Great Country Academician

In the reception hall of the NASA headquarters building.

After the experts at NASA's press conference took the stage, media reporters from all over the country made a noisy noise. Everyone crowded forward towards the podium, and the order at the scene was chaotic.

Countless microphones were put to the speakers' mouths, and all kinds of questions rang out in the reception hall.

"Hello, spokesperson, I am a media reporter from the Washington Post. I heard that China launched a space shuttle named 'Xinghai' last night and used the most advanced electric propulsion engine. Is this true? real?"

"When will our Artemis plan be implemented?"

"Today, ten years after the retirement of Endeavor, China has developed its own space shuttle. Does this mean that it was a wrong choice for us to retire the space shuttle?"

"."

Before the experts hosting the NASA press conference could speak, questions poured out one after another. The media reporters who came to interview wanted to put the microphones in their hands into each other's mouths.

The launch of Xinghai is undoubtedly a step to catch up for the United States' leadership in the aerospace field.

In particular, the power system it uses is the legendary electric propulsion that cannot even send an egg to the sky. It is a serious blow to their glory in the aerospace field.

What the United States could not do, this opponent who had never been taken seriously by them actually did it.

On the report stage, the expert responsible for holding the press conference was the expert who had previously suggested that the Xinghai's electric propulsion was a half-finished product.

Looking at the media reporters swarming in the reception hall, he felt a headache.

Bill Nelson threw today's conference at him, which was undoubtedly a difficult task. Faced with the calls of ordinary people who are excited and excited, if you are not careful, you may be crushed by the big waves.

Taking a deep breath, the expert said: "As for the news about China's launch of the space shuttle, NASA has indeed received it, and our satellite has also captured the entire process of the other party's launch."

Regarding the Xinghai's flight activities, this matter can no longer be concealed.

The United States and NASA are not the only ones paying attention to this matter. Tsarist Russia, Europe and other countries and regions also know the relevant news.

In this case, it is impossible for NASA to deny it.

However, with proper guidance, it is still possible.

For example, tell everyone that the launch of the Xinghai space shuttle was all monitored by their satellites. Another example is some speculation about the electric propulsion system used by the other party.

After a pause, the expert continued: "As for the propulsion technology used by the space shuttle, we currently have no accurate information. The other party has not disclosed the relevant technology and details in detail. Whether it is all electric propulsion technology? We are unable to make a judgment at the moment.”

In the lecture hall, many media reporters who had gradually quieted down became a little more commotion after hearing this.

Media reporters are all smart people, and someone soon heard the subtext in this statement.

The first person to react was a media reporter from the American ABC Radio and Television Station. The reporter quickly handed over the microphone and recorder in his hand, and quickly asked: "You mean, that Xinghai space shuttle, maybe Isn’t it using electric propulsion technology?”

On the reporting table, NASA experts shook their heads and said: "Whether Xinghai uses an electric propulsion system has yet to be confirmed. At present, we do not have accurate information. All conclusions are analyzed from satellite aerial photos. .”

Hearing this, a reporter from the media quickly asked: "What are the results of NASA's analysis?"

"Based on the information we know so far and satellite aerial photography, the tail flames of the space shuttle named Xinghai are obviously different when it sails in the atmosphere and when it enters outer space."

As the words fell, the screen in the reception hall also jumped.

Two comparison pictures of the Xinghai space shuttle were displayed on the screen. The former's tail flame showed a brilliant red-purple color, while the latter's tail flame showed a blue-white color.

Two completely different comparison pictures appeared, and the media reporters in the reception hall pressed their shutters one after another to record them.

The NASA expert who hosted the press conference looked sideways at the two pictures and continued: "These are two pictures we took at different times. The former is a picture of the space shuttle when it was flying in the atmosphere, and the latter was when it was at close range. Images from Earth Orbit.”

"Comparing the two, we can clearly find that the flame color of this space shuttle is completely different in the atmosphere and in outer space. From this point, we can infer that the propulsion process it uses in the atmosphere and in low-Earth orbit The quality is completely different.”

"Through the analysis of the tail flame, we can determine that the latter is xenon, a high-efficiency working fluid used in common electric propulsion engines. As for the former, we have compared all electric propulsion systems in the world and have not found a working fluid that corresponds to the flame color. .”

As soon as these words came out, there was a commotion among the media reporters.

A keen reporter quickly noticed the meaning of these words and quickly asked: "You mean that the Xinghai did not use an electric propulsion system when it was launched into the atmosphere?"

The NASA expert coughed and guided in a rather ambiguous tone: "I didn't say that. This is just the result of our internal analysis. Maybe they have found a more advanced and efficient electric propulsion medium. , this is also possible, and NASA will keep a close follow-up on this matter."

NASA's press conference ended quickly.

At this sensitive and critical node, apart from making some guided responses to the speculation about the Xinghai's tail flame to arouse the excitement of the American people, they did not dare to say much else.

And even if it is guidance, it is just some ambiguous words and no direct confirmation.

In fact, it is not just ordinary people in the United States who want to know the propulsion system used by the Xinghai. NASA itself also wants to find out what the working fluid is in the red-purple tail flame.

And about this, they have no clue.

Twelve hours have passed since the launch of Xinghai. As the expert said at the press conference, NASA has compared almost all electric propulsion media, but has not found any. The color of the tail flame of the seed material is reddish purple.

What's even more confusing to them is how electric propulsion can achieve such huge thrust.

On the other side, while the Xinghai was still sailing in outer space to complete experiments, and while Chinese netizens were still excited about their breakthroughs in the aerospace field, a piece of news spread across the sea and was brought in from the outside network by thoughtful people.

"Xinghai" is suspected not to use an electric propulsion system, or its essence is still traditional fuel propulsion! 》

The source of this news comes from ABC Broadcast Media, which is one of the three major television networks in the United States and is headquartered in New York City. Its influence is quite large.

When I clicked on the news, the content was a press conference from the NASA headquarters, as well as the evaluation and speculation of the Xinghai propulsion system by a NASA spokesperson. Including the two tail flame comparison pictures displayed by NASA at the press conference, they were also included in the news.

Under the deliberate guidance of some caring people, this news quickly became a hot search topic and was seen by many surfing netizens.

This piece of news has poured cold water on many netizens who are still excited and celebrating the extreme development of their own aerospace field and the fact that they will soon surpass the United States.

In the news report, "ABC Broadcast Media" not only reported the analysis of NASA, but also further filled in and processed NASA's speculation.

In addition, reporters from "ABC Broadcast Media" also interviewed experts and professors in the aerospace fields such as Space-X, Blue Origin, and Orbital Science. Not only NASA experts are confused about the fact that Xinghai uses an electric propulsion system, but other experts and professors in the American aerospace field also have doubts about this.

The difference in the propeller tail flame of the Xinghai space shuttle in the atmosphere and in outer space is the biggest doubt and problem.

As soon as this news report was released, it sparked extensive discussions on social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Many Americans feel that the analysis of aerospace companies such as NASA and Space-X is very reasonable.

If it were possible to achieve electric propulsion into the sky, the tail flames with completely different colors at both ends would be completely unexplainable.

When this report was sent back to China, it sparked a heated discussion, and the related topic quickly became a hot search topic on websites such as Bibo and βhu.

[Not electric propulsion? Is it a combination of electric propulsion + chemical fuel engine? 】

[Hey, I'm so happy, I really thought the electric propulsion system had a breakthrough. 】

[Laughing, I've said it's impossible a long time ago. What even a major aerospace country like the United States can't do, can that Professor Xu do it? It's just that I was deceived. 】

[Where are those people who are still clamoring to surpass the United States in the aerospace field yesterday and today? Why is it gone now? Fossil fueled space shuttles, the United States did it last century. 】

[Go to sleep, the gap in the aerospace field cannot be smoothed out by one person. 】

[These shepherd dogs upstairs are really interesting. Why, can they give you rice gold by licking your rice daddy like this? Even if it is a combination of electric propulsion + fossil fuel engine, that is our pride. Xinghai can break through the gravity well without external thrusters. Can your Mi Daddy's space shuttle do it? 】

[Le, you may not know the significance of a space shuttle that can freely navigate within the atmosphere and outer space orbits. Is this an ordinary space shuttle? This is an aerospace plane! 】

The hot discussion is not just about the scarf. As time goes by and the news ferments, some bloggers in the aerospace field have further analyzed the Xinghai.

Some people think that Xinghai uses electric propulsion engines from beginning to end, but it is just because the power required in the atmosphere and in outer space are different, and the working fluids used are also different.

The reddish-purple working fluid present in the atmosphere can provide huge thrust for climbing the gravity well. After arriving in outer space, because there is no influence of air resistance and gravity, naturally there is no need for such a huge thrust for control.

In contrast, it is easier to control using a working medium with smaller thrust to complete activities and orbit changes in outer space.

After all, short-distance space activities and experiments do not require extreme speed like interstellar travel.

Others believe that Xinghai uses traditional fossil fuel engines for propulsion and switches to an electric propulsion system only after climbing the gravity well. They believe that Xinghai Research Institute has packed two sets of engines into a space shuttle.

The news reports of "ABC Broadcast Media" were also quoted by it. The opinions of giants in the aerospace field such as NASA, Space-X, and Blue Origin are enough to influence a group of people.

After all, the strength of the United States in the aerospace field is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Since the red and blue Cold War of the last century, no country has been able to catch up with the other country.

Not only that, these bloggers listed various high-propulsion-efficiency refrigerants currently used in electric propulsion engines, but none of them can match the flame color of the Xinghai that sails in the atmosphere.

On the contrary, among traditional chemical fuels, there are many high-propulsion fuels whose flame color is red or purple.

The tail flames of the Xinghai space shuttle's thrusters in the atmosphere and outer space conform to this characteristic.

In addition, it is also a huge doubt whether electric propulsion is really capable of sending a space shuttle weighing dozens or even hundreds of tons into the sky.

After all, previously, the thrust of the world's most powerful electric propulsion system was only about 5N.

The thrust of 5 N can only theoretically send an egg into outer space, and it is still theoretical. In fact, it is far from possible.

Now, Xinghai must not only weigh one hundred tons, but also thirty or fifty tons. It is impossible to send such a heavy space shuttle into the sky based on the electric propulsion technology of this era.

On the other side, in the Xinghai Research Institute.

Although Xu Chuan does not use the Internet much when he is busy, when it comes to the development of fields such as space shuttles, he will still browse the opinions of major media in various countries.

He almost laughed out loud when he saw news from NASA's press conference and ABC broadcast.

Has NASA run out of tricks? Still eager to regain his face in the aerospace field, he actually held such a press conference.

But when I think about it again, it seems to make some sense.

Theoretically speaking, there is indeed no problem with the analysis of NASA and some bloggers.

The thrust of the electric propulsion engine is pushed from N level to KN level. The leap is so large that it is simply unbelievable.

Before the aerospace engine matured, not to mention NASA, many domestic executives who knew about the breakthrough of small reactors did not believe that the aerospace engine could break through so quickly.

After all, the difference from a few N to hundreds of KN is not a difference of ten or a hundred times, but a gap of tens of thousands of times.

But sometimes the maturity of a technology can drive far beyond its own field.

Just like the maturity of controllable nuclear fusion technology, it will drive the development of far more than just the energy field.

Whether it is the application of high-temperature plasma turbulence, the development of superconducting materials, or the construction of spiral magnetic fields, etc., all have been greatly improved.

And aerospace engines, in this environment, can naturally develop more violently.

In addition, one of the reasons why the aerospace field has not paid much attention to the research of electric propulsion systems.

In the past, the biggest use of electric propulsion engines was in equipment such as satellites and space stations.

Because these devices are in space, there is no interference from air resistance and gravity, and their requirements for propulsion power and functional systems are not high.

Most of the time, the power generated by a solar panel and a lithium battery is enough for a Hall thruster or other electric propulsion engine.

Experts from NASA have a hard time imagining an aerospace engine that consumes as much power as a small or medium-sized thermal power station. It’s also hard to imagine an electric propulsion machine that can use air as a propellant. What the system is like.

After all, this is more than a slight technological advance.

Even overtaking in corners is not enough to describe Xinghai's lead!

After all, the United States has not even kept up with the technology of large-scale controllable nuclear fusion reactors, let alone small fusion reactors that are more difficult on this basis.

Without a small reactor, the aerospace engine is only an ideal design, and it is impossible to provide huge thrust to help Xinghai travel in space.

If you are half a step ahead, you can catch up; if you are one step ahead, you can speculate; if you are two steps or three steps ahead, you can look up.

But when leading technology cannot even speculate, there is only despair.