Movie black technology

Return to the moon earlier than the opposite?

Is it still possible?

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, and finally a new question was asked.

"How soon do you think they can land on the moon?"

this problem……

Gray thought for a while and decided to tell the truth: "They didn't announce the specific parameters of the spacecraft, but judging from the current situation, the spacecraft has the ability to sail in space for a long time and protect the lives of the crew members inside. If this ability can last until If it is the moon, then the third flight of the spacecraft may be their trip to the moon..."

The boss over there let out a long breath, "Then how is our SLS? I heard that the recent situation is not very good?"

Gray sighed, "Yes, I just conducted a core-level ignition test a few days ago, and it was expected to run for 8 minutes, but it stopped automatically after only running for more than a minute, but we have already obtained part of the running data ..."

The breathing on the other side was getting heavier, while Gray's voice was getting softer.

SLS, the Chinese name "Space Launch System", although it is called a system, it is actually a super large rocket, a super launch vehicle with a carrying capacity that exceeds that of the Saturn V.

From the point of view of design indicators, it has two versions of manned and cargo. The former is 98 meters high and has a low-earth orbit payload of 70 tons. The latter is 122 meters high and the low-earth orbit payload is expected to be 130 tons. It is possible to reach a maximum of 165 tons in the adjustment.

Compared with the 118-ton low-Earth orbit payload of the Saturn V, the previous generation of lunar landing rockets, SLS has made a big breakthrough, and has more diverse launch options, which can be adjusted appropriately according to mission requirements.

It has been established since ten years ago. The first goal is to send the spacecraft and astronauts back to the moon again, and the ultimate goal is to use it to land on Mars.

According to the original plan, this super rocket should have made its first flight three years ago, but it is not as good as people's calculations. This rocket is full of ups and downs in both the research and development and assembly and testing stages, so it has been delayed until now. .

"I remember that this rocket has been developed for more than ten years, right? Even its supporting spacecraft has made its first flight for more than five years. Can it make its first flight this year?" The boss over there lowered his voice. Like a brown bear waiting to eat.

Gray put down his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "Our best expectation now is the first flight in the first half of next year..."

After nearly ten years of research and development, they are not purely eating dry food, so now the overall progress of SLS is almost completed.

It's just that behind this is an annual research funding of at least two billion U.S. dollars, and every time SLS is launched in the future, the cost will be more than one billion U.S. dollars, which means that the bottomless pit of SLS has swallowed up both of them for more than ten years. The cost of tens of billions of dollars...

The explanation on the other end of the phone is unheard:

"You won't be able to fly for the first time next year, but the spacecraft just opposite has already made its first flight successfully. We are already behind now, and it is possible to land on the moon at any time. Do you want to ask them not to land on the moon now?"

"You and I both know that once they land on the moon first, the consequences will be disastrous!"

There was an angry panting sound from the other end of the phone, and Gray couldn't help guessing that the boss's current expression must be the same as that of the furious head of state...

He rearranged his thoughts, "The first half of next year is already the fastest deadline..."

No amount of words can be said by him. Sometimes technical matters are so cruel. Without reliable data and credible technology, it takes time and money to try everything one by one.

Chen Shen was able to pile up a technology so quickly because the system has a full set of data and operating data. As long as you try to go up, you can't go wrong.

However, Boeing, the main contractor of the SLS project, obviously does not have this system, and they have been busy with the transformation of the Chinook helicopter recently, striving to match the Jingwei...

"Two months!" The boss suddenly said a number, making Gray think he was hallucinating.

"what did you say?"

"I said the first flight within two months!"

Gray was silent, "It's absolutely impossible."

"We need this rocket!"

"We need time too!" Gray snapped back without worry.

In his opinion, the boss has gone a little crazy.

But this is actually his boss riding a tiger.

They have just launched the space race in their country, but the opponent took out an electric spaceship and slapped them in the face. If they don't fight back, where will their country face?

Once the opponent really has an advantage in the space race, not only their national morale and self-confidence, but also their international reputation may fall to the bottom.

Because it was their own initiative to start the space race, and then they lost it so quickly, it looked like a clown.

Without a cerebral thrombosis of 20 years, it is absolutely impossible to do such an operation of sending the face up to others.

When the time comes, everyone will see that their country has become so stupid. I don't know how many allies who were originally neutral camps or even the same camp will switch to the arms of the opposite side.

And now the matter of plasma batteries has not been resolved yet, and their oil beauty knife is undergoing the most severe challenge in history...

This is already an eventful autumn, and now it seems to be worse.

The boss calmed down his emotions, arguing is meaningless, he wants to find a solution to the matter.

"I wonder if there is any way we can go back to the moon quickly?"

Gray thought for a while, "SLS?"

"Can you forget about that big chimney that doesn't light?"

"Can we restart the Saturn V now? You should still have a full set of technical information..."

Gray opened his mouth. He didn't expect his boss to be so stunned in order to go to the moon, but he still explained seriously:

"There is not enough time, and many parts of the Saturn V are no longer produced, and even many companies that produced those parts have gone bankrupt, and its technology is backward and the price is extremely expensive."

There are tens of thousands of rocket parts. After the production line is abolished, it will not only require a huge amount of money, but also a long time to build it up. This time will definitely exceed the time required for the first flight of the SLS.

Moreover, rockets like the Saturn V are not so much burning dollars as burning gold.

Because it cost 500 million U.S. dollars to launch every time it was launched!

What is this concept?

At that time, the cost of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise was only US$450 million, and that was an aircraft carrier with a full load displacement of 94,000 tons!

In other words, what the Saturn V launched into space was not a spaceship, but an aircraft carrier!

After fighting thirteen times, the fourteen aircraft carriers were gone.

This is also one of the reasons why SLS is being developed now, because this thing is not only backward in technology, but also burns money!

Although SLS costs more than one billion dollars for a launch, it is still much cheaper than it was in the past in terms of prices.

After Gray explained this, the other end of the phone knew that he was impulsive, and quickly changed his words: "Then is it possible for us to contract this task to a commercial aerospace company?"

Gray was straightforward this time: "Those companies can't do it, and Boeing won't agree to it."

"Although the development of commercial aerospace is in full swing, it is still too early for them to take on the mission of manned landing on the moon. Even if the mission is entrusted to them, there will be no hope in five years."

"And our partner, Boeing, is not going to let that happen."

In their country, the real core of the military industry system is the old big companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and most of the projects are handed over to these companies for development.

Moreover, the money spent on these companies will also positively feed back on the technology of military weapons, which is one of the reasons why they can spend 20 billion dollars on a rocket for ten years.

Now, if missions like landing on the moon are to be accelerated by commercial aerospace companies, then these commercial aerospace companies must be paid for contracts, which is equivalent to spending money in the pockets of Boeing Lockheed Martin...

To put it bluntly, I am afraid that the bosses of those commercial aerospace companies will be ordered to take the contract, but they will not be ordered to wait until the day they get the money.

This is a share of billions of dollars a year...

"So the only way we can go now is to wait for SLS?" The boss was silent for a long time before saying this in a low tone.

"I'm afraid so, sir." Gray said lightly.

Gray seemed to feel a deep sadness from the other end of the phone.

In such a big country, with so many organizations, there is no reliable solution at this time. We can only wait and hope that the opponent will not move too fast...

...

At this time, it was already twelve midnight in the country.

Chen Shen came to the meeting room specially prepared for him at the launch center and started the meeting that had been scheduled early in the morning. It was supposed to be held on the day of the Tibetan Antelope's first flight in the atmosphere, but it didn't take place at that time and was moved to today.

This is a meeting for the approval of the micro-nuclear reactor project. The approval of this project has been delayed for more than half a year. At least tonight will give an exact time.

The experts went online on time. Although it was already late, everyone looked very excited, exuding a kind of elated spirit, even the oldest experts, let alone those who had only reached middle age. Yes, one by one is like being beaten with chicken blood.

"I watched the whole process of the live broadcast, and it really is the age of young people now!"

"It's really rare for a country to produce a genius like you. Your kid is like a once in a million years!"

As soon as the signal was connected, the meeting site turned into an exaggeration meeting.

Whether they are academicians or doctors who attended the meeting, it seemed that if they didn't seize the opportunity to praise Chen Shen fiercely, the meeting would be in vain.

Chen Shen looked at the group of people who seemed to be teasing children, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Don't you all think that if you praise me a little more now, you can fool me about the approval?"

As if the words had caught his mind, the atmosphere in the meeting suddenly froze.

But before Chen Shen had an attack, an academician burst out laughing.

"Forget it, we're not kidding you anymore, we're telling you now that the micro-nuclear reactor project was approved three minutes ago!"

The academician said, and showed the camera the resolution of the project approval.

"For this thing, my old bones have been helping you follow up for a month. It's better for you to hide in the flight control center and fish for me!"

Chen Shen swallowed what he wanted to say just now, and said with a smile: "It's really troublesome seniors, and I have nothing to repay, so let's pay respects to seniors first."

"Why do you feel that you speak strangely..."

"Forget it, don't play tricks, the project is approved for you now, but the experimental sites are strictly restricted, as is the staffing, you can't make the decision, but your previous project seems to have the same requirements for personnel. It’s not high, it’s fine if you can work, right?”

Chen Shen coughed, trying to gain some reputation for his deputy, "In fact, their level is already very high, otherwise the project would not have progressed so smoothly."

"You don't come here, I have inquired about it, and they all said that they are just a tool in the project, and they can be moved wherever they need to be used."

"Ahem, isn't this the implementation of the nail spirit..."

"..."

After the project passed smoothly, Chen Shen was in a good mood, and was happy to joke a little more with these old men.

To be honest, although he knew that the approval of the nuclear reactor project would not be long after the first flight of the Tibetan Antelope, he did not expect that the project would be approved directly after the Tibetan Antelope came down from space for three hours.

He thought it would take another month or two to dawdle.

After the meeting, Chen Shen was also going to rest.

In the launch center, although the lights are still bright at this time, since the Tibetan Antelope can land safely, there is nothing wrong with him now.

Unless the engineering team accidentally damaged the spacecraft during the inspection.

But just as he was about to go to bed, a piece of international news appeared in front of him.

This is the latest news released by the opposite side after the Tibetan antelope landed.

In the news, the spokesperson on the opposite side coldly congratulated the success of the Tibetan Antelope, and at the same time secretly nodded, hoping that the country can work hard for the peaceful development of space, and then there is no more.

Different from the ostrich mentality of the press spokesman, the aerospace news on the opposite side fought back.

In the announcement, they stated that they would speed up the progress of the current SLS rocket and strive to launch it in the first half of next year. They also stated that they had noticed the huge potential of electric propulsion and would spend at least 50 billion dollars to study a rocket. An electric propulsion spacecraft that is on target with the Tibetan Antelope.

At the same time, they also need to organize and prepare for the technology of the Saturn V on this basis. The possibility of restarting the Saturn V will not be ruled out in the future.

In addition, the nuclear thermal rocket they restarted a few years ago now has some research results, and it may be possible to travel to Mars through the nuclear thermal rocket in the future...

After this operation, the summary is that they have made all preparations, and they will do whatever it takes to win this space race...