Chapter 185, "Hercules" Second Generation

The outer space of the earth is now quite lively and prosperous. Looking around, there are space farms and space solar power plants under construction everywhere. There are now more than 300 space farms and more than 50 solar power plants under construction around the earth.

One after another, space planes take off from the ground and break through the atmosphere to space. They are loaded with materials and astronauts for building space farms and space solar power plants, and slowly go to space farms and space solar power plants.

After the materials are unloaded, they will go to space farms to transport the food, vegetables, fruits, etc. produced in the space farms back to the earth. The business is very busy.

Huge space buildings, countless space planes like hardworking little bees, and some old-fashioned spacecraft launched by rockets from time to time. The entire space has already taken shape in the interstellar era.

In the "Sky City" space city of Fuyun Group, Li Fu, wearing a space suit, is discussing something with Chen Bin and others while looking at a huge space plane in space.

This time, Li Fu came to space in person to see the construction of Fuyun Group's new space plane "Hercules" II.

To be precise, the "Hercules" II space plane can no longer be called a space plane, because it is not used to travel between space and the ground, but is a spacecraft used only to fly in space. It may be more appropriate to call it the "Hercules" II spacecraft.

The "Hercules" II was built from the beginning to adapt to the environment in space. It has no aerodynamic design and does not have the ability to enter the atmosphere at all. Everything about it is designed around how to be more durable, safer, faster and more powerful in the space universe.

So although all its parts are produced and designed on the ground, they must be assembled in space. Once assembled, it will continue to serve in space from beginning to end. One of the most important functions is to go to the asteroid belt to mine asteroids.

"Brother Fu, we designed and installed two super-powerful plasma engines as the main power for the Hercules II, and installed two medium-sized plasma engines for reverse deceleration in the front and back, and two small plasma engines for changing direction on the wings."

"In theory, it is enough to drag an asteroid with a mass of 10 million tons, and its endurance is enough to reach 2 years, which can ensure a round trip to the small asteroid."

Chen Bin pointed to the Hercules II outside the cabin and said that this Hercules II did not have the grace and agility of the first Hercules. It looked more like a fat man. It was very large, more than 200 meters long, more than 50 meters wide, and more than 50 meters high.

It can be clearly seen that two large plasma engines were installed on both sides of it, just like the two big ears of an elephant. The overall look is very huge. The Hercules I next to it is like a tiny dot compared to it.

"It takes too long to reach an asteroid. Even the closest one is more than 1 astronomical unit away, and the farther one is nearly 3 astronomical units away. Including the round trip, it takes 3 units to start, which is at least a long journey of 500 million kilometers. With such a long distance, it takes a long time to go back and forth."

"So the materials must be sufficient. As for the energy, I think we can add a pair of wings to it, and use solar energy as much as possible to obtain more energy and more protection."

Li Fu looked at the huge "Hercules" II in front of him, thinking carefully in his mind. The asteroid belt is not the moon. It is a long journey of billions of kilometers. There are strict requirements for the continuous working ability, energy consumption, material consumption, etc. of the spacecraft.

It is necessary to carefully calculate every link and make careful calculations to ensure that there will be no problems with energy and materials. Only when the problems of materials and energy are guaranteed can the astronauts who go to mine asteroids feel at ease. Otherwise, no one will be willing to work for you.

"I didn't think this through. Fortunately, it's just adding solar panels, which is not a lot of work."

Chen Bin nodded after listening. Although the spacecraft cannot travel back and forth between space and the ground, it has many advantages that the aerospace plane does not have. First of all, the design does not need to consider aerodynamics, and the shape can be designed at will. It is very easy to add some things, and it will definitely not have any big impact.

"In addition, astronauts flying in space for a long time must consider physical exercise. Various fitness equipment for physical exercise must not be less. It is also best to have a crop planting area, where you can grow some crops yourself and add some green life to the spacecraft. In this way, the anxiety caused by the astronauts being away from the ground for a long time can be greatly alleviated."

Because it was the first time to carry out such a long flight, everyone was crossing the river by feeling the stones and had no experience. However, Li Fu referred to the early development history of the super civilization Han Technology Empire for analysis and learned some experience from it.

"Crop planting area?"

Chen Bin naturally didn't understand why Li Fu suddenly said he wanted to add this, so he was full of questions.

"Well, according to research, being in space for a long time can make people feel anxious and negative emotions. Once this emotion accumulates, it is easy to make astronauts impulsive, anxious, and even change their temperament. Similar periods have occurred in the International Space Station before."

"Astronauts who have been in space for a long time fight each other because of some trivial matters, and almost ended up in a tragedy. This is not because the astronauts' quality is not good, but a problem that will arise after staying in space for a long time."

"So build a plant planting area, and emotionally anxious astronauts can go to the plant planting area to relax and relieve this emotion."

Li Fu smiled and explained that this symptom is actually called void syndrome in the professional terminology of civilization seeds. It's just that the earth has just entered space not long ago, and has not encountered this problem at all, and no one has studied and understood it in depth.

"I thought so. I always feel irritable and anxious when I stay in space for a long time. Only when I return to the ground and sleep for a night can I feel comfortable physically and mentally. So this is the case."

Luo Xiaoyao, who was standing by, said as if he had suddenly realized something after hearing what Li Fu said.

"Well, I will have someone modify the internal design right away."

Chen Bin nodded solemnly after hearing this. In fact, the most important thing in space is people, scientists, engineers, astronauts, etc. Only after ensuring everything for them can we talk about other things.

The huge "Hercules II" is quietly parked in the space port of the "Space City", and the mechanical arms are constantly busy.

On both sides of its huge and fat body, the mechanical arms are constantly busy, installing solar wings on it to increase its endurance and replenish energy during the long journey.

When flying in space, although most of the time it relies on inertia to fly, basically no energy is consumed, but the energy consumed in the acceleration and deceleration stages is enough to account for more than 90% of the total energy consumption, and it is necessary to maintain the needs of at least several astronauts during the long journey, so the energy problem is also a very important issue.

A pair of huge wings that are more than 200 meters long and more than 50 meters wide are installed. At this time, they are still in a folded state. Once the installation is completed, the wings slowly unfold.

"It looks more like Dumbo, a Dumbo with wings, fat and big."

Zhan Fei looked at its overall appearance and couldn't help laughing. The design of the second generation of "Hercules" did not consider aesthetics at all, so it looks really fat and fat. Now there is a pair of wings, a real Dumbo.

"Dumbo? This name is very appropriate."

Chen Bin touched his chin, looked at the huge second generation of "Hercules", and nodded in agreement.

The interior of Dumbo is a honeycomb structure. There is a room in the center that leads to independent rooms. Each room has its own independent life support system. Of course, the functions of each room are completely different.

There is a cockpit for driving and controlling the aircraft, which is located at the front; there is a food storage room, which will store enough food for astronauts to eat for more than one year, and it is also the most important cabin; there are also energy cabins, which are located on both sides to provide enough energy for the spacecraft...

In addition to these conventional ones, the "Hercules" II also carries two small spacecrafts, which can be used for emergency escape. Once a major accident occurs, astronauts can take two small spacecrafts for emergency escape; another function is to assist in the mining of asteroids, explore the situation of asteroids, help release the ropes that drag asteroids, etc.

Of course, Li Fu also applied to the upper level, and after obtaining permission, he equipped it with some weapon systems. Several missiles can be used to destroy large asteroids that collide with each other. Rail guns rely on brutal impact force to destroy small and medium-sized asteroids, and they are also very destructive to large asteroids.

In order to go to the asteroid belt to mine asteroids, its power system, communication system, life support system, circulatory system, etc. must all go through a thousand trials and tribulations. It almost represents the current top technology of the Fuyun Group. Although it looks ugly on the outside, its technological content is definitely the highest among all the aircraft in space today, and it can represent the crystallization of the current top technology of mankind.