Super technology leader

Once everyone sprang into action, Tang Chao knew his initial estimations were correct.

Domestic private aerospace companies could indeed manufacture what he needed.

Even without the core technology, the manufacturing process itself wasn't a hurdle. With a technology license from Pathfinder, they could immediately begin production.

Some components didn't even require specialized aerospace companies. They weren't exclusive to rockets but were common parts that regular mechanical processing plants and electronics companies could produce.

These basic parts didn't need their technology license; they could simply be ordered directly.

However, for items that ordinary companies couldn't handle due to a lack of technology, a technology license was necessary.

Starting with the most basic technologies in the entire system, they would gradually release technology in exchange for parts, funding, and future production guarantees.

Tang Chao wasn't an unreasonable person. Companies unwilling to sign such contracts could proceed with standard contracts. Whether they profited or lost was their own concern.

According to Zhang Qin's statistics, companies wanting technology accounted for 70%, which was quite a good percentage.

The future of these companies was uncertain, but their owners and managers were definitely forward-thinking. If nothing unexpected happened, they should develop well in the future.

Contracts for these low-tech items could be signed quickly, but the high-tech big items were more difficult to handle, such as fuel tanks, engines, and rocket-borne wireless transmission equipment.

Fuel tanks were relatively easier. The other party also signed a technology contract, acquiring the technology for reducing tank weight. However, their production capacity was... limited.

This was a common problem among small aerospace companies in China. They struggled to meet their own needs, let alone manufacture for others, which would further affect their own business.

They happened to have taken on a small satellite launch project, which conflicted with Tang Chao's contract, leading to several internal meetings.

Some argued that the weight reduction technology wasn't that important. They could still take on orders to transport small satellites without it.

Furthermore, the domestic small satellite launch market was limited. After the Americans issued documents stating that spacecraft using American technology couldn't be launched on Chinese rockets, there was no point in rushing to upgrade technology, as they wouldn't receive corresponding orders even after spending money to upgrade.

Others argued that this technology was very useful. It might not be obvious now, but when building larger rockets in the future, reducing the weight of the rocket body would be extremely important.

Moreover, they couldn't just stay confined to the domestic market. Aerospace companies should have some ambition and consider competing on the international stage with foreign companies in the future.

Once domestic technology became more advanced, they could manufacture satellites for customers using entirely domestic technology and launch them, without relying on American technology.

American technology was expensive and came with many restrictions, even technological control. If there was cheaper and better technology available, no one in their right mind would use American technology.

The two sides were deadlocked. In the end, the big boss personally made the decision. He personally paid most of the penalty to the client, postponing the launch time, and then the company's employees worked overtime to manufacture the rocket body that Tang Chao needed.

Moreover, they had to keep this a secret from the previous client, because they reported that the production specifications were not up to standard, and the rocket launch was delayed for safety and perfection.

If the client knew that they were actually producing for others, they would be finished.

Although they paid the penalty, this kind of "disgusting behavior" was very offensive.

However, there was no other way. Those in the aerospace industry knew how important technology was, and they had to obtain Tang Chao's new technology.

Zhang Qin followed up for several days before this order was finalized.

Next was the company that manufactured engines. In the end, they chose Blue Sword to manufacture the "Main Sail" engine for the rocket, and Kyushu to manufacture several variable-thrust engines used in the probe.

Compared to Blue Sword, which had more comprehensive development, Kyushu specialized in researching rocket engines. Therefore, in addition to the variable-thrust engine technology, Tang Chao also sold them technologies for many other types of engines.

As for Blue Sword, Tang Chao personally went there when signing the contract, after all, he had heard of Blue Sword's reputation, which was definitely in the first tier of domestic private aerospace companies.

Fortunately, they weren't too far away, located on the shore of Taihu Lake to the west, only a hundred kilometers away from Jiangkou City.

This was Blue Sword's manufacturing base. After arriving, Tang Chao directly met Wu Lin, their resident CTO, or Chief Technology Officer.

When Wu Lin learned that Tang Chao was the boss of Pathfinder, he was truly impressed by Tang Chao's youth and Pathfinder's strength.

"Boss Tang is really young and promising. When I was your age, I was still a student, and now you are already the boss of an aerospace company."

Wu Lin said while pouring tea for Tang Chao, "Your company's National Amateur Rocket Competition is really well-organized, fully mobilizing the nation's aerospace enthusiasm, which is beneficial to domestic aerospace companies. If our funds weren't so tight, we would also like to organize one."

"President Wu is too modest. We at Pathfinder are at most newcomers to the industry. Your Blue Sword is the leader in domestic private aerospace, and President Wu has also worked at the European Space Agency. I admire big shots like you very much," Tang Chao said with a smile, turning the teacup in his hand.

"Boss Tang is saying that we are just making a living in the private aerospace field, and there is no leader. We are still far from the advanced international level. On the other hand, your Pathfinder's technology is quite competitive. We can't build a 140-ton thrust liquid engine, and I also heard that Boss Tang is self-taught?"

"I can't be considered self-taught. I just like these things and have spent a long time studying them..."

After exchanging a few compliments, the old and the young began to talk about technical issues.

Tang Chao certainly didn't have this ability before, but he had been working very hard recently, learning a lot under the influence of a large group of five-star Kerbal scientists and engineers, and he could be considered to have some real knowledge in his mind.

As they talked, the two discussed the recent domestic aerospace environment. Wu Lin expressed his appreciation for Pathfinder's openness, and the exchanged technologies were very useful to them, saving them a lot of resources even after accounting for current expenses.

Most importantly, it saved a lot of time.

Hearing this, Tang Chao smiled mysteriously: "Is it just us? Has your company recently acquired some good technologies from elsewhere?"

Hearing Tang Chao say this, Wu Lin was stunned, and then looking at the other party's expression, he suddenly thought of something.

"No way, could it be that you also... wait, the 140-ton liquid engine and the 300-ton solid rocket booster are... no, the timing doesn't match..."

Wu Lin shook his head and said again, "You also got aerospace technology from the Science and Technology and Science and Industry departments?"

How should he say this? The reason Tang Chao could guess this was only because money had been continuously deposited into his card, and with the company not yet profitable, the only source of income was the contract signed during that transaction.

Blue Sword, as a leader in domestic private aerospace, would definitely be involved if the higher-ups started implementing a major strategy for technological upgrades.

Now that Wu Lin asked this, he could only smile and say, "Something like that."

Getting Tang Chao's reply, Wu Lin immediately thought of many things.

"Good heavens, the higher-ups are going to do something big. It seems that the new aerospace law was not promulgated in vain. Are they going to take a big step on the path of aerospace industry diffusion on the other side?"

"I don't know about that," Tang Chao said, taking a sip of tea.

"Don't say you don't know, Brother Tang. It seems that your information is very well-informed, and being able to produce a 140-ton liquid engine and a 300-ton solid rocket booster, weren't you a pilot project before?"

Wu Lin picked up the teapot and refilled Tang Chao's cup, then said, "Tell your brother, what exactly is going on here, so that we can cooperate with the higher-ups' policies."

In less than an hour, two technology fanatics, one old and one young, had already started calling each other brothers.

In fact, Tang Chao didn't quite understand the ins and outs here. After all, on the surface, his partner was only Fuxing Investment, and he only sold the technology. The higher-ups wouldn't tell him if there were any big plans.

However, as a secret partner, he had a more thorough understanding of the information. If he could get a little more information from other places by asking around, he could guess about 80 or 90 percent of it.

"I don't know much either. Let's exchange opinions with each other," Tang Chao said, taking another sip of tea, and then opening his mouth and rambling, "Isn't the national team already launching a manned lunar landing project? And both of our companies have obtained some technology licenses. I think other companies must have them too. This kind of large-scale action to improve the overall level of domestic aerospace technology is probably going to compete with the other side."

"The other side's blockade is getting tighter and tighter, and we are suddenly improving the technical level of private companies, allowing private companies to be unconstrained and able to manufacture 100% domestic satellites and rockets that meet customer needs. Then the blockade is not a bad thing for us."

"Think about it, the blockade is actually always two-way. They don't let us launch satellites containing American technology and parts, but the actual launch frequency of the other side is not that fast, and many customers need to queue up."

"If we can also manufacture satellites that meet the corresponding requirements with 100% domestic technology, without queuing and at a lower price, what do you think those customers who have been queuing up will do?"

The two talked a lot about this issue.

Tang Chao's information was valuable because it was novel, while Wu Lin, as an old aerospace man who was over fifty years old today, and having worked at the European Space Agency for more than ten years, knew things that Tang Chao, a "former outsider," could not imagine.

Combining their thoughts and information, they both felt greatly benefited.

Finally, after the contract was signed, the two became like old friends, and the title of old brother was also settled.

When Tang Chao left, Wu Lin directly sent him to the car. Watching the departing vehicle, he felt that a remarkable person was about to emerge in the domestic private aerospace field.

In a few years, the entire international aerospace field would know Tang Chao's name.

"Pathfinder, Pathfinder, it seems that they set their goals very high from the beginning. We can't fall behind either. Don't let only one person go out of the country. Then we people who have been engaged in aerospace for a lifetime will have no place to put our faces."

Tang Chao was also very satisfied with this meeting. He didn't know that he had rekindled a fire in a rocket engineer in his fifties, but if he knew, he would be even happier.

Thinking that his lunar exploration plan was progressing so smoothly, he was very happy.

If there were no accidents, he was sure to win the first place in this lunar competition.

As a result, the Americans started making trouble.

After returning, Zhang Qin was reporting to him about the rocket-borne wireless transmission equipment.

This thing is an extremely advanced project in China.

Wireless transmission is commonplace in our lives, but for rockets, this is still a new thing.

Extreme high and low temperatures, the strong impact force during rocket separation, and the extremely complex electromagnetic environment all bring great challenges to the realization of "cable-free" measurement systems inside rockets.

At the same time, the design of rockets is also plagued by these winding cables.

A rocket has hundreds or thousands of sensors, all of which are connected by cables.

In the design process, long cables not only increase the weight of the rocket, but also often affect the layout of instruments and equipment inside the rocket, causing certain difficulties for rocket design and assembly.

Because of these problems, the domestic team wanted to remove the cables inside the rocket and go "cable-free", and has been working on it for several years, developing various new technologies.

Although it has not yet fully realized the "cable-free" of rockets, it has greatly reduced the use of cables.

This thing is only used by the national team's rockets. The civilian equipment does not meet the rocket-borne standards, and even the equipment for producing these equipment is not available.

So Tang Chao used Fuxing Investment's channels to buy the relevant production equipment, and then directly took ruthless action, spending several hundred million to buy a manufacturing plant.

Chen Jing now spends money very happily. Knowing Tang Chao's intentions, she directly led the team to negotiate.

Then Tang Chao used Kerbal's related technology to immediately start producing equipment, and let Kerbal continue to upgrade the technology, striving to upgrade to "100% cable-free" as soon as possible.

In addition to various practical uses, he also thought of some fancy uses.

Such as building Transformers.

That thing is definitely fun.

One of the stumbling blocks to transformation technology is cables. If wireless transmission technology in extreme environments is realized, then there will be something to play with.

While chatting about the renovation of the manufacturing plant, and then imagining the beautiful scene of building Transformers in the future, he received a new notification from the Lunar Grand Prix Management Committee.

[Your detailed lunar landing plan has been approved. Congratulations on obtaining the official competition qualification. Please go to America on June 20 to participate in the official competition team meeting of the Lunar Grand Prix.]

Tang Chao's first reaction when he saw this message was: I have already started building rockets and probes, and you are only telling me that I have obtained the official competition qualification. Your reaction is too slow.

But the next second, he realized that he had to go to America for a meeting!

Damn!

There are now two million confirmed cases in America, and more than 100,000 people have died. At this time, he is being asked to go to a meeting...

What the heck.

Is this committee planning to use this method to eliminate some of the participating teams again?!

But he thought about it, according to the news he had been watching for this period of time, according to the American nature, people may really think that this is just a normal meeting notice.

As for the epidemic...

What is that?

Two-in-one chapter, I want to make the number of chapters even, otherwise I feel uncomfortable.

Thank you to the SAS Special Forces, Confused Future Otaku, Who Can Help Me Think of a Nickname, and Abstract Master Jiabao for the donations, thank you~~