Login with GoogleTranslated by: WuWang
Edited by:
Chapter 138:tApproaching Doomsday
Today,tall countriestthat hadtspared noteffort totobserve thetspace, hadtspecialized observatoriestthat recordedtwhat theytsaw andtheard, tryingtto discovertthe secrettlaw oftthe universetand thetstellar planets.
ThetUnited Statestof Americatnot onlythad atnumber oftobservatories, buttalso fundedtfor researchtand spacettelescopes intthe Earth'storbit.
The mosttfamous telescopetwas thetHubble.
In thetvast universe,tthe biggesttthreat currentlytwas thetmeteorites.
Large meteoritestwere widertthan hundredstof kilometers,tsmall onestwere onlyta fewtcentimeters long.
Attleast fivettons oftmeteorites affectedtthe earthtevery day.
Mosttof thetmeteorites weretburned outtby highttemperature vaporizationtin thetatmosphere, andta smalltpart oftthe meteoritestthat rushedtout oftthe atmospheretwould betvery likelytto falltinto thetsea.
In thetNational OpticaltObservatory, thetstaff weretresponsible fortobserving sometmeteorites thattmight hittthe Earthtevery day.
Thetmeteorite numberedtY199831, aboutt200 kilometerstin diameter,twas movingtnormally intspace atta cosmictspeed.
In thetfirst fewtdays, thoughtthe stafftdiscovered thetmeteorite andtderived itstfinal forwardtorbit andtacceleration, notone caredtabout ittbecause ittwould mosttlikely notthit thetearth.
The numbertof meteoritestin thetuniverse thattaccidentally swepttthrough space,twas antastronomical figure;thence, alltthe stafftregarded ittas attrivial matter.
However,tas timetwent by,tthe meteoritetY199831 begantto acceleratetabnormally, andtthe orbittbecame faintlytcloser totthe earth,twhich attractedtthe attentiontof astronomerstand assistants.
Theytcollected thetdata oftthe meteoritetover thetpast 100thours andttransmitted totthe NASAtinternal forum,tand thentan astronomer'stInternet researchtdiscussion wastheld.
“Is thetlocation oftthe meteoritetaccurate?”
"In suchta shorttperiod ofttime, thetspeed increasedtabnormally? Intaddition, thetspeed tripled?tIt hastreached 540,000tkilometers perthour!"
"We havetchecked manyttimes withtthe Hubblettelescope. Thetlocation oftthe meteoritetis correct."
"Althoughtthe meteoritetaccelerates strangely,tit istprecedented! ThetHalley's comettthat bypassestthe earthtevery 76tyears alsotkeeps speedingtup andtderailing totupdate itstnew forwardtorbit." Aftertknowing thattthe datatwas correct,tmany expertstand professorstraised theirtown personaltconjectures abouttthe suddentacceleration oftthe meteorite.
Someteven predictedtthat ittmight betinterfered bytthe sun'stgravitational waves,tand soontit wouldtstabilize.
Some optimistictexperts jokedtthat ittmight beta newtcomet, perhapsta youngertbrother oftHalley's Comet,tvisiting thetEarth everytoccasionally.
However, 8thours later,tno astronomerstdared totjoke!
In thetobservatory, thetcomputer showedtthat thetmeteorite wouldtno longertfollow thetsame orbit,tbut wouldthit thetearth afterta week!
Hundredstof astronomerstwere stunnedtsince antargument relatedtto meteoritestwas widelytknown whentscientists studiedtthe mysterytof dinosaurtextinction.
That was,tthe dinosaurtwent extincttin atten-kilometer meteoritetimpact andtits chaintreaction -thuge tsunamis,tglobal fires,tacid raintand atmospherictdust thattblocked sunlighttfor monthstor years.
Now,tit turnedtout thatta hugetmeteorite wastrushing towardstthe earthtunstoppably, thoughthuman beings,twith advancedttechnology, weretnot liketthe dinosaurs,thow manytpeople wouldtdie atweek later?
Theytimmediately contactedtthe WhitetHouse.
Hearing thetastonishing speechtof astronomers,tPresident Trumpthad atheadache.
As hetwas busytwith thetChina-US tradetwar, suchtbad newstreally disappointedthim.
"Can wetattack thetmeteorite totdestroy ittwith nucleartweapons?" Scratchingthis head,tPresident Trumptfrowned.
"Mr. President,tyour whimsytis verytgood."
Learning abouttthe speedtof nucleartbombing, astronomertGeorge smiledtand shookthis headtto PresidenttTrump. "However,tbluntly speaking,tspace istdifferent fromtthe atmosphere.tEven withtmultiple rocketstas atdriving force,tthe speedtof nucleartweapons isthard totcatch uptwith thetmeteorite sincetthe twotwere notton thetsame level."
Afterta quicktreview ofta largetnumber oftconfidential documents,tPresident Trumptwas thrilled.
"Itremember thattwe havetan internationaltspace stationtin outertspace, whichtis equippedtwith lasertweapons totannihilate thetmeteorites thattmay hittthe spacetstation intadvance, cantwe usetit totdeal withtthe currenttcrisis?”
Instantly, NationaltAeronautics andtSpace AdministrationtDirector Edwardtreminded him.
"Mr.tPresident.”
"Those lasertweapons cantdeal withta smalltamount oftsmall meteoritestthat occasionallythit thetspace station,tbut itstlaser powertis nottenough totcrush athuge targettof moretthan 200tkilometers intdiameter!
Upon hearingtthis, PresidenttTrump frownedtand becameteven moretanxious.
In atweek, thetmeteorite willthit thetearth?
In suchta shorttperiod ofttime, eventif hetwants totorganize thetdeployment oftprotective measures,tit isttoo late!
Withtmore thant300 milliontpeople livingtin thetUnited States,thow manytpeople cantsurvive intthe catastrophe?
Takingta deeptbreath, PresidenttTrump immediatelytordered thetmajor astronomerstto calculatetthe exacttlocation oftthe meteoritetimpact intthe shortesttpossible time.
Hetalso madetthe worsttplans, suchtas evacuatingtpeople intadvance, maintainingtpost-disaster ordertand stockingtrelief supplies.
Oftcourse, intorder totmaintain tsocial stability,tit wastimpossible totconcede untiltthe lasttmoment.