387: Chapter 387 5-Nano Lithography Machine: Construction Begins on the Lunar Base

In July in Shenzhen, heatwaves rose from the asphalt, distorting the skyline of the distant skyscrapers. In the global launch hall of Xinghuo Chip, all three thousand seats were filled. The air conditioning was set to sixteen degrees, yet a restless heat still permeated the air—not from the weather, but from anticipation. Representatives from TSMC, Samsung, Intel, Nvidia, and AMD sat in the front row with varying expressions. The ASML representative sat in the third row, clutching an untouched bottle of mineral water.

On the circular giant screen, a line of text slowly emerged, like circuits etched onto a silicon wafer: "Suiguang-5: Redefining the Limits of chip Manufacturing." The lights dimmed, and a spotlight hit the center of the stage. Li Wanqing stepped out, wearing a white suit, her short hair looking professional, her high heels tapping a steady rhythm on the marble floor. At forty-two, she was the CEO of Xinghuo Chip and the most powerful woman in the global semiconductor industry.

Standing in the center of the stage, her gaze swept across the audience: "Three years ago, we released Suiguang-1. That was sixteen nanometers." She paused, "Today, Suiguang-5. Five nanometers."

The giant screen lit up. Technical parameters poured down like a waterfall:

Suiguang-5 Photolithography Machine

Technical Route: Extreme Ultraviolet + Electron Beam Hybrid Exposure (World First)

Resolution: 3nm (Surpassing the 5nm nominal rating)

Throughput: 200 wafers/hour (Surpassing ASML NXE:3600D)

Price: $250 million per unit (ASML equivalent approximately $400 million)

Mass Production Time: Late 2021

A commotion broke out below the stage. Some took notes rapidly, some whispered to each other, and some stared motionless at the numbers on the screen. Li Wanqing's voice continued, as calm as if she were giving a lecture: "Extreme ultraviolet is responsible for high throughput, two hundred wafers per hour. The electron beam handles fine corrections, pushing the resolution to three nanometers. Combining the two, the yield rate is no less than eighty-five percent."

She looked at the audience, her gaze landing in the direction of the ASML representative: "Some say Moore's Law has reached its end. We disagree. It's not the law that has ended, but the old technology."

The TSMC representative's face turned ashen. The Samsung representative looked down at his phone; the screen showed a message he had sent to headquarters: "Suiguang-5, 3nm resolution, mass production by year-end." The ASML representative stood up, the sound of his chair scraping the floor particularly piercing in the quiet hall. He didn't look at anyone and walked straight toward the exit.

The sound of shutters followed him all the way out.

At 11:00 AM, the Q&A session began. A reporter from The Wall Street Journal was the first to raise their hand: "President Li, what comes after five nanometers?" balance

Li Wanqing smiled, a smile containing the specific certainty of a technologist: "Three nanometers. Two nanometers. One nanometer. As long as the laws of physics don't stop us, we will keep going."

A reporter from Nikkei Shimbun followed up: "The 2nm process jointly developed by ASML, TSMC, and Samsung is expected to enter mass production in 2025. Can Suiguang-5 match that?"

Li Wanqing tilted her head slightly, as if she had heard a very amusing question: "Match it? We are the leaders. They are the ones chasing us."

Below the stage, the Intel representative began to applaud. The solitary clapping sounded exceptionally loud in the crowd.

The time came to July 15th, Command Center. The sea outside the Command Center shimmered like shattered silver under the sunlight, but everyone's eyes were fixed on the gray wasteland on the giant screen. The robotic arm of yutu-3 was operating on the lunar surface; the nozzle of the 3D printing device moved slowly as lunar soil was melted, deposited, and solidified under the laser beam, layer by layer, like a silkworm spinning silk.

Chu Tianming stood on the stage, behind him a rendering of the lunar base—a silver-gray domed building, partially buried in the lunar soil, with solar panels spread out like wings. This was the first time humanity had seriously drawn architectural blueprints for another planet.

"Based on the maturity of lunar soil brick technology," his voice was calm, but every word was like a nail driven into the air, "Xingchen Aerospace announces that in 2023, we will launch the first batch of lunar base modules."

The giant screen switched:

Lunar Base Construction Plan

2023: Launch of the first batch of base modules—habitation module, power module, and 3D printing robots

2024: Robots complete the main structure construction; the first batch of astronauts moves in

2025: Base expanded to accommodate six people

2026: Expanded to twelve people, initiating large-scale scientific research

Core Technologies

3D Printing Robots: Using lunar soil for on-site sintering of architectural structures, eliminating the need to transport building materials from Earth

In-Situ Resource Utilization: Extracting water ice to produce oxygen, water, and fuel

Small Nuclear Reactor: Power output of one megawatt, capable of continuous operation for ten years

Chu Tianming paused: "For the first time in human history, we are building a house on another planet. We aren't using bricks transported from Earth, but the soil of the moon."

Thunderous applause erupted. Sitting in the front row, Liu Peiqiang took off his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes. The sixty-five-year-old scientist had waited a lifetime for this day.

At 11:00 AM, the giant screen began playing a rendering animation of the lunar base. First scene: The lander touches down on the gray wasteland of Oceanus Procellarum, the hatch opens, and the 3D printing robot slowly rolls out. Second scene: The robot's mechanical arm begins to work, lunar soil is sintered layer by layer, and walls grow from the ground like an upside-down tree. Third scene: The walls close, the dome is sealed, and a silver-gray building stands tall on the lunar surface. Fourth scene: Human astronauts walk out of the airlock, standing on the moon with their home behind them.

The final frame of the animation displayed a line of text: "The Moon: Not just a destination. It is home."

In the Command Center, some people's eyes filled with tears.

Moscow. The Roscosmos press conference was ten minutes later than scheduled. Rogozin stood on the stage, the Russian flag and the Roscosmos logo behind him. His voice was booming, but his expression held a complex solemnity.

"Russia has decided to formally apply to join the Xingchen Lunar Base program. We will provide Soyuz spacecraft technology, docking modules, and twenty years of deep-space exploration experience."

An American reporter raised her hand: "Why not cooperate with the United States? The Artemis Program—"

Rogozin interrupted her and laughed, a laugh with a specifically Russian grit and bluntness: "The United States? Their Artemis Program is still in PPT. We want to go to the Moon, not to a PowerPoint presentation."

Berlin. The German Aerospace Center's press conference was simultaneously linked to Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, and Madrid. The Director of the German Aerospace Center stood on the stage with the flags of the five nations behind him.

"Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain jointly apply to join the Xingchen Lunar Base program." He paused, "Europe needs to participate in lunar development. Not as a bystander, but as a builder."

Paris. Macron stood before the cameras at the Élysée Palace, with the French flag and the European Union flag behind him. "France fully supports Europe's inclusion in the lunar base. This is an expression of European strategic autonomy."

A reporter asked: "What about the United States?"

Macron smiled, a smile with a specifically French elegance and sharpness: "The United States can play by itself."

In Su Chen's office, the phone wouldn't stop ringing. Lin Wan handed over a list detailing the application intentions, cooperation content, and conditions of the six countries. Russia wanted to maintain technical sovereignty over the Soyuz, Europe wanted to share scientific data, Japan had sent an application in the early hours, and India was still hesitating.

Su Chen looked at the list and smiled: "They all want to join us now."

Lin Wan asked: "How should we respond?"

Su Chen leaned back in his chair: "Welcome them. But we will evaluate; some countries are not suitable for cooperation, such as Japan." He paused, "Tell Russia we want the spacecraft technology. Tell Europe we want the scientific payloads. But command authority remains with Xingchen. The lunar base is not the United Nations; there is no veto power."

On the afternoon of July 16th, Xingchen Aerospace released an official statement. The wording was as concise as a mathematical formula: "Xingchen welcomes all nations to participate in the construction of the lunar base. Principle of cooperation: Distribution based on contribution. Xingchen holds project leadership. All participating nations enjoy equal scientific research rights."

The front-page headline of The New York Times was: "Lunar Base: Led by Xingchen, Great Powers Line Up." The Financial Times headline was even more direct: "United States Excluded from Lunar Development."

That evening, Washington. In Bridenstine's office at NASA headquarters, the lights were still on. On the screen before him were Xingchen's official statement and news of the five nations lining up. He picked up the phone and dialed the White House.

"Mr. President, we need to talk."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

380,000 kilometers away, on the wasteland of Oceanus Procellarum, yutu-3 was still working. The 3D printing device was sintering the two-hundredth lunar soil brick. The bricks were neatly stacked on the lunar surface, like the foundation of a small warehouse. When human astronauts arrived, these bricks would become walls, domes, and homes. In the silence, the Moon waited for its first inhabitants.