In the modern world, 237 nautical miles east of Ange Island was the territorial border of Xin. Further southeast was the boundless open sea, and not a single island could be seen in the vicinity. However, because of the recent application for manganese nodule mining, Future Mining used a construction ship to tow an offshore platform.
However, it was strange that after Future Mining abandoned the offshore platform alone on the sea, there were no signs of construction. Other than a few soldiers stationed on the platform and a few civilians who looked like staff, there wasn't even any mining equipment.
What did Future Group want to do?
The UA, which had been watching Future Group since the completion of Penglai City, was undoubtedly the most curious. Although they were curious, it was not appropriate for them to ask directly. Therefore, the White House used their usual method of leaking this information through an unnamed White House official, and then letting these reporters find out more about it.
However, Future Group obviously didn't buy the reporters' trick. When they asked about the offshore platform deployed by Future Mining, the answer was the same: "It's legal, no comment."
Future Group's "cover up" made the public even more curious. Suddenly, all kinds of rumors spread. All kinds of keyboard warriors expressed their opinions to analyze Future Group's actions and dig for deeper reasons. Some people said that Future Heavy Industries was building a second Penglai City, some people said they were building an underwater city, and some people even said they found the ruins of aliens under the sea …
Public opinion was easily led to strange places.
What was Future Group doing?
Everyone was curious about this question …
…
"What is that?"
On the offshore platform, the CEO of Celestial Trade Aerospace Technology Center, Calvin, glanced at the top of the platform. There was a board of about 20 square meters. From the outside, it didn't look like a solar panel. He really couldn't think of the function of this thing.
"Anti-satellite laser array. It's too troublesome to explain. In short, it's to make the spy satellites above our heads only see a light spot of more than ten square kilometers, and the radio signals become a mess of noise. " Jiang Chen patted the guardrail of the offshore platform and smiled at Calvin. "This is one of Future Group's top secrets. Now you still have the chance to back out."
"But that would make me too curious to sleep." Calvin shrugged and followed behind Jiang Chen.
The water droplet stopped in front of the platform, but Jiang Chen didn't plan to take him to see this strange submersible.
After entering the Droplet, Jiang Chen set the route on the holographic screen, then turned on the panoramic imaging, turning the entire Droplet into a real droplet, transparent from the inside to the outside …
"What amazing technology." Calvin stretched out his hand and poked the bulkhead. His finger poked the steel plate. "This is the first time I've seen such a magical submarine … Is this the top secret?"
"Do you think it needs to be kept a secret?" Jiang Chen laughed.
Kelvin also smiled.
That made sense. Compared to the technology Future Group had already provided, there was nothing to keep secret about. Even in Penglai, Jiang Chen did not hide anything from the media during the construction. He even began to auction the property on the artificial island halfway through the project.
Obviously, there was something incredible hidden under the sea.
However, what puzzled Calvin was why the thing under the sea was looking for him. His job was in the field of aerospace!
It didn't take long. In just two minutes, the Droplet had already slowly dived to the bottom of the sea. When the searchlight was turned on, Calvin followed the beam of light and his eyes suddenly widened.
A giant metal cube, looking from top to bottom, had a length and width of at least two to three kilometers. Compared to Penglai, this cube wasn't shocking, but for some reason, he felt a stronger sense of science fiction from this structure …
And intuition told him that this thing was related to aerospace.
Thinking about the space elevator that Jiang Chen told him some time ago, he suddenly realized something. Could it be …
"What, what is this?" Calvin asked with a trembling voice.
"I thought you could guess." Jiang Chen turned around and smiled. He pressed on the holographic screen to make the water droplet stop in place. "The base of the space elevator, although it is not yet completed."
Yes, it was only a semi-finished product.
The base of the space elevator obtained from the Beluga Station was a dismantled part. Jiang Chen mobilized all the amphibious engineering robots he brought to the modern world and assembled the parts for half a month to assemble them into what they were now.
Calvin was silent for a long time, then he sighed.
"I don't know why, but I always have a feeling of regret."
Jiang Chen asked, "Oh? Why? "
"The era of rockets is over before I can fully utilize what I have learned in my life," Calvin said in a mocking tone.
At least, the era of aerospace rockets was over.
If the cost of aerospace could be compressed from tens of millions of dollars to less than one thousand dollars, who would pay for aerospace rockets? Even X-Space's Falcon rockets couldn't be this cheap. It was foreseeable that Celestial Trade, which controlled the space elevator, would undoubtedly monopolize all satellite launch projects around the world … at least commercial satellite launch projects.
"It's too early to say this." Jiang Chen smiled and shook his head. After a pause, he continued, "The space elevator has only completed the first phase of the project, which is the base of the space elevator. The rest of the project needs to be completed by the Aerospace Science and Technology Center and Future Heavy Industries."
Unlike all buildings on Earth, the "Tower" leading to the geosynchronous orbit was built from top to bottom. First, the space station in the geosynchronous orbit would be built, and then the construction of the terminal balance and 36,000 kilometers of orbit would begin at the same time.
This also meant that all construction materials must be launched into outer space by rockets. Aside from the cost of the materials themselves, the cost of launching rockets alone was not a small number. This was why Jiang Chen began to acquire private aerospace companies last year and develop the Celestial N series rockets. Only by lowering the launch cost to a relatively reasonable price could Future Group have the conditions to build a space elevator.
As early as last year, Jiang Chen was preparing for this moment.
"All the technical information about the space elevator has been developed. The next thing we have to do is move it from the blueprint. I will not set a ceiling for the entire project budget, and your only task is to complete this tower for me. "
After a pause, Jiang Chen continued with a smile.
"If it's done, your and my names will be recorded in history."
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