Explosive Growth

With efficiency pushed to the extreme, and 700,000 clones working at full capacity at all times, the enormous Space Laboratory roughly 50 kilometers above Luoshen Star's surface finally began to take shape.

Overall, it looked like a rod passing through more than a dozen ring-shaped structures of varying sizes and diameters, with a total length of 1.6 kilometers.

The central axis was about 50 meters in diameter, its interior divided into laboratories of various sizes.

All kinds of experimental equipment were placed inside these laboratories.

The rings around it rotated at different speeds, creating varying levels of gravity through their rotation.

The lowest gravity could reach one-thousandth of Earth's gravity, far lower even than that of Luoshen Star. The highest could reach twice Earth's gravity.

The gravity level could be conveniently adjusted to suit the requirements of different experimental environments.

Inside, there were also rest areas capable of accommodating several thousand people. After a busy day of work, the clones could rest there conveniently, then easily return to their posts afterward to relieve their colleagues.

The number of research clones kept on duty at all times reached 10,000. Moreover, at least 10,000 clones were engaged in research tasks at every moment, studying technologies across various disciplines.

Supplying power to this enormous laboratory were five massive generator units.

Their total installed capacity reached 300,000 kilowatts, generating an average of roughly 7.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per day. Accordingly, they consumed around 2,500 tons of methane or Tholin, as well as seven to eight hundred tons of oxygen, each day.

Including other experimental consumables, personnel consumption, equipment and material replenishment, and so on, Li Qingsong had to transport nearly 4,000 tons of various supplies to it every day. Around 600 spacecraft had to shuttle nonstop between Luoshen Star's surface and space day and night.

The engineering effort required just to supply this spacecraft occupied a considerable portion of Li Qingsong's consciousness-link capacity.

All things considered, although it was merely a laboratory a little over a kilometer long, its total resource consumption exceeded that of Li Qingsong's ten bases combined!

Yet despite such enormous investment, Li Qingsong had still built it without hesitation.

At this moment, construction of the Space Laboratory was finally complete. The subsequent logistics and supply processes had also been established, requiring no further adjustments.

All kinds of experimental equipment and instruments, along with more than 10,000 clones assigned to research tasks, had already taken up residence inside.

At last, it was time for it to begin normal operations.

Thus, thousands of experiments and research projects spanning more than a dozen major disciplines began simultaneously.

In just half a month, the first technological breakthrough appeared.

It was a formula for a special metal material.

In a zero-gravity environment, different atoms could arrange themselves according to a special pattern, giving the material vastly improved hardness and toughness.

"This material is suitable for use as spacecraft hull plating. It can greatly reduce weight while still ensuring sufficient protection."

After that came the second breakthrough.

A brand-new photolithography-etching technology.

By using the appropriate Photoresist and Etching Technology, Li Qingsong could manufacture chips with a process size of around 10 micrometers. Compared with existing chip manufacturing technology, chip performance increased by at least 150%, while power consumption could be reduced by more than 30%!

Then came the third technological breakthrough.

A brand-new spacecraft attitude control system!

This paved the way for Li Qingsong's future development of combat spacecraft. After all, a spacecraft's weapon systems generated enormous recoil when firing. If the spacecraft's attitude could not be properly controlled, there would be no way for its projectiles to maintain accuracy.

And there was one technology Li Qingsong valued most at this stage.

High-sensitivity space Radar Technology also achieved a breakthrough!

Thanks to the successful development of a new material and the successful testing of a new structure, Li Qingsong finally created a practical space radar!

Space radar could be considered a spacecraft's eyes.

Previously, Li Qingsong's space radars were not only bulky and energy-hungry, but also extremely insensitive. They had even caused several accidents as a result.

But from this moment onward, things were different.

The new space radar scanned extremely quickly and possessed high sensitivity. Even a spacecraft flying at supersonic speeds could have its reflected signal easily detected.

After that, even more technologies achieved breakthroughs.

The construction of this Space Laboratory had certainly consumed an enormous amount of Li Qingsong's resources and energy.

But once it was completed and put into operation, the returns were unprecedentedly bountiful.

Almost every day, anywhere from a dozen to several hundred new technological breakthroughs emerged!

All kinds of new technologies erupted like a geyser, constantly emerging in a dazzling torrent from the work of the 10,000 research clones who remained on duty at all times.

Electronic control technology, sensor technology, high-temperature-resistant material formulas, voltage stabilization systems, radiation-resistant materials, rapid engine adjustment technology, high-reliability communication equipment...

And every new technology brought certain changes to all the bases and factories under Li Qingsong's control.

Each new technology was applied on a large scale as quickly as possible, then provided feedback data through practical use. Based on that data, the research clones made further adjustments and optimizations.

Li Qingsong's technological progress had never been this fast.

Under these circumstances, power plants became increasingly efficient, while the fuel consumption per kilowatt-hour of electricity grew ever lower;

Trains became faster and faster, yet increasingly stable;

The output of the Planting Base grew higher and higher, while fewer and fewer clones were needed to work there;

Transport spacecraft became lighter and lighter, yet their flight reliability grew ever higher. At the same time, their payload capacity rose from just two tons to more than double that amount, reaching five tons. Where 600 spacecraft had once been needed each day for supply missions, now just over 200 were enough;

The number of clones in each factory decreased, yet production capacity increased.

The most obvious example was the spacecraft industrial chain. Originally, tens of thousands of clones had been invested to produce only four outdated spacecraft per day. Now, the workforce had been reduced by one-fifth, yet output had risen to six per day—all of them the latest, more advanced models.

Time passed quietly.

On this day, another technological breakthrough that Li Qingsong valued greatly appeared.

Low-expansion, high-purity, highly uniform glass manufacturing technology!

With this special glass, Li Qingsong could finally manufacture high-performance Space Telescopes and finally gain the ability to actively conduct searches in space!