"My principle is that I have an unshirkable duty to serve the country and the people, and to contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Shen Qi said firmly.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful, thank you Academician Shen!" Director Ma grasped one of Shen Qi's hands with both of his and shook it vigorously.
"If the country needs it, I and our center's FASTER Project Team will spare no effort to help the 'Project Starlight' solve technical problems. I can't guarantee that we can definitely solve the problems, I can only say that we will do our best," Shen Qi added.
Director Ma, beaming, said, "Great, great, that's wonderful! Thank you so much!"
"But Director Ma, our center's core research work can't stop. The entire FASTER Project Team has been seconded to work on the 'Project Starlight,' which has practically crippled our center's applied physics section. We definitely won't be able to complete the annual research tasks assigned to our center by the state." Shen Qi said, his face showing difficulty again.
Director Ma confidently stated, "For every researcher your center transfers, the state will replace them. After the 'Project Starlight' ends, the replacement researchers will remain at your center and will not return to their original work units. Of course, I am just a junior official and cannot represent the will of the state. However, my superiors are qualified to make the aforementioned compensation proposal to the state. If Academician Shen has any other requests, we will do our best to meet them."
"I'm sorry to have caused trouble for the country," Shen Qi said apologetically.
Director Ma shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, no, we're the ones who caused Academician Shen trouble."
"By the way, which hospital is Academician Han staying in? Is he in good health and may I visit him?" Shen Qi asked.
"Academician Han is staying at Xiehe Hospital. I visited him there yesterday," Director Ma said.
Shen Qi nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go see Academician Han first. We can discuss the specific operational details in a few days."