"This is... a space elevator!"
Almost everyone who saw the metal cable stretching straight into the heavens immediately thought of those words!
After establishing a physical connection with Earth, the Atlantis began slowly adjusting its orbit.
To keep the orbit fixed, the combined center of gravity of the cable and the Atlantis had to lie in geostationary orbit. Thus, as the counterweight, the Atlantis would ultimately dock somewhat above that orbit.
Once the adjustment was complete, the Atlantis began unfolding its body like a blooming flower.
The ship's upper hull slowly opened into five petals, revealing a variety of differently shaped functional buildings within.
Docking berths, storage areas, industrial zones... At the center, a cylindrical building several dozen meters tall connected to the space elevator.
The unfolded hull expanded the ship's area like five projecting piers. The transparent glass structures did not block the sunlight, gleaming like colorful crystal beneath it. The sight was breathtaking!
Atlantis Spaceport! Deployment complete!
And on an upper floor of the spaceport's central building...
"So this is... real space!" Elder Yu murmured in satisfaction as he gazed at the blue planet beyond the floor-to-ceiling viewport. Behind him, fifteen scientists were equally thrilled and excited.
"This will be the starting point of humanity's true advance into the universe..."
"Holy crap! A space elevator, a spaceport... The Ghost Captain's latest bombshell is terrifying!"
"No wonder the center of Atlantis Island ended up right on the equator after the land reclamation project. The Ghost Captain was preparing for this space elevator all along!"
"..."
As the news gradually spread, countless discussions broke out around the world.
Unlike the spectators merely enjoying the show, the major powers had already begun urgent discussions about the enormous impact this spaceport and space elevator would have on humanity as a whole.