Chapter 774 The United States Restarts Manned Space Shuttle

For the physics community, 2024 is destined to be an extraordinary year.

The completion of the strong-electric unified theory, the completion of the LHC hadron collider upgrade, and the first round of 35Tev energy-level collision experiments are all stimulating the hearts of many scholars in the physics community.

In mid-to-late June, a press conference held by Professor Eliezer Rabinovich, the new president of CERN, stimulated the nerves of the entire physics community.

"The experimental team led by Professor Sheldon Clifford of the California Institute of Technology officially captured the coupling constant data signal of strong electric symmetry breaking in the first round of strong electric unified verification collision experiment yesterday."

"According to the Daritz diagram submitted by Professor Sheldon Clifford, the current data signal confidence has reached 3sigma, that is, in a normal distribution of collision data, 99.7% of the data means are within the range of plus or minus three standard deviations."

"Chairman Professor Eliezer Rabinovich said that this is exciting good news. The high-brightness LH-LHC collider will continue to conduct a new round of verification collision experiments on the coupling constant of strong electric symmetry breaking, and strive to complete the 5sigma confidence detection as soon as possible."

As soon as the relevant news came out, it sparked a heated discussion in the entire physics community.

On the internationally renowned physics forum PhysicsForums, countless physicists and people interested in physics gathered here.

[Latest news, CERN announced that the confidence level of the coupling constant detection data of strong electric symmetry breaking has reached 3sigma! ]

[Awesome! It's been less than a month, right? They have already achieved a confidence level of 3 sigma. When did CERN become so efficient? 】

【The above poster, don't you even look at what this achievement is? This is the theory of strong-electric unification! 】

【The confidence level of 3 sigma is still a little short. It depends on when it reaches a confidence level of 5 sigma. 】

【It shouldn't be too far away. I have to say that Professor Xu is really awesome! He actually did it, a theory that was thought to have no hope in this century! So terrifying! 】

【The coupling constant of strong-electric symmetry breaking is only part of the prediction in the theory of strong-electric unification. There are others. 】

【But this is the most core prediction. If the prediction of the coupling constant of strong-electric symmetry breaking is correct, I believe there will be no problem with other predictions. 】

【If the theory of strong-electric unification is correct, Professor Xu Chuan's achievements in physics will almost be comparable to those in mathematics. 】

【A true master at the level of Newton, both mathematics and physics are top-notch. 】

【There is also the void field theory. If the void field theory can also be verified, I am afraid he will be the real first person in the physics world throughout the ages. 】

According to CERN, the news that the coupling constant of strong electrosymmetry breaking has reached a confidence level of 3sigma naturally cannot escape the domestic news.

After Eliezer Rabinovich, chairman of CERN, made the relevant news public, major domestic media forwarded the relevant information as soon as possible.

The strong electrosymmetry unification theory is the theory completed by Academician Xu Chuan, and the confidence level of 3sigma is enough for the media to report it extensively.

Including Xu Chuan himself, although he is still conducting experiments at the Shenzhou Huake Branch, he also received relevant messages and messages sent to him by acquaintances on his mobile phone.

Looking at the news that the coupling constant of strong electrosymmetry breaking has reached a confidence level of 3sigma, Xu Chuan's mouth also curled up a smile.

Although this is not a discovery completed by the domestic CRHPC, and the confidence level has not reached the internationally recognized 5sigma, the confidence level of 3sigma is already a very good start.

Moreover, it has been less than a month since the LH-LHC upgrade was completed, and CERN has achieved this result. It must be said that this opponent has really worked hard this time.

While the physics community is bustling, the aerospace community has also ushered in a new round of "competition".

Washington, the United States.

In the office of the White House.

He summoned his own staff team, as well as senior officials from NASA, CIA and other related departments, and a "space security" meeting was being held.

Mr. T, the elderly, slapped his hands on the table and said with a serious expression: "In the development of space, our opponents have shown great ambition. Whether it is the lunar outpost scientific research base or the Xinghai space shuttle that can freely travel between space and atmosphere, it is a huge threat to us."

"Especially the latter, a space shuttle that can freely travel between the earth and space, the threat to space security does not need me to say much. I think you all know it."

"We must examine our own space program. No matter what achievements we have made, it will be meaningless if we cannot maintain our advantages in the field of space!"

"I need a countermeasure to counter at least have enough self-protection power in space security!"

The words of Mr. T, the elderly, landed in the conference room, but there was silence.

Space security... . . . .

To be honest, this name they originally used to threaten other countries has now become the name that others threaten them.

But in this regard, it must be admitted that the country across the Pacific has indeed surpassed them.

A space shuttle that can freely travel between the earth and space is a great threat to space security.

People with discerning eyes know that such an aircraft has very powerful military purposes and deterrence.

In peacetime, it can be a space shuttle, but it can transport fifty tons of supplies to the space station at one time, and it can also carry fifty tons of weapons into space.

In particular, this load can carry a lot of "strategic weapons" into the sky at once. Is this deterrence that other weapons can achieve?

Moreover, the space shuttle can nominally repair various spacecrafts. Some time ago, NASA found the Xinghai Research Institute and reached a cooperation in the name of repairing the Webb telescope.

This cooperation is said to be made by NASA itself, but in fact it was decided by them behind the scenes.

After all, when it comes to the Wolfe Clause, how can NASA have such great capabilities.

In that cooperation, they not only wanted to work on the Xinghai space shuttle, but also wanted to go up and see the miniaturized controllable nuclear fusion reactor and the legendary electric propulsion engine.

I also want to see if the Xinghai has the ability to 'repair' various aerospace equipment.

To put it bluntly, it is actually to observe whether it can recover or destroy enemy satellites during war.

Facts have proved that the Xinghai space shuttle does have such capabilities.

Even for the Webb telescope far away from the L2 Lagrange point, the other party successfully carried their personnel to complete the mission.

Today's meeting is obviously held on this basis.

Everyone knows how much of a threat such a space shuttle poses to space security.

But when it comes to solutions, I am afraid that no one will think of a method that can perfectly deal with such a space shuttle. Everyone turned their attention to the director of NASA sitting in the corner of the conference room.

Feeling the gazes of these people, Bill Nelson's mouth moved, and he wanted to curse.

But aerospace and space safety are part of NASA's responsibilities.

Looking at the eyes falling on him, NASA Director Bill Nelson slowly stood up and said:

"I think we need to restart the shuttle."

Hearing these words, the conference room suddenly became noisy. Everyone looked at him in surprise. Sitting at the head of the table, Mr. T, the elderly president, frowned.

"space shuttle?"

Bill Nelson nodded and said, "Yes, judging from the current situation, I'm afraid we don't have many countermeasures in other aspects except the space shuttle."

"As Mr. T said, a space shuttle that can freely enter the atmosphere and space poses a great threat to space security."

"If they are willing, this will be a bomb hanging over our heads at any time. And without the support of satellites, all our weapons will become a pile of scrap metal."

In the conference room, someone stood up and objected: "But the investment in the space shuttle is too great, and every maintenance costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Moreover, its stability and performance are completely insufficient. We originally had a total of Five space shuttles were built, two of which exploded, and the accident rate was as high as 40%.”

"If it can meet the standards of the Xinghai 1 space shuttle, I have no objection. But obviously, this is impossible unless NASA can develop a small fusion reactor and electric propulsion engine."

Bill Nelson retorted without hesitation: "Then do you have a better opinion? In addition to equipment such as space shuttles and aerospace planes, we have almost no other countermeasures against this kind of opponent."

"How about laser?"

"Not very good. Weather interference has a great impact on the laser."

"I think it is necessary to vigorously develop anti-satellite weapons and space electronic countermeasures technology. Even if we cannot keep up with our opponents, we must have corresponding countermeasures."

In the conference room, messy discussions continued. Sitting in the chair, Mr. T, the elderly general manager, nodded and acknowledged: "It is necessary to develop anti-satellite weapons and space electronic countermeasures technology, but in the final analysis, space security only relies on this. Too little.”

After a pause, he looked at NASA Director Nielsen, and then asked: "The cost of the space shuttle is too huge. Do you have any other suggestions?"

Bill Nelson shook his head and said: "I have no other ideas except this, but everyone has some prejudices about the cost of the space shuttle."

"Indeed, we spent a lot of money to manufacture and maintain the space shuttle in the past, but from today's perspective, the funds required to restart it will not be very huge."

"How to say?"

Hearing this, Mr. T, the elderly general manager, showed interest in his eyes. If the space shuttle could be restarted, even if the performance was not as good as that of the Xinghai, it would be enough for them to have a certain ability to protect themselves in space safety.

Bill Nelson smiled and continued to explain: "Ten years ago, technologies such as engine propulsion and insulation maintenance were not as mature as they are now. Today's aerospace technology is not comparable to that of more than ten years ago."

"Whether it's SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch vehicle or the new insulation tile technology, it can significantly reduce the cost of launching a space shuttle."

"and"

After a slight pause, Bill Nelson looked around the room and continued, "And we don't necessarily need to build such a huge space shuttle like before."

"Compared to the Atlantis series, NASA has investigated our market some time ago. Whether it is SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corporation, or Boeing, they are all vigorously developing commercial manned spaceflight business."

"Sierra Nevada Corporation has even built the first 'Endurance' space shuttle, which has passed key tests and is currently planning its first launch."

"Although it is much smaller than the Atlantis series, it is still planned to carry seven passengers to low-Earth orbit, which is completely sufficient for us at present. Enough for use."

"More importantly, the funds it consumed were only one-fifth of the cost of building Atlantis, less than 500 million dollars."

"Compared to more than a decade ago, we now have a large number of excellent civilian aerospace companies. We only need to provide them with some small help and integrate their strengths together, which is enough to form a sufficient deterrent in space security!"

Speaking of this, Bill Nelson paused for a moment, took a deep breath and continued: "So, I propose to launch a new space shuttle!"

A year after the Artemis plan made a major mistake in returning to the moon, NASA once again circulated relevant news that NASA will restart the space shuttle program and confirm the manned lunar landing and Mars exploration projects.

As soon as the relevant news leaked out, it caused an uproar in countries around the world.

On July 8, 2011, the US "Atlantis" space shuttle was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This is the 135th launch in the 30-year history of the US space shuttle project, and it is also the last flight of all US space shuttles.

On July 21, 2011, the Atlantis space shuttle landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Subsequently, NASA officially announced the collective retirement of all space shuttles.

This aerospace technology, which could be reused repeatedly, repeatedly entered space, and had a large load capacity, was officially lost in the eyes of all countries.

It was not until 2021, after a lapse of ten years, that the "Xinghai" space shuttle of the China Xinghai Research Institute set sail again, and this majestic and beautiful figure reappeared in the eyes of the public.

At that time, everyone was speculating whether the United States would choose to restart its own space shuttle program after the departure of China's space shuttle.

But with the Artemis program returning to the moon using a manned spacecraft, this heated discussion was officially declared over.

However, no one expected that one year after the Artemis program, manned moon landing, and returning to the moon encountered major problems, NASA leaked the news that they would restart the space shuttle.

The relevant news quickly attracted the attention of the US media. At the NASA headquarters in Washington, Director Bill Nelson was caught by the media.

Or, in other words, he did not hide from the media reporters who were trying to interview him.

"Hello, Director Nelson. I am a media reporter from the Washington Post. I would like to ask if the rumor that NASA will restart the use of space shuttles is true."

Bill Nelson: "It is true. NASA has recently submitted a report to Congress on restarting the use of space shuttles."

"Director Nelson, we all know that more than a decade ago, space shuttles such as Atlantis were retired after completing their missions. Including the previous Artemis program, it was also completed through manned spacecraft. If we restart rashly, can space shuttles such as Atlantis perform space missions normally? Is the safety of astronauts sufficiently guaranteed?"

Bill Nelson smiled and said, "This question is confidential for the time being, but there is no doubt that NASA and the United States will put the safety of astronauts first."

"Even on the moon and Mars, we will do everything we can to ensure their safety and take them home! This is our promise and what we have been doing!"

As soon as Bill Nelson finished speaking, the reporters who were squatting applauded.

Although the Artemis space shuttle failed to land on the moon, NASA did fulfill its promise and found a way to bring the astronauts back from the moon.

Although it was the Chinese space shuttle Xinghai that brought them back, they did it.

Soon, other people in the crowd could not wait to continue asking questions.

"Mr. Director, we all know that China has achieved great success in the space shuttle project. I would like to ask you, is NASA's decision to restart the space shuttle influenced by China?"

Hearing this question, Bill Nelson glanced at the reporter, his eyes calm.

This question is simply nonsense.

If it weren't for the huge success of China's Xinghai in the field of aerospace and the actual threat to space security, Mr. T would have been crazy to agree to restart the space shuttle at the meeting.

After all, even the small and medium-sized "Toughness" space shuttle of Sierra Nevada Corporation cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

This is much more expensive than launching a manned spacecraft.

Of course, Bill Nelson would never admit this, and he refuted it directly.

"This statement is groundless. We built the space shuttle half a century ago and successfully carried out hundreds of manned space activities. If you want to count, China's Xinghai space shuttle was undoubtedly influenced by our United States."

"There is no doubt that we have more experience in the field of space shuttles!"