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

Unlike universities, companies spend money to launch satellites from their own accounts, so they can save what they can.

Many satellite projects that universities participate in are led by the state and participated by universities, and most of the time they do not pay for launch fees.

Therefore, the attraction of private aerospace to colleges and universities is that they can freely enjoy the payload weight and orbit, without having to consider the additional factors brought by group joining.

About a week later, Xinyuan Aerospace signed launch contracts with four companies.

The four companies have a total of 9 satellites (including sub-satellites) with a total weight of 620 kilograms. All of them are operating in SSO orbits and will be launched using the Xinyuan-1C rocket.

These are basically satellites that were originally going to be used by Long March 6, but now they are all switched to Xinyuan Aerospace because of the price.

In fact, there are currently three domestic rockets that hit the SSO orbit: Long March 4B, Long March 4C, and Long March 2D. The carrying capacity ranges from 2 to 4 tons. One launch is really expensive. There are only national-level and military satellites. Can enjoy them.

Long March 6 is prepared for enterprises and universities that are more civilian-oriented, and specializes in serving "price-sensitive" customers.

Those who are more capable are choosing the current long two and long four. Who is waiting for the long six?

Therefore, the Xinyuan No. 1 modification has successfully attracted customers at a lower price, saving an average of more than 6 million per household, which is a lot of money for them.

In mid-September, after determining the launch time and plan, Xinyuan Aerospace disclosed its first commercial launch order in a low-key manner.

Due to insurance and satellite adaptation considerations, the launch will be carried out in November. The disclosed launch unit price is... 49,000 yuan per kilogram, with a total launch cost of 30 million.

In fact, the unit price is about 42,000, but who would think that it would make more money in the future?

You must know that the unit price of external sales of Changliu after that will start at 80,000, and now Xinyuan Aerospace’s external quotations are at least 40% lower.

There is no need to worry about disrupting the market with low rocket prices. After all, what is scarce in aerospace now is rockets, not orders, and different rockets, different payloads, and different orbits have their own quotations, which cannot be generalized.

At this time, Xinyuan Aerospace's popularity had dropped after the rocket launch, but when the commercial contract was signed, it still quietly became popular.

Ordinary people have no idea about 30 million, and will just take it for granted that aerospace is really expensive.

But for aerospace practitioners and enthusiasts, seeing this news is very scary.

Especially in the Eighth Hospital, everyone was going to work in an orderly manner this morning, and suddenly someone shouted:

"That Xinyuan Aerospace is stealing our business, and the companies in Shenzhen are looking for them to build satellites!"

He Zhuang, the vice-president of the Eighth Hospital who had just sat down to drink tea, heard this and asked in confusion:

"Where's the news? Why don't we have any news at all?"

"Dean, the official website of Xinyuan Aerospace has just been released. Some of the contracts and photos of the signing ceremony have been released."

He Ruang suddenly realized something was wrong and hurried to the man's side to look at the contents on the computer.

The official seals on the contract clearly stated that they were the companies that originally intended to carry the Chang-6 on its maiden flight next year.

He was not angry at having his business robbed. Instead, he found it very strange that there was a big difference between the Eighth Hospital and a private company that relied on orders to make a living.

"Launching in November? I remember that Xinyuan 1 only has a few hundred kilograms of LEO transport capacity. It can't reach much high solar orbit, so it can't be launched."

"It seems that it has been modified. This time it will weigh a full 620 kilograms, which is almost the same as our Changliu. Wait, there is an introduction to this rocket on the official website. Dean, take a look."

After several operations, He Zhuang followed the others who heard the sound and gathered in front of the screen, counting the public parameters of Xinyuan No. 1-C.

Whenever their eyes pass over a line of numbers, several people will express doubts.

"The core level is a K120, a 120-ton liquid oxygen kerosene engine? The same is true for the YF100 used by Changli."

"The first-level core is 3.5 meters in diameter, the second- and third-level cores are 2.5 meters in diameter, and the six-level core is also the same, but the diameter is changed to 3.35 meters."

"The 700KM SSO has a transport capacity of 770 kilograms, well, it's about the same as using a kerosene engine."

You summed it up sentence by sentence, and everyone came to the conclusion: This is obviously a replica of Changliu!

He Ruan did not feel that he was being plagiarized, but he felt that the positioning of Xinyuan No. 1C was almost exactly the same as that of Changliu.

When he looked at the launch quotation again, he was relieved, and then felt something was wrong.

"Although 30 million U.S. dollars is a bit high, it is normal for the first time. But why are those old guys willing to spend more money? Is it just to grab more time?

But private companies will have to launch a new product in the next two months, and they won't even be able to complete the testing process. No matter how you look at it, it's not reliable. "

"Dean, it's not a U.S. dollar, it's RMB, 30 million RMB."

Someone whispered to correct He Yun's mistake. The latter was stunned for a moment and then returned to the screen. After a long time, he frowned and screamed:

"30 million? 30 million? This is a loss of money!"

No wonder he was so shocked. The launch cost of Long March 6 is now estimated to be 160 to 190 million. Compared with this, the price of Xinyuan 1C is surprisingly low!

Even if the auxiliary expenses for monitoring, control and guidance facilities are exceeded, it will cost over 100 million. 30 million will only buy a few engines, and even less than half of the rocket body can be built.

Other researchers who participated in the Changliu project also estimated the cost in their minds and took a breath.

30 million is still the announced price. Considering its own profit, how low should the cost of Xinyuan No. 1C be?

Not only did it cost nothing to develop, but it was only possible to achieve this price by using black slaves to build the rocket!

If Xinyuan Aerospace can make money at this price, then where did the Long March 6 cost more than 100 million?

After the morning meeting of the Eighth Academy was over, He Zhuang called a few people to have a separate meeting to discuss this matter.

The result of the discussion was also confusion. They couldn't figure out how such a low quotation was given.

"Is it because the new Rockets received less money for the first launch?"

"It doesn't look like it. This is a huge loss. At least charge an average price. Forty-eight thousand is just for fun."

"How about we go ask and see if the launch price is exactly this amount."

So they made an inquiry through Xinyuan Aerospace's email, and the result was the same. The reply was that it would hit the SSO orbit, and as long as the payload was about 700 kilograms, that would be the price.

He Ruang called several companies in the south again and got the same content, and he suddenly felt a little flustered.

It's not that I'm afraid of losing the order, but I want to know why the price of Xinyuan No. 1 is so low. This is obviously abnormally low.

If they can keep the cost so low, it's obviously a great achievement.

How could he know the truth about the system rockets? They are all carefully selected models from countless human world lines. The structure has been extremely optimized. The number of parts is more than 30% lower than that of similar rockets. Rich design experience has been used to reduce the number of materials. and processing requirements, almost achieving the ultimate in cost reduction.

Only by eliminating the need to share R\u0026D expenses and using more automation equipment to reduce workers and working hours can the cost be reduced to this point.

The crystallization of wisdom from other world lines, where is so easy to reach.