The rise of nanometers

The industrialization of Guanghan Palace Base is in full swing.

On Outpost 1, repair work also began, but after opening the scientific research module B2, Hawke quickly noticed a huge problem.

He pried open the protective layer of the floor, and a wave of heat came out from below. Even though he was wearing an extravehicular space suit, the situation in front of him frightened him to the extreme.

Swallowing his throat, the radiation detector on the spacesuit was constantly beeping alarms, reminding him that the radiation intensity here exceeded the standard.

However, he was not in the mood to pay attention to the buzzer alarm at this time. Instead, he stared directly below at a row of pipes that was covered with a large piece of molten material from the nuclear battery.

In particular, more than half of the three blue-painted water pipes have come into contact with the hot melt material from the nuclear battery. Due to the cooling of the water, a lot of the hot melt material condenses on the outside of the water pipes.

This scene made his hands and feet feel cold and his body trembled involuntarily.

Ruined!

Damn, I made a fatal mistake.

Hawke's face was extremely pale and he hurriedly opened the hatch. After returning to the scientific research module B1, he didn't bother to take off his spacesuit and immediately ran to the water dispenser.

Wade, who was preparing the materials, asked with a surprised look on his face: "Dude, what's wrong?"

Hawke didn't answer, he just put out a bottle of water, then shakily inserted the radiation detector probe into the water bottle.

drop……

507

This red number was like a sharp blade, piercing directly into Hawk's heart, and his body froze.

What does this radiation dose mean?

He knew very well that under normal circumstances, if he was exposed to a radiation dose of about 450 in a short period of time, the fatality rate would be about 10%.

However, when the radiation dose exceeds 500, the fatality rate is not 20% or 30%, but as high as 100%, which means death is certain.

He seemed to have lost all strength, and he slowly slumped down and leaned against the bulkhead, just like a walking corpse. In other words, at this moment, he was no different from the living dead.

Hawke's pupils were dull, and if it weren't for the slight sound of breathing, he would have thought he was scared to death.

Wade, who was not far away, was startled by the sudden situation and hurriedly came over and asked: "Hoke, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"We are finished! We are finished!..." Hawke muttered these words.

Wade was still confused and asked: "What happened?"

"Nuclear radiation, our drinking water is contaminated by nuclear batteries." Hawke replied desperately.

"Nuclear radiation?..." Wade was stunned, and then saw the radiation detector and water bottle in Hawk's hand. His heartbeat accelerated involuntarily, and he grabbed the radiation detector and water bottle.

The probe is inserted into the water bottle again.

drop! 507.

Fear, unprecedented fear, suddenly filled Wade's brain: "NO, NO, the detector must be broken."

He ran frantically to living cabin A3, rummaged through boxes and cabinets, and found two other spare radiation detectors.

I ran back to the water fountain and tested the water in the water bottle again.

drop! 507...drop! 507……

Sweating broke out on his forehead, Wade's eyes were filled with the hope of survival, and he tested the two water dispensers and the washing machine.

The results were similar. The radiation dose in the water in the entire base exceeded 500, which was a fatal dose.

The final struggle was over, and Wade slumped down helplessly.

There was deathly silence in the living cabin A1, only the lights of some instruments flickered from time to time, and the two people's faces were ashen.

How hopeless this is.

After more than a month of suffering and hunger, they worked hard to wait for the supply cabin, but they did not expect that an even more hopeless situation was waiting for the two of them.

Wade opened his tablet and looked at the family photos in the photo album. Tears overflowed uncontrollably: "Huh..."

Hawke, who seemed to have lost his motivation, sat there for more than three hours before standing up in despair, came to the communication desk, and reported their encounter to the Houston Space City.

At this time, it was the dead of night in North America.

In the Lunar Command Center in Houston Space City, several personnel on duty were yawning and chatting.

Suddenly, correspondent Rum heard the communication reminder and immediately turned his chair. He saw the report email just sent by Outpost 1, and he clicked to open it.

Ten seconds later.

"Oh my God!"

"What's wrong?"

Rum said in shock: "Something happened at Outpost 1. Wade and Hawke drank water with excessive radioactive substances."

"What?"

"Oh my God……"

The others were immediately shocked.

After coming back to his senses, Rum immediately informed his supervisor. Within twenty minutes, all NASA executives knew about it.

In order to facilitate work, NASA's headquarters moved to the Houston Space City neighborhood last year, so as soon as the Lunar Command Center reported the situation, NASA executives immediately learned about the relevant situation.

Director George, who hurried over, and Frank, the leader of the lunar program, contacted Hawke directly.

The two sides communicated for half an hour. George's face looked extremely ugly. He also felt weak all over. He slumped in the chair for a while, then raised his head and asked:

"Frank, what do you think?"

Lifting his glasses, Frank sighed: "Hey! I can't help it. If they were on Blue Star, they could still get treatment, but now they are on the moon, and they have been drinking nuclear-contaminated water for a while."

How could George not know that after drinking a large dose of nuclear-contaminated water, and now that there is no clean water in the lunar base, the fate of Hawk and Wade is basically certain.

"According to the amount of nutrient solution on the supply cabin, if you simply drink the nutrient solution, it can only last for about 12 days. Once..." Frank couldn't go on.

"12 days..." George fell silent again.

Twelve days is not short, but it is not long.

NASA just revised its plan the day before yesterday, delaying the launch of Falcon Heavy and planning to modify several space capsules.

George was weighing the pros and cons. If the plan was temporarily modified to allow the Heavy Falcon to transport 18 tons of supplies, it could be completed within 12 days, which would be barely possible.

But doing so is bound to be a losing business.

Frank on the side also knew it well.

After all, Outpost 1 has been abandoned, and radioactive materials have entered the water circulation system. Even if the source of radioactive contamination is cut off and the water is replaced, there is still a huge risk of radioactive materials remaining in pipes, drinking fountains, and filters.

The more thorny issue is the physical condition of the two astronauts.

Depending on the dose of radiation received in their bodies and their physical condition at this time, it is estimated that serious deterioration will occur within 7 to 15 days at most.

Now NASA has no way to transport them back to Blue Star. In fact, Frank has already planned to abandon the two of them. Even if they are sent back, they will definitely die.

Based on NASA's current launch vehicle arrangements, it will not be possible to squeeze out a spacecraft until around December 8 at the earliest.

By the time December 8 comes, it will probably be too cold for everyone.

Although everyone knew that Hawke and I were bound to die, and they all planned to abandon them and Outpost 1, no one spoke first.

This kind of thing is inappropriate for anyone to say.

In the end, George made the arrangements: "I will report to the board of directors first, Frank and Cobos (head of the Lunar Command Center), please comfort the astronauts and block all news. I don't want to hear this news on the news. Understand?"

"Okay." Frank nodded.

"No problem." Cobos also understood the seriousness of the matter.

Thank you for your support (ω｀)