Chapter 9, Open Struggles and Covert Conflicts

We have observed that objects ejected by the asteroid during acceleration have collided with each other, resulting in changes to the orbits of some of these objects. Therefore, it is highly likely that objects ejected by the asteroid during deceleration will also collide, with some of them acquiring trajectories that could lead to impacts on Earth

Does this have any meaning

Unlike the Scientific Advisory Committee, at the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting, it only requires 20% of the voting power to veto any proposal. This was a result of China and Russia threatening to withdraw at the inception of the Planetary Defense Council, forcing the United States to make concessions

Yang Fanglie cast a vote in favor, and under pressure from Stark, Takeuchi Kinbun also voted in favor. The other eight chiefs of staff unanimously voted in favor as well

If the mass of the object is within one million tons, it is certainly not a problem as long as the explosion occurs internally

This ... ...

After sitting down, Luo Jinyong turned off the microphone and let out a long sigh of relief

Burke did not overstep his bounds. There is an unwritten rule in the Scientific Advisory Committee that the initiator is the proponent. Luo Jinyong believes that the 2014 X1 asteroid still has the possibility of a "soft landing" and has proposed to accelerate the progress of various projects and engineering efforts. Therefore, he presented a report at the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting to inform the military leaders of the ten member countries and persuade them to adopt the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee

We do not fully understand the acceleration mechanisms of asteroids, so there are two extreme outcomes when estimating speed, and the error pertains to these extreme results

"Is this a compliment or a criticism?" Zhang Xiaogang said with a smile, "Besides, if I weren't exceptionally talented, you wouldn't have appointed me as a special envoy back then"

If an asteroid were to achieve a "soft landing," it would necessarily decelerate before arrival. Thus far, we have only observed asteroids altering their velocity by capturing other celestial bodies or through the expulsion of material. This indicates that the methods by which asteroids change their speed fall within the realm of physics with which we are familiar.

At this time, the sky has already brightened significantly

As Takeuchi Jinbun opened his mouth, Yang Fanglie and Sergeyev both heightened their vigilance

What?

Old Yuan

You are quite the clever one

This project was initiated two years ago, being one of the first batch of defense projects and also the most significant defense project to date

What can this indicate

After a moment of silence, Burke was the first to applaud, followed by Yang Fanglie, and then the other Chiefs of Staff, along with the ten special commissioners who attended the meeting as observers.

Approximately ten percent, this is merely a rough estimate I have made personally

Why

Forty-eight hours is preferable, but seventy-two hours would be ideal. To minimize the margin of error, it is also necessary to account for the ejected material escaping from the gravitational field of Mars, which will require waiting until eight days later

Even if the mass of the object is only one million tons, the explosion will still produce large fragments, and we cannot control the outcome of the explosion. Theoretically, if an object with a mass of one hundred thousand tons were to strike the Earth, the destruction to exposed personnel and the ecological environment would be comparable to that of the continental United States

I have a request. Yang Fanglie realized that the overall situation had been determined. If Japan participates in the production of nuclear materials, it must disclose the inventory of nuclear materials. Only in this way can it be ensured that Japan uses all the weapons-grade nuclear materials produced to manufacture super nuclear warheads for the defense of the Earth

Undoubtedly, the material ejected by asteroids poses a catastrophic threat to humanity. Luo Jinyong is not exaggerating, as this is also his greatest concern. The total mass of the asteroid is approximately 50 billion tons. Even if the speed at the end of acceleration is 250 kilometers per second, and it ejects material at double that speed, it would still eject 25 billion tons of material during the deceleration phase. Based on the phenomena observed, the material ejected by the asteroid is not fundamental particles, but rather larger objects. Among the objects that fell into the Martian atmosphere, at least one has a mass exceeding 100 million tons, while the others are around 10 million tons.

Zhang Xiaogang furrowed his brow; do not be deceived by Yang Fanglie's friendly appearance, for at his core, he is a steadfast and resolute soldier.

The asteroid accelerates as it approaches the periapsis of Mars, indicating that after utilizing the Martian gravitational field for acceleration, it aims to quickly escape from Mars' gravitational influence and reach Earth in the shortest possible time. If my hypothesis is correct, theoretically, the asteroid should decelerate after passing the gravitational balance point between Earth and Mars, in order to avoid a larger object colliding with Earth as much as possible. The issue is that the current distance between Earth and Mars exceeds 200 million kilometers, and the angle between the Earth, Sun, and Mars is obtuse. The strength of the solar gravitational field surpasses that of both the Martian and Earth gravitational fields, thus the asteroid may not decelerate after passing the gravitational balance point between Earth and Mars, and is likely to maintain a high speed until the strength of Earth's gravitational field exceeds that of the solar gravitational field. If the asteroid arrives in one month, the distance from Earth during deceleration will not exceed 20 million kilometers.

Are there no other questions? Well then, we will proceed to the vote

So who should we look for

Yang Fanglie exhaled and said, "My position remains the same as it was two years ago. If Japan acquires nuclear weapons as a result of this, China will withdraw from the Planetary Defense Council"

Luo Jinyong did not say just one sentence, but rather many sentences

No need, one sentence is enough

I will arrange for the most outstanding personnel to join the supervisory body

Perhaps, as the asteroid decelerates, it will reduce the mass of the ejected materials; however, this implies that the quantity of ejected materials will significantly increase. Even if the mass of the ejected materials is reduced to one million tons, or even one hundred thousand tons, the extremely high velocity could still result in a global catastrophe

"You are not only a genius but also a scoundrel." Yang Fanglie laughed and said, "I will discuss this matter with Yuan Dezhi, and you should also give Chu Tianjiang a heads-up."

Japan has had it for a long time

Luo Jinyong hesitated a bit, after all, his words carry significant influence, and he did not wish to become a tool for Sergeyev to deal with Stark

Yang Fanglie's brows twitched a few times, prompting Luo Jinyong to continue speaking

Looking for a marriage agency

Stark spoke, and Takeuchi Jinfumi said nothing more, clearly dissatisfied with this outcome

"Professor, do you have any good suggestions?" It was evident that Sheryayev was hoping for some affirmative responses

At this time, it is already 5:00 AM in Diego Garcia.

Luo Jinyong took a deep breath and said, "If the asteroid decelerates in the same manner, since there are no larger celestial bodies available between the orbits of Earth and Mars, the asteroid will inevitably eject material to decelerate, and this will be directed forward, that is, towards Earth."

Very good

This ... ...

Similar to the Scientific Advisory Committee, the Joint Chiefs of Staff also consists of ten members

I personally believe that the more super nuclear warheads there are, the better. When we realize how many nuclear warheads we need, it will certainly be too late to produce more.

The other chief scientific advisors have left, leaving only him and Burke. Burke asked him to stay primarily hoping that he would report at the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting

Yang Fanglie did not turn off the video conferencing equipment, allowing the confidential secretary Wei Longzheng to switch to the internal line, while on the other end was Zhang Xiaogang, who was listening in on the entire meeting.

Why

"Professor Luo Jinyong, what is your opinion?" Yang Fanglie began to speak

Yang Fanglie coughed twice, signaling Luo Jinyong to speak frankly.

Japan can contribute in other areas, such as providing funding, increasing space launch missions, and sharing more scientific research成果

I do not know

The issue is that the manufacturing and use of super nuclear warheads is not an easy task

Even so, other participants must be subject to strict supervision and are only responsible for the production of nuclear materials; the production and assembly of super nuclear warheads must be carried out by the five nuclear powers. Sergeyeyev proposed a middle ground to facilitate the collaboration between Yang Fanglie and Takeuchi Kinjun. The supervisory body is composed of experts dispatched by the five nuclear-armed states, and participating countries must provide all necessary conveniences and must not impose restrictions on the activities of the supervisory personnel

General Yang, isn't this a bit too cliché?

In your report, you mentioned that there are significant deviations in the estimation of the final speed of the asteroid, with several data points showing notable contradictions. Specifically, you stated that the final speed of the asteroid would not exceed 500 kilometers per second, with an estimation error of around 20 percent, and also mentioned that the final speed is very likely not to reach 250 kilometers per second. Clearly, the error between these two speed values is at least 50 percent

It is two hundred and fifty. However, this is the most ideal result

The large-scale production of super nuclear warheads weighing 200 million tons, as well as the development of nuclear warheads weighing 2 billion tons, is part of the "Courage Action" defense project

The information we possess is very limited, and I can only make guesses. Only after determining the final speed of the asteroid, the distance from Earth at which deceleration begins, and the size of the ejected objects, can we calculate how many nuclear warheads are needed to intercept the threatening object

vulgar

Over the past two years, one-third of the funds spent by the ten member countries on the Planetary Defense Council has been allocated to the "Courage Action" defense project

"Gentlemen, we must face reality," Stark sighed. The Joint Chiefs of Staff appeared sanctimonious, with him and Sergeyev at odds, while Yang Fanglie consistently regarded Takeuchi as an enemy. Even the other chiefs of staff were pursuing their own agendas. "The reality is that we need more super nuclear warheads and more delivery vehicles, but the five nuclear powers have reached their limit in producing nuclear materials, and we still have tens of thousands of tons of low-enriched nuclear materials that remain unused. If we do not make adjustments, we may never be able to utilize them."

Although the Heads of State Summit is the highest authority of the Planetary Defense Council, the majority of the time, the powers are exercised on its behalf by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All research projects and defense engineering under the Planetary Defense Council are reviewed, approved, supervised, and executed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Scientific Advisory Committee only provides reference opinions and action suggestions, while the decision-making power is held by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The expression of the ten Chief of General Staffs became even more unpleasant

The difference between privately possessing nuclear weapons and publicly becoming a nuclear state is vast. Yang Fanglie also lit a cigarette. If we can survive this calamity, a Japan armed with nuclear weapons poses the greatest threat to our country. A dog cannot change its nature; I will never joke with the future of our nation and people.

Yang Fanglie did not retaliate; however, his expression clearly indicated that he did not regard the Japanese as human beings

Luo Jinyong took a sip of water and then turned on the microphone

Yang Fanglie furrowed his brows, and the expressions of the other nine Chief of Staffs also became very serious

No problem

As long as the interception point is sufficiently distant and the detonation point of the nuclear warhead is precisely controlled, it is possible to alter the trajectory of an object through a nuclear explosion, allowing the object to evade the Earth

A soldier like Chu Tianjiang does not care about material possessions, and he already has enough medals and honors.

extremely few

No, of course not, we do not have it either, just...

It is settled; the individuals at the matchmaking agency are all superficial and unremarkable, and I fear they may not catch his attention.

If we take the Oort Cloud as the boundary and scale down the solar system to the size of Earth, twenty million kilometers would be equivalent to two meters

Yang Fanglie let out a sigh; this metaphor is very apt

This ... ...

However, I have a small request. That is, the nuclear warheads carried by the vehicles manufactured in our country must be assembled and produced in our country. Our country does not require technical assistance, nor does it need material support, and is willing to bear all expenses and burdens arising from this.

For humanity, nuclear weapons remain the most powerful weapons

Sergeyev had more to say, and General Takeuchi of the Japan Self-Defense Forces spoke up. "Although there are many difficulties, we have only one chance. Even if these efforts can only allow human civilization to exist for one more day, we must strive to live one more day. For the common future of human civilization, Japan is willing to take on more obligations, including investing more funds and undertaking more space launch missions"

Professor, I have a question. Stark, as the rotating chairman, was the first to ask.

In the training camp, ten special forces soldiers are engaged in fierce competition, with gunfire echoing continuously, creating a very lively scene

The Yamato people are a part of human civilization and have the right to determine their own destiny

At this moment, Shcherbachev spoke up. "Professor, I have a question. Can the super nuclear warheads we manufacture destroy objects ejected by asteroids?"

Chinese people are human beings; does that mean Japanese people are not human beings, and do not defend their rights? Takemura Kinbun is also getting angry

That is still better than sitting idly by

What is it?

In other words, we need to be prepared to intercept one hundred and twenty-five high-threat objects

Let us decide on this. Not only Japan, but also Germany, Israel, Australia, and Canada must disclose their inventory status before participating in the production of nuclear materials

Upon receiving the report from the Scientific Advisory Committee, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Stark of the United States Army, immediately convened an emergency meeting

Time is needed

The general situation is as follows. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize one point. "Luo Jinyong understands that soldiers are not scientists; they possess a stronger sense of national and ethnic values. The ten chiefs of staff control ninety-five percent of the world's military power, and their service is not to human civilization, but to their own country. If the outcome is any other scenario, all our efforts up to this point will be meaningless, and the remaining time will not be sufficient to preserve the seeds of human civilization. Human civilization will inevitably face catastrophic destruction. Regardless of how small the probability of such an outcome may be, we have no choice. The remaining two months, perhaps one month, will be humanity's last chance to fight for the right to survive. Perhaps our preparations are still inadequate, perhaps our resistance is insignificant, perhaps we are destined to perish, but we are still alive. Over eight billion people are filled with hope for the future, including your relatives, children, grandchildren, and friends present here, and we are willing to give everything for them. Although hope is slim, the future is determined by us!" Over eight billion people are filled with hope for the future, including your relatives, children, grandchildren, and friends present here, and we are willing to give everything for them. Although hope is slim, the future is determined by us!

Zhu Neijianwen | Feeling guilty for wrongdoing, unable to respond

After the meeting commenced, Luo Jinyong first provided an introduction to the situation

If the asteroid decelerates in the same manner, the disaster will undoubtedly arrive ahead of schedule

To put it simply, if someone aims a 12-gauge shotgun at you from two meters away, even if the aim is slightly off, they can still hit you

"Mr. Yang, I understand him better than you do. Don't be fooled by his usual solitary demeanor; ever since Wu Haiyuan's sacrifice, he has felt a profound emptiness within. Otherwise, he wouldn't hold Wu Guoxiong in such high regard. At this moment, he needs a woman who understands him to fill the void in his heart"

Little Japan harbors ambitious designs; Takeuchi Jinbun has always sought the opportunity to develop, produce, and possess nuclear weapons through the Planetary Defense Council

Damn it, I'm not the God of Marriage. " Yang Fanglie said, somewhat speechless

If necessary, military control can be implemented immediately

Defending human civilization is our shared responsibility; is it wrong for Japan to be willing to undertake more obligations?

A tenfold increase in quality and a hundredfold increase in speed means that kinetic energy increases by one hundred thousand times. Due to the increased speed, objects ejected from asteroids will not only avoid burning up in the atmosphere but will also land before being detonated by the background pressure of the atmosphere, releasing energy equivalent to one trillion to two trillion tons of TNT, which is approximately five times the total explosive yield of all the nuclear warheads we possess. If even one such object were to collide with Earth, ninety-nine percent of the population would perish instantly, and the survivors would struggle to live for at most a few years.

Yang Fanglie felt that this approach was still not appropriate, and Takeuchi Kinbun was also not very satisfied

What does it mean

When Zhang Xiaogang arrived at the Doomsday Troops training camp, the morning assessment had already begun. Since he had secured first place in the first round of assessments, Chu Tianjiang was the last to take the stage. To avoid affecting the assessment results, Zhang Xiaogang decided to wait and find Chu Tianjiang after the assessment was over

How long

The production of more super nuclear warheads implies the need to manufacture more delivery vehicles, and the cost of producing these delivery vehicles is one hundred times that of the super nuclear warheads

Everyone guessed that Shcherbachev would bring up this topic

Doomsday Troops

If the asteroid decelerates by fifty percent of its mass, and the ejected objects each weigh ten million tons, it will produce two thousand five hundred of them. Of course, not all objects will collide with the Earth. " After taking another sip of water, Luo Jinyong continued, "Once the speed changes, the asteroid's trajectory will also change, resulting in a significant angle between the trajectories of the ejected objects and that of the Earth. Most objects will pass by the Earth from behind its orbit, some will be captured by the Sun's gravitational field, and some will become asteroids orbiting in large elliptical paths, with only a very few approaching the Earth.

Stark let out a bitter laugh and said, "Not all countries are Russia, and soldiers are also human. In the face of destruction, everyone is equal. Military control will only lead to more severe social unrest, and may even incite rebellion, rendering all our efforts futile"

What is the key point

"Professor, on behalf of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I would like to express my gratitude for your efforts." Stark released Luo Jinyong. "Gentlemen, the situation is now very clear. In three days, we will be able to obtain a more accurate scientific assessment report. However, three days is extremely precious given the remaining time. Before making a final decision, we need to prepare contingency plans for various scenarios."

You are not capable of this; go find someone who is.

Even if viewed as primitive tools akin to a stone axe in the hands of early humans by extraterrestrial civilizations, nuclear weapons remain a treasured asset for humanity, constrained by the limitations of technological ceilings

What kind of reward do you think he should receive

Sergeyev nodded and said, "Another question, do we have enough super nuclear warheads that we have manufactured?"

This is still not enough

An object with a mass of 10 million tons, if it were a regular spherical shape, would have a diameter of approximately 150 meters. Luo Jinyong paused slightly, then continued in a different manner, stating, "Over a hundred years ago, the Tunguska event was caused by a meteorite with a diameter of about 70 meters. It is estimated that this meteorite had a mass of less than 1 million tons and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of only several kilometers per second. The meteorite exploded at an altitude of about 7 kilometers above the ground, destroying over 2,000 square kilometers of forest in the vicinity." It is estimated that this meteorite had a mass of less than 1 million tons and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of only several kilometers per second. The meteorite exploded at an altitude of about 7 kilometers above the ground, destroying over 2,000 square kilometers of forest in the vicinity.

Alright, you may go about your business; I still have to attend a meeting

General Sergeyev is not wrong, but we must also face reality. Stark sighed; although he did not want to argue with Sergeyev at this moment, the topic had been raised, and he had to express his position. "In order to produce one thousand super nuclear warheads, we have exhausted all weapon-grade nuclear materials. Even if we operate at full capacity, we can produce at most one hundred super nuclear warheads in a month. This requires the participation of all countries, occupies a large amount of social resources, and will have an extremely adverse impact on confidentiality efforts. Everyone understands that if the news spreads, the global turmoil it causes will be no less harmful than an asteroid colliding with the Earth."

How can one provide a more precise estimate?

If humanity has a future, we must stop arguing and take action immediately. Stark realized that he must collaborate with Sergeyev. I support General Sergeyev's proposal; if anyone has any questions, please raise them now, and then we will begin the vote

"Mr. Yang, you are being too straightforward." Zhang Xiaogang lit a cigarette while looking at the book. He had long been accustomed to such scenes.

Does this have any impact

After enlisting, this individual lived alone for over ten years, especially during the nine years after joining the Tiger Brigade, during which he had not engaged in any long-term relationships with the opposite sex. If he could find someone with a similar background who could resonate with his experiences, it would undoubtedly yield twice the result with half the effort

It is evident that Sergeyev is Stark's archrival

Have you ever considered that perhaps a year from now, nuclear weapons will be sent to museums

"Very well! Professor Luo Jinyong, I am extremely grateful to you. If we ultimately triumph over the invading extraterrestrial civilization, even if I have to pay out of my own pocket, I will erect a life-sized golden statue of you in the square of the Kremlin." It was evident that Sergeyeyev held a high regard for Luo Jinyong, but Luo Jinyong did not seem to appreciate it much. "Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is already very clear; the urgent task at hand is to produce more super nuclear warheads."

Zhang Xiaogang nodded and said, "It would be very appropriate for Xiao Fangfang to take care of Wu Guoxiong. However, the dynamics between men and women are very delicate; feelings cannot be commanded into existence. Forcing the two together will only lead to adverse consequences. This matter cannot be rushed; we need to have Old Yuan step in first to do some ideological work with the woman. If she takes the initiative, even if Chu Tianjiang is a tough man, he will gradually soften. This matter cannot be rushed; we need to have Old Yuan step in first to do some ideological work with the woman. If she takes the initiative, even if Chu Tianjiang is a tough man, he will gradually soften. As the saying goes, even heroes find it hard to overcome the beauty barrier. For a man like Chu Tianjiang, the most challenging opponent is a woman with a gentle and tender nature."

The premise is that we are able to survive until one year later, and in the battle against the invasion of extraterrestrial civilizations, we have acquired advanced technology from these extraterrestrial civilizations

At this moment, the other chief of staff members were also staring at Luo Jinyong, as they too wanted to know the exact answer

Are you referring to an agent from the military intelligence agency

It is impossible! Takeuchi Jinbun is a bit flustered

Before Takeuchi could finish speaking, Yang Fanglie's face darkened ominously. "General Takeuchi, your appetite seems rather excessive."

What is the probability?

"The little Japanese are ambitious and must be taught a lesson, making them realize the cost of their actions." Yang Fanglie extinguished his cigarette, "Go tell Chu Tianjiang that if he can drive the little Japanese out, he will be a national hero. I will adorn his chest with medals and honors, giving him anything he desires"

However, what we need to do is not to destroy the object, but to change the direction in which the object is moving

Find him a wife! ? '' Yang Fanglie appeared quite surprised

After discussing the subsequent arrangements, the Chief of Staff meeting was declared concluded

Although the current estimates have significant errors, Professor Luo Jinyong raised a key issue. "The one who rushed to speak was the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army, Sergeyev. " This is to say, we only have a chance to overcome the invasion of extraterrestrial civilizations if the asteroid can 'soft land'. If the asteroid directly collides with the Earth, even if the speed does not increase, our efforts will be in vain, and a catastrophic disaster will sweep across the globe. Regardless of what we do, we must make every effort to mitigate the damage caused by the asteroid's fall in this scenario. " If the asteroid directly collides with the Earth, even if the speed does not increase, our efforts will be in vain, and a catastrophic disaster will sweep across the globe. Regardless of what we do, we must make every effort to mitigate the damage caused by the asteroid's fall in this scenario.

Although they are soldiers, they possess scientific knowledge

Gaining recognition and acknowledgment brings him immense satisfaction, and achieving success is the greatest motivation. Zhang Xiaogang lit another cigarette and said with a smile, "Of course, taking good care of Wu Guoxiong is also crucial. This guy is very sentimental; he would do anything for the sake of brotherhood. If possible, finding him a wife would be perfect. After all, every man has the desire to establish a family."

What is the likelihood of being struck? Yang Fanglie's hand trembled slightly as he lit a cigarette

As Beijing is in the UTC+8 time zone, which is two hours ahead of the UTC+6 time zone where Diego Garcia is located, Yang Fanglie arrived at the General Staff Headquarters just in time for the start of the meeting

General Takeuchi, is Japan planning to use the weapons-grade nuclear materials it produces for other purposes, or has Japan already been secretly producing weapons-grade nuclear materials?

This arrangement allows China and Russia to jointly veto any proposal