In the Chang'e program, when the return of samples from the moon has not yet been realized, the lunar soil that can be studied in China is only 0.5g.

That's half of the 1g of lunar soil given by Eagle Sauce more than 20 years ago.

This half gram of lunar soil, of course, is difficult to study anything.

Even the researchers have tried their best to increase the utilization.

It is ground and sprinkled on carbon-based scotch tape and observed with a scanning microscope and spectrometer with a resolution of nanometers.

It is only from this that the composition of some lunar soil is analyzed, including certain elements such as iron, tin, and copper.

Of course, it's not that everyone doesn't work hard, it's just that there are too few samples.

In fact, it's good to be able to analyze so much content.

"Our Moon Rabbit, how's it going?"

In the laboratory, Zhang Xingyang walked in from outside the door and asked.

"The walking gear has been completed, and there has been a little progress."

Zhou Xuan said with some relaxation:

"Within a year, we should be able to complete the R&D work."

"Don't worry."

The lunar exploration process of Chang'e-1 is very smooth, and it has completed the exploration of dozens of lunar surface areas.

It is a big step forward from completing the lunar exploration work.

In this part, there is no longer any need for Zhang Xingyang to worry too much.

In comparison, the follow-up lunar rover on Chang'e-3 requires Zhang Xingyang to pay more attention.

"The nuclear battery at the Institute of Isotopes of the Atomic Energy Institute has made a lot of progress, and it may be able to be used in the lunar rover."

Zhang Xingyang came over this time and brought a piece of news that made Zhou Xuan feel excited.

"Really, fake?" Zhou Xuan asked with some excitement.

"Their plutonium-238 isotope battery is estimated to be completed next month, which is completely in time for yours."

Zhang Xingyang looked at the lunar rover on the workbench, which only had a chassis and wheels.

"This is the walking gear you developed?"

After talking about the isotope battery, Zhang Xingyang pointed to the hub of the lunar rover and asked.

In order to reduce the weight of the lunar rover, the wheel hub of the lunar rover is basically a hollow design.

Even though it has several stiffeners, it still looks very slender.

One wonders if this will be able to support the movement of the lunar rover on the moon.

However, Zhang Xingyang also knows that there is a high probability that there is no problem with such a design.

The seemingly slender wheels are actually able to support a lunar rover weighing hundreds of kilograms to walk on the lunar surface.

After all, taking into account the gravity on the Moon, it is actually less than one-sixth of the Earth.

The pressure on the wheel hub of the lunar rover's own weight is not as great as it is on Earth.

"This is a special wheel structure that we developed specifically for the lunar rover, which enhances the cushioning capacity."

Zhou Xuan pointed to the device on the lunar rover and said.

"The moon has low gravity, and we made this design considering the stability in the potholes on the lunar surface."

The surface of the skeletonized wheels has a lightweight metal mesh for added stability.

"In fact, we are still a little worried about whether such a design can adapt to the environment of the lunar surface."

After Zhou Xuan introduced their design, he said with some doubts.

After all, there is no domestic experience of landing on the surface of the moon.

All of this is theoretically designed.

Whether it will come in handy is still unknown.

Only Zhang Xingyang, who is a person of the future, understands that such a design is not only effective.

Moreover, in fact, the service life of the lunar rover was increased.

Lightweight skeleton wheels are less susceptible to damage.

"Absolutely, don't worry too much."

Zhang Xingyang patted the other party's shoulder and said:

"And after your research and development is completed, it is not directly launched to the moon."

"I have to go to the lunar surface simulation experimental base!"

The lunar surface simulation experimental base built in the desert has been completed since the site selection was completed last year.

Intensive construction work has already begun.

Under the hard work of the construction workers day and night, the molten salt tower power station has entered the final commissioning stage in a year's time.

It only takes half a year at most to start generating electricity.

The Mars and Moon surface simulation bases, which are being constructed simultaneously, have also basically entered the final stage.

The most complex thing to build here is the gravity simulation laboratory.

Because, the gravity of the Moon is less than one-sixth that of the Earth.

Mars is slightly better, but gravity is also only two-fifths.

The greatly reduced gravity is a severe test for astronauts who will land on the moon and Mars in the future, as well as for various equipment.

"The base is about to be completed so soon?" The days of crossing thousands of miles of desert last year seemed to be still in front of him, Zhou Xuan asked in disbelief.

Although I knew that the pace of construction in China was getting faster and faster in the past two years, I didn't expect it to be so fast.

"Before you finish the development of the lunar rover, it will definitely be able to be built."

Zhang Xingyang carefully studied the structure of the lunar rover and said.

"In the future, you estimate that there will be more and more days when you have to run back and forth on both sides, so be prepared to take a plane and sit until you vomit."

Because the base is built deep next door, if you go back and forth by car, it will take a long time to spend on the road each time.

Therefore, a simple heliport was built directly next to the base.

The movement of people is generally carried out by helicopters.

Zhou Xuan felt a little helpless when he heard this, but there was nothing he could do.

"I've heard that Chang'e-1 has completed the geological analysis of several predetermined areas, right?"

Zhou Xuan changed the topic for a moment, and no longer thought about the sad thing of running back and forth.

A large part of Chang'e-1's work consisted of mapping the lunar surface and conducting geological analyses of several previously defined areas.

Prepare for the moon landing later.

"At the moment, part of it has been completed, and only a small part is not completed."

At this time, Zhang Xingyang also put down the wheel in his hand and said seriously:

"Actually, personally, I still hope to land in the Yuhai Basin."

Zhou Xuan is a high-level researcher in the field of deep space, especially in the field of lunar research.

naturally understood the meaning of what Zhang Xingyang said.

This also starts with the geological age of the moon.

The geological age of the moon is divided into five epochs, namely the Pre-Dionysian, Dionysian, Rain, Eratoson, and Copernican periods.

Many lunar programs in the last century basically carried out some lunar geological survey missions and did not explore them in depth.

The formation of the Yuhai Basin is relatively new, and it is speculated that most of them should be Aratosun rocks.

This will go a long way in obtaining the most detailed information on the ground about the recent history of the Moon.

On the other hand, in the midst of the sea of rain lies an eye that cannot be avoided in the study of the history of the moon - Storm Ocean Cripp.

According to the previous analysis of many moon-orbiting satellites, the content of many trace elements here is many orders of magnitude higher than the average composition of the moon.

It's not a difference between one and two, it's a difference between one and a thousand, or even ten thousand.

This area, in Zhang Xingyang's eyes, is very important.

Because it involves a major event in the solar system.

Many things in the future are inseparable from this elemental anomalous region.

However, at the current time, this matter is at least a hundred years away.

It's not too much of a rush for the time being.

But this time, you must not let Eagle Sauce be the first to complete the survey of it.

Zhang Xingyang's mind quickly turned a lot of content.

However, in Zhou Xuan's eyes, he only blinked twice.

"This area does have great research value." Zhou Xuan said after touching his chin.

"Whether it is the study of the elements of the lunar surface or the study of the history of the moon, it is of high value."

In fact, there are two general directions in the study of the moon.

One is the study of lunar elements, such as various minerals on the lunar surface.

One is the exploration of the history of the moon, such as exploring the origin of the moon.

Both of these help us understand what has happened throughout the Earth-Moon system over the past billions of years.

Therefore, in this regard, Zhou Xuan also agrees with Zhang Xingyang's ideas.

"By the way, can you grow vegetables on lunar soil?"

Just as Zhang Xingyang was thinking, Zhou Xuan asked on a whim.

According to the custom of the Chinese people, wherever they go, they will try to grow vegetables.

This is true on Earth, from the arid Sahara to the polar ice-covered Antarctic, where people can be seen experimenting with growing vegetables.

"Lunar soil alone will not work."

Zhang Xingyang also recovered from the disturbances after a hundred years at this time, and just heard Zhou Xuan's question and answered casually.

In fact, the Chinese people have made a lot of attempts in the future.

However, in the end, various experiments have shown that lunar soil alone cannot be successfully cultivated.

In a few cases, young seedlings have even been planted.

However, the roughness and high energy of the lunar soil still caused the young seedlings to die soon after.

In fact, this is also related to the moon itself, and the experiment chose the lunar soil of the lunar surface.

Because the moon has no atmosphere and is affected by various high-energy rays all year round, various trace elements in this part of the lunar soil are very different from the earth's environment.

Plants that have not been genetically edited are difficult to adapt.

So later, the Chinese people basically gave up the road of growing vegetables in lunar soil.

Embark on another path that will be able to be planted on the moon.

That's what has been studied a lot today, hydroponics.

Instead of using soil, nutrient solutions are used to grow a variety of vegetables and even rice.

Zhang Xingyang remembered that in fact, such an experiment was carried out in the Tiangong space station not long after.

The rice in the glass petri dish successfully grew into ears after several months of growth.

"If we add fertilizer, wouldn't it work?"

Zhou Xuan asked with some curiosity:

"If you have enough fertility, you should be able to do it, right?"

Because there is not enough lunar soil, practical research is carried out.

Zhou Xuan's previous ideas about lunar soil can only be studied theoretically.

"Actually, we have tried this subject before, we have done experiments with simulated lunar soil and volcanic ash, and we have successfully grown some mustard seedlings."

No wonder Zhou Xuan keeps asking relevant questions, and Zhang Xingyang has some understanding.

So he patiently explained: "There are still many differences between simulated lunar soil and real lunar soil, even if the composition is similar, but the environment in which lunar soil was born is very different from that of the earth, and it cannot be simply compared." ”

"The lunar soil, in particular, is also largely affected by various meteorites in space, and the difference is even greater."

Because the earth has a dense atmosphere, the number of meteorites that can affect the surface of the earth is smaller.

The Moon can only take on these interstellar visitors on its own.

This also causes the soil on the surface of the moon to have a complex composition due to the influence of meteorites.

Some lunar soils have an effect even by detecting their age even further than the surrounding lunar rocks.

"In fact, lunar surface planting can be completely hydroponic, which is more convenient."

Zhang Xingyang then said:

"Although we have not yet explored the surface water of the moon, according to previous explorations, there is a lot of solid ice in the polar part of the moon, which makes it easier for us to carry out hydroponic planting."

Water on the moon is also a key goal for everyone to explore.

This is also an important reason why a permanent base was built at the south pole of the moon in the future.

There is a lot of water here.

After a series of operations, it can be used directly, reducing the need to travel thousands of miles from the earth.

Zhang Xingyang knew more clearly that there was a lot of solid ice in the crater at the south pole of the moon.

Some of this ice, some of which may have been around for hundreds of millions of years, is sitting there quietly.

In the great development of the lunar surface in the second half of this century, these ancient water resources were exploited by human beings hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.

It is used for a variety of purposes.

"Among our follow-up plans is to find water resources in the polar regions."

Zhang Xingyang said after smiling.

"Maybe we'll get two more pieces of ice from the moon."

"Perhaps, in the future, water from the moon will become a popular drink in society!"

Zhang Xingyang's words were really unexpected by Zhou Xuan.

After all, at this time, it is difficult for people to imagine what kind of situation they can afford to drink water on the moon!

It's like the nukatan soda that was developed in the twentieth century when nuclides were just discovered.

As long as it is profitable, there will be no shortage of businessmen who try it.

A hundred years later, the transportation between the earth and the moon has been relatively developed.

Such mineral water from the moon is a fashionable product on earth.

There are even advertisers who advertise.

"We don't produce water, we're just porters on the moon!"

Don't say it, many humans who live on the earth all year round really like to drink this kind of water.

It is said that it can drink the vicissitudes of wind and frost for hundreds of millions of years.

Of course, for people who live in space and on moon bases all year round.

It's nothing more than an IQ tax for the space age! (End of chapter)