Chapter 176: The Great Leap in Science and Technology

With this single Gravitational Wave Telescope, humanity’s observation capabilities had officially surpassed those of the Viridian Civilization.

Jason wasn’t the only one who treasured it; all the astronomers treated the device with the utmost care. Because of this, the potential risks to the telescope were only briefly mentioned in the latest reports and hadn’t been formally addressed yet. Everyone knew that the Gravitational Wave Telescope had to be protected at all costs.

Seeking answers, Jason summoned several astronomers, materials scientists, and physicists to the captain’s quarters to discuss the problem.

Pinpointing humanity’s location in deep space was crucial, as it determined where they would land next, but the telescope was just as important. He needed to have a clear discussion with the experts.

“…Captain Jason, regarding your question, there is absolutely a risk of damage,” an astronomer in his sixties explained. “Even with heavy armor plating, the telescope is vulnerable. The primary danger isn’t cosmic particles, but gamma rays from our former sun.”

“After the explosion, the star didn’t vanish completely. It collapsed into something resembling a white dwarf. That evolutionary process is still ongoing. Even though its activity is much weaker now, it can still emit high-energy gamma rays.”

“…If those gamma rays strike the telescope, no amount of armor will save it; everything will melt instantly. The probability of a direct hit isn’t high, but the risk is very real.”

Jason nodded. This was exactly what he was worried about. Even if it was a one-in-ten-thousand chance, he wasn’t willing to gamble with their most vital piece of equipment.

He turned to the materials scientists. “Do we have a viable solution? Can our best protective materials block gamma radiation? Give me a straight answer. You can have whatever resources or energy you need, just ensure the telescope stays safe. Yes or no?”

One of their most renowned materials scientists, Simov, pondered for a long time before finally shaking his head in distress.

“Stellar-level gamma rays are beyond the limits of our current materials. Aside from the Noah’s outer hull, neither the Martian extraterrestrial alloys nor the materials salvaged from the Viridian Civilization can withstand them… Unless we build a massive defensive structure… something tens or even hundreds of meters thick.”

“But the ship is traveling near the speed of light, making any exterior construction extremely dangerous. Furthermore, moving massive objects outside would unnecessarily reduce our overall speed.” Simon paused, letting out a heavy sigh. “So, I believe our best option is to simply wait a few more years.”

“The further we get from the star, the lower our chances of being hit by gamma rays. Plus, its solar activity will decrease over time. Because of our near-light-speed travel, one year inside the ship is roughly equivalent to five years on the outside.”

Jason understood. He sighed; it seemed there was no short-term solution to this problem. They either had to take a massive risk or wait it out.

That was the nature of science; it couldn’t be swayed by the willpower of any leader. If extraterrestrial materials couldn’t pull it off, human materials certainly couldn’t either. Even a planetary-sized super-fleet had been reduced to cosmic dust by a supernova, a stark reminder of the immense power of gamma rays. Unless they were like the Precursors, whose technology had advanced to an unimaginable level, allowing them to manipulate cosmological constants, the rules of the universe, and the very laws of physics, it would be impossible for the Noah’s hull to withstand a full supernova impact.

Naturally, Simov couldn’t just agree to Jason’s demands, no matter how serious the captain was. These were among the top scientists of the Federation. They weren’t overly ambitious or eager for quick success, and they certainly wouldn’t confidently claim they could achieve the impossible. It was a matter of integrity; great minds who reached this level naturally held themselves to strict professional and moral standards.

Jason frowned, deep in thought. Should he take the risk now, or wait a few more years?

“I think it would be better to wait,” the older astronomer advised. “According to our current star charts, there are no other stars directly in our path. Star 187J3X1, which is 21.3 light-years away, is the closest and remains our best option.”

“Even if we used a nuclear detonation to alter our trajectory, it would only shift us by a fraction,” a physicist added. “At this velocity, the magnitude of any course correction we can make is incredibly small. It’s practically impossible to steer the ship directly toward Star 187J3X1.”

After further discussion, the physicists generally agreed that changing direction would cause the Noah to lose a massive amount of kinetic energy. Given the Federation’s current resource shortage, they desperately needed to maintain a strong relativistic effect for their journey.

Hearing their consensus, Jason forced himself to calm down. He knew he was being impatient. He just wanted to secure a habitable planet as soon as possible to pull them out of their current resource crisis. But even with precise star charts, humanity couldn’t afford to adjust its course every few dozen light-years. It wasn’t as simple as turning a steering wheel; it required detonating massive nuclear weapons, which demanded the utmost caution.

For a while after that meeting, he stepped back from the astronomical issues. Instead, he focused his attention on the Federation’s social reforms and other technological advancements.

There were simply too many areas of research to pursue; even with 30,000 scientists aboard the Noah, they didn’t have the manpower to cover everything. Extraterrestrial engineering, the Martian virus, the longevity serum, Viridian drones, the Perfect Element, spatial curvature, solar mechanics… These subjects covered every scientific discipline, from biology and physics to chemistry and aerospace. A breakthrough in any single area would spark a cascade of technological advancements.

Research reports were being churned out like products on an assembly line. Scientific and technological breakthroughs seemed to happen almost effortlessly.

They were exhausted, but happy! It was a unique atmosphere. In the past, they had worked frantically just to survive life-or-death crises. Now, their workload was entirely driven by their own passion and drive. With the social systems undergoing massive reforms, the spacecraft’s internal structures being redesigned, and scientific progress advancing at a breakneck pace, the entire population felt the momentum of rapid evolution.

Jason could feel his own progress, too. He was finally able to understand many of the highly technical reports and could even hold his own in discussions about advanced theoretical topics. He was beginning to see the endless charm and beauty hidden within each formula and law of physics. The joy of solving a complex problem was unparalleled. If Jason felt this way as a layman, he could only imagine how the scientists on the cutting edge must feel.

They worked with pure passion, not for money or glory, but out of a genuine love for discovery. In fact, they were overworking themselves to such an extent that the Federation government had to mandate a strict curfew: labs had to close by 10:00 PM. Anyone caught working past that time would be penalized!

This sparked a minor protest among the research teams… though, of course, their complaints fell on deaf ears.

But the hard work was paying off. For one, materials science had finally made a massive leap forward. With so many extraterrestrial samples to draw inspiration from, it would have been embarrassing if the scientists hadn’t made any progress.

Felix, Simov, and the other Senior Scientists warmly invited Jason to attend the unveiling of their newest material.

It was going to be a groundbreaking scientific showcase!

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