Super technology leader

Theoretically, the altitude-independent nature of scramjet engines could create a reusable, single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft that launches directly from the ground into space and then lands intact, reusable like a traditional airplane.

Soon, people began to develop this concept in reality.

That's right, it was the American Space Agency.

I have to say, the American Space Agency back then was truly rich, and not only rich but also idealistic, daring to be the first in the world.

For this alone, Tang Chao had to give them a thumbs up.

Their pioneering efforts, whether successful or not, provided later generations with a lot of experience to draw from, saving them a lot of money and time.

At that time, they started the RS-2200 engine research and development program, which lasted for more than 10 years, using a linear structure, which is the kind of rocket engine that looks like a rectangle, giving it a very futuristic spaceship feel.

Paired with this engine was a single-stage-to-orbit space shuttle replacement project called "VentureStar", a triangular lifting body structure fuselage with a rectangular engine, plus the concept of unmanned driving, which represented the future.

However, this thing looked beautiful, but in reality, it was full of difficulties.

Because it needed to be reusable, the requirements for materials and processes were extremely high, coupled with technological limitations, which led to the air-breathing engine often having unstable situations, resulting in a sudden drop in thrust in the air.

This is very dangerous in the process of ascending into space.

On the other hand, the problems of heat insulation and heat dissipation also involved new materials, which had not been solved.

Later, they felt that the "VentureStar" program was too radical, so they created a small verification aircraft.

After all, the "VentureStar" weighed more than 1,100 tons and was more than 45 meters long and wide, much larger than the space shuttle. Even if most of it was fuel weight, it would be too difficult to get this thing into space orbit without dropping anything.

It's better to be smaller, smaller can also satisfy them.

So they created the "X-33" technology demonstrator, which was half the size in length, width, and height, and weighed only 130 tons, a fraction of the original.

However, its development was not smooth, not only was the budget seriously overspent, but also the progress was far behind the original plan.

Finally, after the Space Agency and Lockheed Martin happily spent more than a billion dollars together, they felt that this thing was still too advanced and had no future at the moment, and then it was discontinued.

A few years later, the space shuttle was also retired due to being "too advanced", which led to the Americans having to buy tickets for the Russian bear's spacecraft to enter the space station for a long time.

The Russian bear was also kind enough to slaughter it a few times, and the tickets became more expensive year by year.

What Tang Chao is seeing now is actually the second prototype, the first prototype has been manufactured and is undergoing various ground tests, and the second one is for flight tests.

It is being assembled, and Werner took Tang Chao inside to see the cabin and cockpit.

This model has three cabins, namely the cockpit, the transition cabin, and the passenger cabin.

The aircraft's docking port is on the back, near the nose, with a forward-sliding hatch, and after entering, it is the transition cabin, which also serves as an airlock.

This cabin will also be equipped with some supplies, because according to the design, passengers will stay in orbit for more than two hours, and there will be a simple space meal.

Forward from the transition cabin is the cockpit, which can seat two pilots, and behind it is the passenger cabin, which can seat four space tourists.

Although no equipment has been installed in several cabins yet, Tang Chao can already imagine the scene when it is running.

Since this aircraft has a blended wing-body fuselage, not a cylindrical fuselage, it is not easy to open portholes on both sides, so the portholes of this aircraft are opened on the top.

It is on the upper cabin wall in front of the seat, and passengers can see it when they look up.

After the spacecraft reaches its predetermined orbit, passengers can unfasten their seat belts and move freely to experience the wonder of weightlessness.

During this period, the seats will be laid flat to provide passengers with more activity space, allowing them to play some weightless tumbling and weightless flying movements, or float to the porthole to enjoy the beautiful space and the blue earth.

The performance of this model of aircraft is actually not good. Its size is similar to the "X-33" previously tested by the Americans, but the shape is more sci-fi.

And although the "X-33" can land horizontally on the runway like a glider, it must be launched vertically like a rocket when taking off, and cannot use the lift of the air to save some fuel.

The typical payload capacity of this type of vertical take-off single-stage-to-orbit aircraft is only 1%~2%.

That is to say, even if the design is very reasonable, an aircraft with a take-off weight of 100 tons can only carry 2 tons of cargo, and a poorly designed one can only carry 1 ton.

This cannot be compared with the 4% and 5% payload generated after the staged rocket drops the dead weight.

Like the more famous Falcon Heavy, its take-off weight is about 1,420 tons, and its low-Earth orbit carrying capacity can reach about 64 tons, and the load ratio reaches 4.5%.

If it is a vertical launch single-stage-to-orbit aircraft, the same take-off weight can carry up to 28 tons of cargo.

This is still a theoretical value for good calculations. If the aircraft is designed poorly, it may not even carry 20 tons.

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The reason why Tang Chao said that his aircraft has poor performance is not because it does not reach 2% of the carrying capacity, but precisely because it only has 2% of the carrying capacity.

His aircraft is not a vertical take-off, but a horizontal take-off.

If a rocket wants to fly vertically, the thrust must be greater than the weight, for example, the thrust is 10 and the weight is 9 to fly.

But the two values are also limited, there is a reasonable range, can not be infinitely large.

Otherwise, there will be excessive thrust, burning the fuel early, and eventually failing to reach the orbit, and then falling down.

Or there is too much fuel, too much weight, and the thrust can't push the rocket, and it can't even fly.

His horizontal take-off winged aircraft is much better. The wings can use the lift of the air. Even if the thrust is smaller than the weight, it doesn't matter, it can still take off.

For example, the orbital shuttle in front of him has a take-off weight of 100 tons, most of which is fuel, but the maximum thrust provided by the six engines is only 93.6 tons.

Vertical take-off will definitely not fly, but fortunately its wings can use air lift, it can take off on the runway with 50% thrust.

Reduce the thrust, the fuel consumption is also less, and when flying to high altitude, the air is thin, the lift is not enough, and the small thrust can not push it.

It doesn't matter, after flying for a period of time, some fuel is consumed, its weight is less than 90 tons, then turn on 100% of the 93.6 tons of thrust, enough to push the smaller and smaller weight to the orbit.

Originally, this design could break through the 2% setting, but the thrust of the Canxing Technology engine it uses is too small, and one engine weighs one ton, and six engines weigh six tons.

In order to find a reasonable value for weight, thrust, and fuel consumption speed, the size and performance are limited, and only the payload of the vertical take-off method can be transported.

Fortunately, his aircraft can fly, which is also a breakthrough of zero on Earth, and the technological leap is not too big, after all, there have been experiments before.

It is also a test of his response to the market and other countries.

And all take off, all come back, just pay for the fuel each time.

Even if he only transports a few rich people at a "low price", he will make a lot of money.