Chapter 879
Simultaneous Development of Two Solutions: Accelerating Aerospace Development
"Academician Wang."
His voice was a little hoarse as he asked, "Two thousand-ton-class parallel units, how many Hercules-9s do you plan to use?"
"Three platforms."
Wang Donglai pulled up a new diagram showing eight Hercules-9 engines arranged in a ring, their nozzles neatly aligned like soldiers in formation.
In the center is a giant, overturned rocket body, nine meters in diameter and sixty-seven meters in length—it will be a behemoth with a takeoff mass of over 2,500 tons, a near-Earth payload capacity of no less than 200 tons, and a lunar transfer payload capacity of no less than 60 tons.
"Three engines in parallel, each with a thrust of 1,200 tons, for a total of 8,000 tons of takeoff thrust."
Wang Donglai asked, "Is that enough to send a 60-ton rocket to the moon?"
Yang Anchao quickly calculated in his mind and replied, "Enough, but parallel control..."
"Old Zhou." Wang Dong looked at the chief engineer of power.
Old Zhou stood up, put his glasses back on, and the temples still bore the fingerprints he had just wiped.
"The core issue of parallel control is the vibration modes of multi-machine coupling."
His voice restored the engineer's composure as he explained, "With three engines operating simultaneously, the jets interfere with each other, and combustion transmission is unstable. The control system must complete thrust vector distribution and phase synchronization within milliseconds. The thrust vector swing angle of the Lishi-9 engine is ±6 degrees. After parallel operation, it needs to be recalibrated, but it is controllable."
He paused.
"Give me three years, and I can reduce the probability of parallel circuit failure to less than one in a thousand."
"Not three years."
"Furthermore, a one in a thousand probability in spacetime is still too high; one in ten thousand is acceptable."
Wang Donglai shook his head and said, "The National Space Administration's heavy-lift rocket pre-research project was approved this year, and we will share the parallel control data of the Long March 9."
"Their test bench has been running for two years, and they have figured out the boundary conditions of the coupled vibration."
Old Zhou paused for a moment, then nodded and tentatively asked, "That year?"
"What about the horizontally positioned mechanism for the rocket body during a soft landing on the moon?" Wang Donglai turned to the chief structural engineer.
"We need to design a controllable tilting support to perform attitude rotation after landing on the moon."
The chief structural engineer spoke almost without pausing, clearly having considered these issues countless times in his mind. He said, "The technical difficulty is manageable; the challenge lies in reusing the landing legs and the tipping mechanism. If the landing legs themselves can perform the tipping function, the weight of the dedicated mechanism can be eliminated."
How much weight gain?
"The entire system, including the control mechanism, is expected to add 400 kilograms in weight."
"add."
Wang Donglai succinctly stated, "It's worth adding a ton of weight for this function."
The chief structural engineer nodded and quickly wrote a line in his notebook.
Yang Anchao looked at this scene and suddenly smiled.
He recalled a time when they encountered technical difficulties in their research and development at Galaxy Aerospace. The entire team worked hard for a long time and tried many methods, but they were unable to achieve a breakthrough.
But whenever Wang Donglai appears, these problems are solved at an almost exaggerated speed.
This happened many times, and from then on, Yang Anchao understood that talking to Wang Donglai about "impossible" was like casting pearls before swine.
What he learned was to ask "how is it possible?"
"Mr. Wang."
Yang Anchao put down his teacup, took a deep breath, and said, "I accept the whole arrow landing on the moon plan, but there's one problem you have to cover for me."
"Say!"
"A two-thousand-ton-class parallel rocket is not in the scale of commercial spaceflight. From the engine to the rocket body structure, from the control system to the launch pad, every single one of them is a national strategic asset."
He stared into Wang Donglai's eyes and asked earnestly, "How far can the country support us?"
He also came from the national team, so he has a considerable sensitivity in this regard.
Knowing that such an important technology must be under extremely strict scrutiny from above.
This has been especially true since GalaxySpace successfully completed its manned lunar landing.
Wang Donglai looked around at everyone but did not answer immediately.
He sat down in his chair and picked up the freshly brewed cup of hot tea on the table—he didn't know who had secretly switched it while he was talking.
"That's why I've come to see you today."
He took a sip of tea and introduced to everyone: "In March of this year, the China National Space Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Finance jointly released the 'Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality and Safe Development of Commercial Spaceflight'."
Wang Donglai was very familiar with the policies outlined, saying, "Of the 22 key measures, three are relevant to us. The third one is: competitively opening up national scientific research projects, and opening up civil aerospace scientific research programs and basic scientific research projects to commercial aerospace entities."
Article 7: Promote the commercial application of national technological achievements, improve the intellectual property system, and promote the establishment of a mechanism for the promotion and application of scientific and technological achievements formed by national investment to commercial aerospace entities.
Article 12: Promote the open sharing of national scientific research and experimental facilities and equipment. National civilian telemetry and control stations, receiving stations, calibration sites, and rocket engine test stands shall be open to commercial aerospace entities.
"Engineer Yang, the policies, funding, talent, and experimental resources you need have already been printed in official documents. This is not just empty talk; it's a reality that has already been implemented."
Yang Anchao fell silent.
He had certainly read the "Action Plan".
As the helmsman of GalaxySpace, he has repeatedly studied every policy direction in the commercial aerospace industry.
But knowing this is one thing, and linking the phrase "the state encourages commercial spaceflight to participate in major projects" with Wang Donglai's sketch of "a rocket landing on the moon" is another—these are two different things.
"So what you mean by international cooperation..."
After thinking for a moment, Yang Anchao carefully chose his words and asked softly, "Does it mean we offer our core patents in exchange for the implementation of these policy resources?"
"wrong!"
Wang Donglai shook his head and said, "It's not that we offer our core patents in exchange for support; it's that we transform our core patents into national capabilities—and then the higher-ups give us a bigger stage."
"Galaxy Aerospace's Hercules engine has surpassed Russia's RD-171MV in all three core indicators: combustion chamber pressure, specific impulse, and thrust-to-weight ratio."
"This is no longer a trade secret, but a vital national asset!"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck everyone's ears: "Using it to launch commercial networking satellites and earn billions in launch service fees is tantamount to begging for food while holding a golden bowl."
Yang Anchao's breath hitched for a moment, as if he had been stunned by Wang Donglai's words.
"I want you to market and standardize this technology."
Wang Donglai looked into Yang Anchao's eyes and said, "The two-thousand-ton heavy rocket is not Galaxy Aerospace's private property, but a public infrastructure for the national deep space exploration strategy."
"You've made it. Chang'e 10 and 11 will use your rockets, the International Lunar Research Station modules will use your rockets, and the manned Mars landing in 2036 will also use your rockets."
At this point, Wang Donglai lowered his voice: "Engineer Yang, this is not a commercial order, this is the position that history has given you."
"Although you are not in charge of major space missions in the national team, you have successively completed manned lunar landings after joining GalaxySpace. If you can complete this mission, you will definitely have a place in the history of China's space program."
"Perhaps when humanity leaves Earth and ventures into the cosmos, it will still remember you and me."
Despite hearing such an enticing vision, Yang Anchao remained calm.
But the veteran engineers who had followed him for ten or seven years all had tears in their eyes.
This will be remembered in history!
What scholar wouldn't be envious or jealous?
Moreover, it is a space program with such historical value to humankind.
Chief Engineer Zhou took off his glasses, this time not because they were fogged up.
He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, as if trying to rouse himself. The chief structural engineer looked down at the line he had written in his notebook—"The tilting mechanism adds 400kg to its weight"—the handwriting blurred by a drop of water.
No one spoke; everyone was engaged in intense mental preparation.
a long time.
"Mr. Wang."
Yang Anchao spoke, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded, concealing barely suppressed excitement: "The Lux-2000 parallel configuration will have a first draft within six months."
He paused, then continued, "The lunar base plan... will be scrapped and started over, with the entire rocket landing on the moon as the core and the expansion of the lava tube as the long-term goal, and the mission profile will be redesigned."
"No, the lava tube base project continues, and the whole rocket landing on the moon project is also proceeding simultaneously."
"Take a two-pronged approach, and double the insurance."
Wang Donglai rejected Yang Anchao's idea and instead proposed two parallel solutions.
Yang Anchao did not hesitate for long and nodded in agreement.
The construction plan for the lava pipe base has been underway for quite some time, and he doesn't want to give up just like that.
What Wang Donglai said actually suited his wishes.
How long will it take to see the first draft of the plan?
"Three months."
Yang Anchao said, "Three months later, I will produce a rocket that can land on the moon."
"Okay, then I'll wait for your good news and celebrate with you then!"
At this moment, Yang Anchao became somewhat dazed, his thoughts instantly returning to his childhood.
The child who first saw the Saturn V photo at the Children's Palace Planetarium forty-one years ago.
He was ten years old that year.
The photo is in black and white, showing the Saturn V standing on the launch pad, taller than any building he had ever seen.
The sign next to it reads: Height 110.6 meters, takeoff weight 3039 tons, capable of sending a 45-ton payload to the moon.
He stood in front of the photo, craning his neck to look at it for a long time.
At that time, he never imagined that he would one day actually be able to build rockets.
He never imagined that one day, someone would stand in this conference room, point to the PPT and say to him, "Your rocket can carry an entire base."
Chief Engineer Zhou was the first to stand up.
He walked up to Wang Donglai, his lips moved a few times, and finally he only said one sentence: "Mr. Wang, I'm going to get to work."
He left in a hurry.
With my laptop tucked under my arm, I almost bumped into the door frame when I went out.
His apprentice jogged after him, carrying three test reports in his hands.
"Mr. Liu, would you like to add more tonight..."
"add."
Without turning his head, the old man said in a firm and powerful tone, "We'll run through the parallel interface dimensions of the Lux-9 tonight."
"Didn't Engineer Yang say he'd have a plan in three months? Tonight..."
"The three months are for the leaders."
Old Liu's voice came from the corridor, as calmly as if he were saying that the braised pork in the cafeteria was a bit too salty today: "Prepare the things for General Manager Wang on a 24-hour basis."
The apprentice paused for a moment, then jogged after him.
This is the veteran of Galaxy Aerospace.
They stopped asking "Is this even possible?" a long time ago.
Because they've seen it too many times:
When GalaxySpace was founded, Wang Dong said he wanted to launch rockets. Some people said that this was something a private enterprise could do.
As a result, GalaxySpace launched twenty rockets in one year, all of which were successful, and now launches have become routine.
Back when rocket engines were in short supply, Wang Donglai said he wanted to develop rocket engines independently, and the whole world thought it was impossible.
As a result, the Hercules rocket engine was invented and broke the world record.
Wang Donglai said within GalaxySpace that they wanted to achieve a manned lunar landing.
Not long after, Wang Donglai boarded a rocket from Galaxy Aerospace and landed on the moon, becoming the first person in China to do so.
That flag was planted by Wang Donglai himself.
He crawled out of the return capsule, wearing the white intravehicular activity suit that countless people had criticized as "too plain," and walked twelve steps through the gray lunar dust before planting the flagpole into the lunar surface.
He did not speak throughout the entire process.
It wasn't until the press conference upon returning to Earth that a reporter asked, "Mr. Wang, what were you thinking when you landed on the moon?"
Wang Donglai thought for a moment and said, "I'm thinking of bringing more people next time."
The old man from Galaxy Aerospace listened and thought to himself: Oh.
Then I continued working with my head down.
It's not that I'm not amazed, it's that I've become accustomed to being amazed.
On the other side of the conference table, several newcomers remained seated, like wooden stakes that had just been struck by lightning.
One of them, a young man named Chen Mo, is a doctoral graduate from Tsinghua University's School of Aerospace Engineering this year and has been working at GalaxySpace for just two months.
He was still holding the meeting minutes notebook in his hand, the pen tip hovering over the paper, but he hadn't written a single word.
He recalled that when he came to work this morning, Old Zhou, who worked next to him, smiled and said, "Little Chen, in our aerospace industry, it's common to spend ten years honing your skills. You'd better be prepared for a long-term struggle."
He nodded!
Ten years, I can endure it.
As a result, Wang Donglai appeared. From the time he arrived here until now, less than an hour has passed, completely crushing his ten years of painstaking effort into dust.
"Brother Chen..."
The younger girl next to him tugged at his sleeve and said in a very low voice, "What Mr. Wang just said, two thousand tons in parallel, the whole rocket landing on the moon... is that the kind of realization that can actually be achieved, or... the realization of that 'strategic vision'?"
Chen Mo opened his mouth, but found he didn't know how to answer.
He studied engine engineering.
I still remember the first lesson after entering university, when the professor wrote the Tsiolkovsky formula on the blackboard: Δv = Isp·g0·ln(m0/m1)
"Students," the professor said, "this is the physical limit of spaceflight. To carry an extra ton of payload, the rocket body needs to be ten tons heavier; to fly farther, it needs to burn more fuel. There are no tricks, no shortcuts."
He believed it for seven years.
Then Wang Donglai told him: There is no shortcut, but you can build a bigger rocket.
This is not nonsense.
This is an entrepreneur saying to the laws of physics, "I accept your constraints, but I refuse to accept your judgment."
"It's... the kind of realization that can actually be achieved."
Chen Mo could feel that his voice was somewhat erratic.
He looked down at his notebook.
The meeting minutes column was empty except for one line: Hercules-2000, three engines in parallel, a single rocket launched to the moon.
The pen tip unconsciously drew a horizontal line below, the force penetrating the back of the paper and tearing through three pages. (End of Chapter)