I ask you to build tractors, but you build rockets?

"The spokesperson of the my country Aerospace Development Commission officially announced in Beijing: the launch of a manned landing exploration plan for the moon and a related lunar scientific research station construction plan.

Landing on the moon has been our country's dream since ancient times. Thousands of years ago, there was the story of Chang'e flying into the sky. In the poet Su Shi's water-melody song, there are also verses imagining the scenery of the moon.

Our country’s astronauts have always adhered to the idea of ​​safe and reliable spaceflight. Since the launch of Project 921, our country has sent 10 astronauts into space, achieved many achievements, and achieved great success.

To this end, the Aerospace Development Commission decided to launch my country's own lunar exploration plan after passing a resolution. It is reported that the completely independently designed Long March 10 new generation giant launch vehicle will be used to complete the moon landing.

It is reported that the Long March 10 rocket was actually envisioned as early as the 1960s and 1970s. It was a super rocket designed by Academician Qian Xuesen, my country’s aerospace leader, to carry out manned moon landings.

Today, our country's moon landing and subsequent lunar plans will continue to use the synonym "Dawn", and the newly developed moon landing rocket will be given the name Long March 10 to commemorate Mr. Qian's ardent expectations for China's aerospace and to make up for it. Regrets from the past.

The space agency said in this regard: We must carry forward the hard-working spirit of struggle and the spirit of innovation that is not afraid of difficulties, and resolutely complete..."

One hour after the Dawning Project was announced, it was at the top of Baidu’s hot search and Weibo’s hot search, which aroused huge public opinion on the Internet.

And when the Central News broadcast in the evening, people all over the country knew: The Chinese are going to land on the moon!

This news is no less shocking than the first man flying into space, the first satellite ascending into the sky, and the first atomic bomb detonating.

On countless nights in universities and factories, at roadside food stalls and grilled fish hotpot restaurants, you can hear people talking about the moon landing.

You know, according to the previous plan, the space agency should complete the last unmanned lunar exploration around 2025, and then conduct a manned lunar landing around 2030. Now it is 10 years ahead of schedule!

In particular, the speeches of the space agency bosses and important leaders all showed the importance they attached to the moon landing.

In forums for space enthusiasts, with the announcement of the Long March 10, a large group of netizens gathered together to discuss the space agency's moon landing plan. At the same time, conspiracy theorists continued to believe that the second space race had begun.

An article with the title "The Cold War restarts, China competes with NACA to compete with NACA to be the first person to return to the moon one year in advance!" was reprinted everywhere. This was an ordinary self-media article, but it turned out to be a bad luck. Many people believe it.

What’s even more outrageous is that someone suddenly started calling for donations for the space agency’s moon landing that night. Several space agency foundations received more than 100 million yuan in donations within 12 hours. The person in charge was so frightened that they reported the matter to the police overnight to find a way to deal with it.

As for anyone saying that landing on the moon is not as important as people’s livelihood? Yes, but before the public's enthusiasm could even raise its voice, it was drowned out.

In addition to eating, the people of China also yearn for the stars. The rescue plan for children in mountainous areas does not need to divert scientific research funds.

…

"It's... unexpected."

At the Aerospace Development Commission branch, Lin Ju had some communication with the person sent by the space administration, and looked at the Long March 10 rocket model he had received with emotion.

As for the reason why Project 2921 was suddenly implemented to land on the moon, the boss privately conveyed it to Lin Ju, who also understood it very well.

Superiors can accept being surpassed by Aramco, but they can never accept being surpassed by private aerospace. The issues involved in the latter are too high to challenge stability.

But Lin Ju was helpless. Anyway, the Long March 10 was preparing to land on the moon in April 2018. It had only been less than three years, and the system had given him 48 months. It would not be a problem to wait.

Moreover, the Long March 10 has been analyzed and evaluated by system engineers, and the conclusion is:

The technical difficulty is indeed not too high. Most of them are mature and can indeed meet the requirements. Before the 10s, it was still an excellent giant rocket;

But it is not recyclable, and the design concept is behind the times in terms of efficiency and future. The space agency cannot hold back such a rocket.

However, the 2921 project is not done by the space agency alone. The plan was released by the Aerospace Development Commission, which means that the manned lunar landing project will still involve private companies such as Xinyuan, but it must be dominated by the space agency, and important components will be developed and produced by them.

After preliminary communication, the space agency subcontracted some electronic components and subsystems, and the value is indeed considerable.

But this matter is actually of great benefit to Lin Ju, because the "Fly Higher" system mission that has nowhere to start requires expanding the influence of aerospace and the world's exploration of aerospace. Now it has obviously taken a big step forward?

The space agency is trying its best to land on the moon before the new distance within three years. What about NACA? Lucia? ESA? No matter what, you have to take action.

The whole body was affected by one move, and Lin Ju felt that he could laugh out loud in his dreams when he thought about the fierce space race starting again around the world.

…

Amy, Congress.

The incident happened suddenly. Ami felt that her neighbor across the Pacific Ocean had always been stable, so how could she suddenly announce that she was going to land on the moon?

And according to their character, if they say they want to go to the moon, they really must go to the moon. They are not procrastinating like NACA.

After multiple verifications, they finally received an official and affirmative reply:

"This moon is set for my rabbit. As I said, it won't work no matter who comes."

Then the senators realized the seriousness of the problem, and before Claire could clean it up, they were hurriedly dragged to Congress to be questioned by the gentlemen.

First of all: China said it would land on the moon before 2019. Can they do it?

At this time, Claire used her special skills to analyze together in Congress, and then said: Yes, with the scale of their investment, they can land on the moon as early as September 2018, exactly three years.

Ask again: What about our plan to return to the moon? how long?

Claire: The SLS rocket is available, and the Orion spacecraft completed a test last year, but the lunar lander is not, and external bidding has not yet been determined. The specific moon landing plan has not yet been determined, and it is not until 2020.

That's right, Lao Ma's starship hadn't even been born at this time, so the idea of ​​a moon landing with the Orion-starship combination didn't yet exist.

The congressmen were anxious: "Director Claire, we have invested tens of billions in NACA since 2000, but your progress is slower than China's now. You are suspected of dereliction of duty!"

Claire: "Not much of the tens of billions of dollars has been spent on SLS, and it is not NACA's responsibility to keep delaying it."

After a lot of shirking the blame, the congressmen discovered that it was Claire who had to rely on the moon landing. They finally gave up the idea of ​​impeaching him and turned to the serious topic: NACA, please think of a way to send people to the moon before the Chinese.

Claire had been prepared for a long time. He also knew that if he grabbed time, it would be too late to make a radical plan, so he quickly gave his own plan:

“The SLS rocket was originally scheduled to complete its first flight in 2018 at the earliest, but for the mission, at least four SLS rockets need to be manufactured before November 2018, and preferably five.

The first one must carry the Orion spacecraft for its first flight test before December 2016, and then two will be launched from 2017 to early 2018. One will launch the lander and returner, one will fly around the moon, and finally the third will be launched in mid-2018. Four moon landings. "

Senator: "Then let's build it. It looks like we are making more progress."

Claire: "I'm afraid that's not the case. NACA's manufacturing capacity has dropped significantly. In fact, even if we start now, we can only transform two to two and a half SLS before 2019. Aramco is no longer able to do this half a century ago. Mass production of giant rockets.”

Senator: "We have to find a way. You are the director of NACA. We approve the funds."

Claire: "Then we can't just rely on SLS. The heavy-lift rocket we can also use is the heavy-lift Falcon rocket under development by specaX. When reuse is not considered, it can send a 26-ton payload into lunar orbit. Two launches can reach One SLS, so we can almost meet the goal of 4 to 5 SLS."

Senator: "Then go find them. Now, please show the attitude you had half a century ago and send an American to the moon for the second time!"

Claire: Get out your 12-figure budget request form.

Congress: Approval.

Federal Reserve: Print.

Dollar: getting bigger and taller.

"Ami is facing the most serious challenge ever!"

This is Aramco’s response and attitude towards Project 2921.

SpecaX, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Nevada, Rocketdyne, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and other aerospace manufacturing companies were all involved in the Artemis program to return to the moon, immediately Start studying the moon landing plan.

Subsystem projects such as lander, lunar rover, and scientific research station were distributed one by one, and then Aramco’s moon landing plan was assembled based on existing rockets:

In December 2016, an SLS carried the Orion spacecraft for launch testing;

In February 2017, a Falcon Heavy rocket sent tons of lunar space station "Gateway" (first part) to lunar orbit without recovery;

In October 2017, the first SLS carried the SLS and four astronauts on a manned flight around the moon;

If a Falcon Heavy rocket is not recovered in December 2017, the lunar landing part jointly manufactured by specaX, Blue Origin, and Boeing will be sent to the lunar orbit;

In May 2018, a Falcon Heavy non-recoverable rocket launched the second part of the "Gateway" into lunar orbit;

In August 2018, the first SLS launched a lunar landing mission.

There are a total of six rockets, and the interval is slightly more than the rocket manufacturing speed, which also reaches the goal before 2019.

If accelerated, the task can be completed 3 to 4 months ahead of schedule.

The Artemis program finally decided to increase the total funding to 60 billion US dollars. It will eventually achieve the same goal as China, projecting 90 to 100 tons of mass into the lunar orbit and establishing a lunar surface base.

These changes were officially announced on September 25, four days after the announcement of Project 2921, which happened to be Monday and Friday, dubbed World Moon Week by the media.

Because at the same time, Lucia, India, and island countries also demonstrated their moon landing plans, and finally... Xinyuan also announced its plan.

Lucia's moon landing plan seems to be very perfunctory. She used the RD181 rocket to save a PPT. Needless to say, India's, the island country's aerospace is about the same as India.

Only with Xinyuan's plan can we feel the huge technical capabilities behind it just from the PPT.