Scholar’s Advanced Technological System

The competition between China and the United States in the field of aerospace has also caused a lot of discussion on the domestic network. Especially on the question of which of the Mars colonies and the lunar orbiting space station is more powerful, the relevant discussions are particularly fierce.

Aside from some comments that are purely because of the fart and stock problem for the sake of black and black, or for the sake of fanfare, many people still evaluate it from a rational perspective.

For example, the view of those who believe that the United States is more superior is that the BFR rocket uses the most advanced liquid oxygen methane engine in the world. The maximum thrust of the vacuum can reach 138 trillion Newtons. All kinds of data have burst the Xiangrui.

What's more, the colony of Mars is tens of millions of kilometers away. The difficulty of transportation and the moon orbiting space station are not on the same level. Naturally, the United States is better.

The view of those who believe that China is more superior is from a pragmatic perspective. No matter how you think of it, an enclave that is tens of millions of kilometers away from the mainland and can only wait for a launch window in two years is far less than the moon that is “close at hand”.

Objectively speaking, the views on either side are justified.

However, Lu Zhou didn't pay much attention to the discussion around the lunar orbital project.

At least in his eyes, these discussions are actually meaningless.

In the short term, whether it is the development of the Moon resources by China or the exploration of distant Mars, the loss of money is certain. Whether it is helium and titanium ore in lunar soil, or rich iron ore and methane reserves on Mars, it is still a distant pie.

Just like centuries ago, before the pattern of the Great Nautical Age was determined, no one knew whether the future of the colonial era would be in the Caribbean Sea or on the more distant Spice Coast ...

Even if the moon does get closer.

Of course, although from the perspective of economics, the entire space program is bound to lose money, but sometimes it can not be considered from the perspective of economics.

At least as far as China is concerned, the political, scientific, and cultural benefits gained through space programs cannot be measured simply by money.

Take the Lunar Palace Project as an example. As the first country in the world to deploy a space station on the lunar orbit, other countries that want to participate in moon-related scientific research projects can only sign cooperation agreements with China in this field.

For example, Germany, as the country that first reached an agreement with China on controllable fusion technology, naturally began cooperation negotiations with China on the Moon Palace plan.

According to the results of the negotiations, the Chinese side promised to reserve a scientific research post for the Max Planck Solar System Institute after the completion of the first phase of the Moon Palace, allowing Germany to send a national researcher to serve on the Moon Palace.

In exchange, the Max Planck Institute of Solar System will cooperate with domestic research institutions in China on projects related to the development of lunar resources.

Also engaged in diplomatic contacts with the Chinese side on the Moon Palace plan, including Britain, France, the European Union, Russia, Japan and other countries.

As for cooperation requests from other countries, China has also shown an attitude of open cooperation. Even the U.S. Moon Palace reserved a place for their astronauts even in the United States, which was in a relationship with its opponents.

At any time, the competitive relationship between countries is always relative, not absolute.

Although domestic public opinion often has a “clear position”, in fact, the issue of international relations is far from being as black and white as most people think.

Even at the most tense moments of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union have reached many mutually beneficial and win-win cooperations in the research of space projects and controlled fusion projects.

At present, the competition between China and the United States is far from the Cold War. China, which has followed the path of peaceful development, has never taken the initiative to stir up the fight for world hegemony. Of course, if China starts to cooperate, there is certainly no reason for China to refuse.

Of course, the premise of all this is that the United States is willing to open the Mars colony outpost to China, or to exchange its equivalent chips ...

Lu Zhou didn't know much about the specific steps that the diplomatic agencies have negotiated with other countries.

Foreign affairs are, of course, the responsibility of the foreign affairs department.

These trivial matters have little to do with the Lunar Orbit Construction Committee.

What he needs to worry about now is more urgent ...

Jinling City.

Aerospace Science and Technology Institute.

A conference on the construction plan of the lunar orbit is being held in the conference room of the institute.

Attending the meeting were all big names in the domestic space industry.

Including Academician Yuan Huanmin, Chief Engineer of Hangke Group, and Director Zhang, the person in charge of the Yuegong core cabin project, almost all the cattle in the industry gathered here.

The opening of the meeting was announced with a short opening statement. Lu Zhou walked to the stage, looked around the conference room with a serious expression, and said concisely.

"I believe you have all heard of it. The US Ares plan has completed the first phase."

"According to the relevant details disclosed by NASA, the BFR rocket did not use the traditional Hurman transfer orbit, but instead used a direct attack orbit to directly enter the Mars gravitational system."

As soon as the words on the road had fallen, there was a loud noise in the conference room.

In fact, many people had heard about it before the meeting began, but at this time they heard it again, and it was still inevitable.

For a long time, the spacecraft that traveled to Mars have adopted the Homan transfer orbit, and this is the route to Mars that theoretically consumes the least fuel.

However, this orbit is not perfect. It can only wait for a window every two years, and it needs to fly in the air for up to 180 days.

If it is used to launch the detector, the time of 260 days is not unacceptable. But if you are sending passengers to Mars, it is a bit unacceptable.

Therefore, as the main vehicle planned by Ares, the BFR rocket targeting Mars colonization chose a faster flight path. Compared to the Hörmann transfer orbit, the BFR rocket using this orbit only takes 30 to 120 days to complete the journey from Earth to Mars, and has a longer launch than the Hörmann transfer orbit. Window period, and there is no need to wait for two years for the next launch.

As for the price, it needs to consume more fuel.

Although on the surface the BFR rocket seems to drive up the cost of launching to Mars, on the other hand, shortening the flight time means that it can reduce the living load on the BFS spacecraft and carry less fresh water, oxygen and food resources. From this perspective, using this launch route that consumes more fuel can reduce transportation costs ...

Getting rid of the launch route of Hörmann's transfer orbit can turn this seemingly crazy plan into reality. In a sense, Space-X's technology is really terrible!

Looking at the conference room caught in the discussion, Lu Zhou didn't speak, waiting quietly for the discussion to calm down.

In this way, about five minutes later, a professor sitting in the meeting room raised his hand and said.

"I have something to say."

Nodding to the professor who raised his hand, Lu Zhou said.

"please say."

Pushing the glasses on the bridge of the nose, the middle-aged professor thanked Lu Zhou, slowly got up, and expressed his opinion in a solicited tone.

"I think the successful launch of the BFR rocket can prove to a certain extent that the chemical rocket has not reached the bottleneck as we imagined."

"Maybe we should re-examine our development path. I do not deny the importance of electric propulsion systems, but it may be too early to give up chemical rockets."

Looking at the professor who stood up to speak, Lu Zhou meditated for a while, then suddenly said.

"If I give you fifty years and $ 1 billion a year in funding, are you sure that you can achieve a high-thrust rocket to BFR?"

It didn't seem that Lu Zhou would suddenly throw up this problem. The expert gave a slight hesitation, and the expression on his face became a little dignified.

After a short hesitation, he finally shook his head and answered honestly.

"... difficult."

The BFR rocket has almost marked the pinnacle of the liquid oxygen methane engine. Standing on the shoulders of giants, it is difficult to find a rival.

To surpass the United States in chemical propulsion systems, it is almost impossible for the current status of the domestic aerospace industry.

Even if it was bragging, he could not cross this seaport.

Lu Zhou said nothing, nodded to him, motioned him to sit down.

"Yes, as you said, we have a hard time doing it."

"Perhaps there is still room for the chemical propulsion system to improve. By improving our engine process, we can make larger and more distant rockets, but we want to rely on this technology to gain an advantage in the space competition, or even surpass us Opponent is almost impossible. "

"Therefore, it is our only option to focus all our strengths on the development of electric propulsion systems and maintain our own advantages."

After a pause, Lu Zhou looked around the conference room and continued.

"Although the BFR rocket has achieved great success, we do not have to be arrogant about it."

"We may not be their opponents in thrust, but we also have our own advantages! The advantages of the electric propulsion system are in a huge specific impulse, which chemical rockets cannot catch up with anyway."

"I have revealed a while ago that based on the propulsion system on the auspicious aeroplane, Starry Sky Technology is developing a more flexible and more suitable spacecraft between low-Earth orbit and surface. At present, relevant research has come to an end, and now It's time to reveal the mystery. "

Having said that, Lu Zhou looked at the big screen behind him and pressed the laser pointer in his hand.

Soon, a three-dimensional composition of the Xiaguang concept was presented to everyone.

Looking at the picture on the image, Academician Yuan's pupils contracted slightly, and he couldn't help standing up from his seat.

"this is?!"

It wasn't just Academician Yuan who was shocked ~ www.readwn.com ~ Looking at the aerospace plane with a unique shape and a difference from the traditional spacecraft, the surprised voice spread throughout the conference room.

Looking at Yuan Yuan, who was surprised, Lu Zhou nodded with a smile and said.

"It's called Xiaguang! We are designing a new generation of spacecraft to and from the atmosphere."

Sitting next to Academician Yuan, staring at the spacecraft in the screen with the same stun, Sun Yuanpei couldn't help but say.

"This design ... will it work?"

Spread four engines on four twin-shaft fixed wings, leaving only one main engine at the tail ...

This design is too messy!

"The technical feasibility demonstration has been done a long time ago, and it is absolutely feasible in theory. As for the actual ..." At this point, Lu Zhou paused for a moment and said with a firm tone, "Let's try Just know! "