These volunteers would be trained in the Ange Island Astronaut Training Center, currently recognized as the largest and most professional astronaut training base in the world. They would learn the basics of being an astronaut to adapt and combat in space.
These five hundred volunteers were the first group. In the coming year, the member states would also send a total of five thousand volunteers based on assigned quotas to deliver new blood to the burgeoning Earth Fleet.
After the five hundred volunteers settled down, Jiang Chen parted farewell with Wu Changfeng and left the training center. Instead of returning directly to Future Building, he drove to the high-tech park to visit Future Heavy Industries’ factory.
After signing a power export agreement with Hua Electricity Group last time, Hua’s Minister of Transportation made a trip to Xin. After he learned about the cost of the magnetic levitation road, he immediately proposed the idea of introducing the technology to the country.
At that time, Jiang Chen agreed, but Future Heavy Industries was focused on building the magnetic levitation road network on several islands. The production capacity at the time was not enough to develop the overseas markets. Now that the last island was transformed, Future Heavy Industries could begin to focus on international orders.
After he arrived at Future Heavy Industries’ factory, CEO Yang Guanglei took Jiang Chen for a tour and showed him the newly built magnetic levitation production line.
“This new production line is an attempt at automation. It uses a supercomputer to coordinate the production processes. From production, processing, assembly to final delivery, everything is done by machinery. Except for several engineers responsible for maintenance and optimization of the production line, this production line can be said to be completely unmanned!”
Yang Guanglei was quite proud when he made this statement
It was not a steel ingot or a lead bullet production line, but a high-tech product that included hundreds of links!
From the drawing of the graphene circuit board to the assembly of magnetic levitation generating devices, it was completely operated by automated machineries. If the automation could be applied to other fields, it would undoubtedly be a great leap for Future Heavy Industries’ productivity and cost-savings.
Although the focus of Future Heavy Industries was on aerospace, the company was still a pioneer in the civilian field. After all, as social animals, economic benefits were often the driving force for technological advances. History has proved countless times that technological breakthrough often starts with civilians.
As Jiang Chen looked at the black-colored quadrangular pyramidal piles passing through the assembly line, he nodded with satisfaction.
“How many magnetic levitation devices can you produce per month?” Jiang Chen asked Yang Guanglei.
“With sufficient raw materials, we can reach a monthly output of 100,000!”
100,000 was already better than the Sixth Street.
Jiang Chen was quite astounded by the number.
Chu Nan began to push for a magnetic levitation road in the Sixth Street a long time ago. At that time, Jiang Chen learned from the factory responsible for the production of this magnetic levitation device had only reached 50% automation.
He didn’t know what the productivity levels were before the war, but it wouldn’t be too different.
Many times, Jiang Chen felt that the Future Group in his hand was like a silkworm. It slowly digested the technology he brought back from the 22nd century and spat out white and firm silk threads one at a time.
One day, it will turn into a cocoon.
One day, it will break the cocoon and become a butterfly.
In the shambles of the apocalypse, Future Group would give birth to new glory, bringing the world in a more prosperous and beautiful direction.
Now, Jiang Chen already vaguely “saw” the shape of the cocoon, and he could even faintly touch the boundaries of the 22nd century.
At least in the timeline of the apocalypse with the three superpowers, even by 2170, colonizing Mars was still a dream. However, with Celestial Trade, the Mars colony already began the second round of expansion.
Just then, a sudden phone call interrupted Jiang Chen’s imagination for the future.
It was Ye Qinghua.
He opened the holographic screen, then he gestured Yang Guanglei to wait for a moment and went to the side to pick up the phone.
“Uncle Ye? Is there something wrong?” Jiang Chen smiled.
Since the last outer space development forum, Ye Qinghua had stayed in Xin. Although he retired from his position and had no power in his hands, no one could ignore his influence and his family in Hua’s political scene.
The reason why he stayed here largely explained the official attitude of Hua, and the country still valued Xin as a natural ally.
“Haha, can I not call Mr. Jiang just to chat?” Ye Qinghua said in a half-joking tone.
“Of course you can,” Jiang Chen laughed.
Although Elder Ye rarely spoke to him, Jiang Chen knew that the old man didn’t just sit around. If it was not for Ayesha, he didn’t even know that Elder Ye actually moved beside his parents.
He didn’t just move there. The elder man either played chess with his dad and Elder Xia or went fishing to catch seafood.
Elder Ye’s hometown was in the River South area, strictly speaking, they all came from the same hometown. Meeting a fellow townsman in a foreign country, the elders naturally were very enthusiastic about being acquainted. Elder Ye quickly integrated into Jiang Jianguo’s circle.
Jiang Chen didn’t know why he was so close to his father, but he didn’t bother with their interaction. Usually, he just headed back to his parents’ house to have a meal, and he seldom talked about work, so Elder Ye wouldn’t learn anything about him.
As long as Elder Ye did not try to persuade his father about the marriage between him and Elder Ye’s granddaughter, everything else was negotiable.
“I heard that the magnetic levitation road that you discussed with the Ministry of Transportations will start construction in a month or two?”
Coincidentally, he was there to inspect the production line. It was great timing.
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow and said, “Is the Ye family interested in infrastructure?”
“Hehe, it’s the younger generations.” Elder Ye laughed, but he sounded serious.
“Let me tell you the truth. The magnetic levitation road modification project is not a difficult one, and the technical requirement is pretty low. A driller just needs to put the magnetic device into the road,” Jiang Chen said.
Elder Ye quickly said, “Then how about this…”
Jiang Chen smiled and interrupted him, “The key is not with us, but with you. We are only a supplier. The Ministry of Transportations and the provincial transportation departments are responsible for the bidding. If you have the power to take on the project, of course, I don’t have any complaints.”
“Haha, rest assured, we have already spoken with the Ministry of Transportations and the provincial transportation departments. Now we are waiting for you to start shipping so we can start construction on there.” Elder Ye laughed.
