Chapter 328: Space elevator cable test

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

After Red Lotus finished making the game helmet, Tang Rui played games in the lab for over two hours.

How should it be put?

Playing games on a console and then trying to replicate that experience in a virtual reality world is just nonsense.

The last level of Ace Combat.

You have to go through a long tunnel.

In the real world, with three gates closed, you can’t really fly through; you might as well wait for death.

But in the game, such a setting is indeed possible.

However, it’s quite uncomfortable to do this in a virtual reality world.

“Red Lotus, delete this game and redesign one that is closer to reality, simulating actual combat.”

“Okay, Master, Red Lotus understands.”

After putting down the game helmet.

Tang Rui called Lin Chao to talk about Tang Yue’s situation.

He didn’t even need to state specific requirements.

The Air Force would definitely arrange everything well.

In the blink of an eye.

The college entrance examination was over.

Tang Rui accompanied his two sisters for the college entrance examination, then took them out for two days before getting back to his main work.

“Red Lotus, is the space elevator cable ready?”

“Master, one cable has been made so far.”

“Send a message to Mogadishu, tell them I’m on my way and prepare to test the cable.”

“Okay, Master.”

After Tang Rui spoke, he put on his load-bearing suit and boarded the mech.

Although there were no issues with him going abroad now, he still preferred to play it safe.

Thus, he chose to pilot the mech there.

As Tang Rui entered the mech, the newly built production workshop’s dome opened, and a uniquely designed flat flying vehicle slowly took off from inside the workshop.

This flat flying vehicle looked like a sand transport ship on a river, flat at the bottom and top, resembling a slightly thinner slab of brick.

Tang Rui piloted the mech to take off and stood on the flat flying vehicle.

“Red Lotus, let’s go.”

“Okay, Master.”

As Tang Rui commanded, the eight high-power electric propulsion engines at the back of the vehicle started.

“I feel like I’m flying on a sword, except this sword is a bit ugly,” he realized that the design was a bit off.

But compared to directly flying the mech there, he chose to go with the flying vehicle, at least it was less tiring.

Meanwhile.

After receiving the message in Mogadishu, they immediately started the final inspection of the base of the space elevator.

The foundation of the entire base was dug 1500 meters deep.

3600 ultra-strong alloy steel columns were buried as the support frame.

Then, special cement was poured, and finally, a massive steel base was covered.

The entire project was carried out by China Construction.

But the equipment and steel were provided by Tang Rui’s side.

“Academician Tang, welcome to guide us.”

“No need for formalities, how is the base going?” Tang Rui asked upon arrival, looking at the huge construction site.

“Currently, 65% of the space elevator base has been completed, and the cargo elevator base is fully completed.”

“Good, let’s test the cable first.”

After saying this, Tang Rui had Red Lotus control the flying vehicle to land.

After landing.

The engine part at the rear of the vehicle automatically detached, revealing the internal cable connectors and adapters.

Connecting the cable was not as simple as tying a rope to the base.

To cope with the extreme stretching capability needed during the use of the space elevator and the deflection angle at the space port, the cable at the base needed to reserve one kilometer of extra length.

Once the stretching force reached the red line, the base’s cable would release more cable.

If the cable started to sway, the base would need to retract it.

In simple terms.

You can think of this device at the base as flying a kite, but this kite is a space station.

The cable installation was very fast.

As the interface and equipment were pre-planned and installed, Tang Rui attached the connector, and it was done.

Then, the engine part of the flying vehicle was reassembled.

Afterward, the entire vehicle switched from horizontal to vertical and started flying towards outer space.

At the tail of the flying vehicle, the cable was connected.

Tang Rui grabbed the cable and followed the flying vehicle towards outer space, like a burden.

Fifteen minutes later.

The flying vehicle reached the geostationary orbit at 36,000 kilometers.

Upon reaching this point, the vehicle stabilized in orbit, moving synchronously with the Earth.

Tang Rui then controlled the mech, grabbing the other end of the cable, and continued towards a higher orbit.

He stopped only when the cable was taut.

“Red Lotus, how are the current data?” Tang Rui asked while holding the cable.

“Master, the current tensile strength of the cable is 72GPa, with real-time fluctuation values between 3-nGPa.”

“What’s the difference in stable data in the middle layer?”

“0.17-0.21.”

“Next, I will conduct a test and record the data.”

“Okay, Master.”

Tang Rui then controlled the mech’s arm to start shaking the cable.

Shaking the cable from more than 50,000 kilometers in outer space.

The energy transmitted to the earth’s surface would be geometrically amplified. If the base couldn’t withstand it, it would be disastrous.

Tang Rui watched the real-time data.

As he shook the cable, the green parts on the cable started turning yellow, and some areas even turned red.

Red meant the warning line.

Once the fluctuation values exceeded the warning line, it meant the cable’s capacity was reaching its limit.

But normally, no one would shake a cable in space; this was just an extreme test.

Buzzing…

When the energy reached the base, the entire base trembled at a high frequency.

But after shaking for a while, it returned to normal.

“Red Lotus, what was the most dangerous value just now?” Tang Rui asked.

He had been watching the screen, but the data changed too quickly for him to keep up.

“Master, the most dangerous value just now was 288GPa, only i2GPa away from the warning line.”

Tang Rui nodded and then proceeded to the next test.

He started the mech’s engine, grabbed the cable, and pulled hard as if trying to uproot it.

But no matter how hard he tried, the cable didn’t budge at all.

Even on the display, none of the values turned yellow.

Good.

This meant there was no need to worry about the counterweight satellite platform.

Compared to the previous shaking, this stretching issue was not a problem at all.

“Red Lotus, launch the temporary counterweight.”

“Okay, Master.”

The flying vehicle at the 36,000-kilometer orbit launched a flat, solid sphere, which was used as a temporary counterweight to replace the satellite platform.

Since the cable was already launched, it couldn’t be brought back down.

The mech caught the launched temporary counterweight and then attached the cable to it.

After completing all this.

Tang Rui returned to Earth on the flying vehicle.

“Work hard on construction; all cables will be completed within six months. By then, the base must be flawless.”

“Academician Tang, rest assured, we guarantee to complete the task,” the person in charge of China Construction assured.

“Good, thank you for your hard work.”

After saying this, Tang Rui returned to the country on the flying vehicle.

Soon.

The news that the space elevator cable test was completed spread all over the world.

The cable was the biggest challenge for the space elevator.

Now that the cable issue was resolved.

The space elevator was no longer a problem..