Great warships

Chapter 754 Dragon Spaceship
The development of cargo spacecraft is much less difficult.

A manned spacecraft needs to provide an environment for human habitation inside the spacecraft. It needs to have a fully sealed structure, air purification equipment, water purification equipment, various emergency control systems, and even people who eat, sleep, and go to the toilet. Places, everything related to people, are very complicated.

In contrast, cargo spaceships transport cargo, even if there is an air leak, it will not affect flight safety.When returning to the voyage, even if it is not controlled well and falls down in the end, it will not cause the sacrifice of the astronauts.

So, it's easier to research this first.

Of course, this is not in line with the law of aerospace development, because the countries in the world that can develop manned spaceflight first develop manned spacecraft, and then refit the cargo spacecraft on the basis of the manned spacecraft, and solve the problem of manned spaceflight first. If there is a problem, there will be a need for shipping.

The starship company did the opposite, and it also had its own difficulties. It was too difficult to develop it at all.

"Okay, let me introduce your design next." Qin Tao said.

He is a hands-off shopkeeper, and he doesn't care about things after leaving them to his subordinates. He only comes to hear about the progress of these things when he is interested.

"Yes, our spaceship has a two-section structure." Rubio introduced: "The front section is in the shape of a cone. This is the pressurized cabin and the return cabin. All the personnel live in it. The front row, or It is said that there are four seats in the upper row, and three seats can be arranged in the lower row, which can carry up to seven astronauts. The rocket engine is also arranged at the rear of the pressurized cabin."

At present, traditional spacecraft, whether it is Lao Maozi's Soyuz or the domestic Shenzhou, use a three-stage design, with the orbital module on the top, the return module in the middle, and the propulsion and service module below. The biggest consideration is to reduce the weight of the return capsule and bring back the smallest weight.

However, the design idea of ​​the spaceship in front of me is just the opposite.

The orbital module is gone, only the return module and the service module, but many of the equipment in the service module have also been installed into the return module, including the rocket engine!

What are the benefits of doing this?
It doesn't need an escape tower. Once something goes wrong, the rocket engine that comes with the return capsule can ignite and launch the entire return capsule to prevent the rocket explosion from hurting itself. However, this is definitely not its real purpose.

Its ultimate goal is to save money!
This kind of return capsule is not a one-off. After reentry into the atmosphere, it can be re-launched after repairing it, and it can be reused to save costs. This is what private aerospace companies must do.

Even if it leads to excessive landing weight for this, it is worth it.

A lot of equipment is in the return module, and the cylindrical service module below has very little equipment, and some items that cannot be recycled will be placed on it, such as solar panels and so on.

If you want to make a comparison, other spaceships are like trailers, all your belongings are in the trailer, but people stay on the tractor in front, but the spaceship in front of you is like a self-propelled trailer. Most of the belongings have to go with the driver, but behind the motorhome, there is a small trailer with a motorcycle or something on it.

"We know that such a design will greatly increase the weight of the return capsule, but we are not afraid, because we are not using an ordinary parachute landing method, we are using a vertical landing. We believe that this brand new design will definitely It will lead the trend of the entire spacecraft!" Speaking of these, Rubio became excited.

At present, there are mainly two types of spacecraft landing.

The landing of the spaceship depends on the parachute. When the spaceship returns from outer space, it first opens a small parachute, then props up a main parachute, and finally descends wobbly. This method has a long history and simple technology, but , I don’t know where it descended, so it is necessary to search a large area in the landing field. If you are not lucky, the astronauts may wait inside for several hours before someone will come to meet you.

The other is gliding and landing on the runway, which is the main way for the space shuttle to land. When the space shuttle returns, it will fly to the runway in front of the route, so that the landing is very accurate. However, the technical requirements are too high. At present, only The U.S. space shuttle can do it. Lao Maozi’s space shuttle only flew once or twice, and then it ate ashes in the warehouse.

In addition to these two, there are still a few other landing methods, such as relying on the reaction force of the rocket engine to land vertically to a certain place.

This is actually not the first initiative of the Starship Company. In the Apollo project of the moon landing, the lunar module landed on the surface of the moon in this way. However, the gravity of the moon is only one-sixth of that of the earth. It is not easy to transplant the vertical landing technology to Starship's spacecraft.

However, the starship company has a huge advantage, which makes their technology transplantation very simple.

Starship Corporation has vertical landing technology!In other words, in order to land on Mars, they must study vertical landing technology!
How to land on Mars is a big problem. The current solution Starship can come up with is to land vertically. It is also the only way to reuse rockets.

"We designed eight powerful rockets outside the cone of the spaceship, similar to the rockets on the escape tower, but more in number. These rockets can be used as escape towers or as deceleration devices, and more It will provide thrust for landing in the final stage, and we believe that landing in this way will become the mainstream in the future."

A large amount of additional loads are concentrated on the spaceship. Of course, this spaceship is not simple. At this time, speaking of the technology of this spaceship, Rubio is very excited. This is why although he often faces the violent Max, he still The reason why he can continue to stay here is that he can have many things he likes to do.

At NASA, there are too many restrictions!All kinds of research and development need to be approved. If you have to go to Congress, you may be shot. Since the explosion of the Challenger, NASA has become more cautious, for fear of any accidents, and has no enterprising spirit. Similar to this advanced spacecraft design Well, it is impossible to get approval from NASA. Even after the space shuttle, NASA has no other manned spaceflight projects. If this continues, NASA will be reduced to a second-rate space agency in a few years.

Now, when introducing this brand new project, Rubio is very excited. The design of the entire spacecraft is brand new. Many technologies can be transplanted to future Mars spacecraft, and all the technologies they are researching can be used. !

In fact, there is a lot of uncertainty in this way of landing, so in the time and space when Qin Tao came, this design was finally canceled, and the spacecraft became a way of landing with a parachute, because this kind of landing method was not considered. Therefore, the landing can only be done at sea. After all, there is no need for the last meter of buffer and other equipment, and these equipment will be recovered at sea.

In 2017, Max handed over this proud design to NASA, and the experts widened their eyes, then shook their heads like a rattle, NO! no!They resolutely resisted, even if all the tests such as propulsion suspension and vertical landing were successful, they failed to dispel the doubts of NASA's decision-makers.

Now, Qin Tao will not point it out. After all, it is because NASA is not bold enough. It's gone.

"In addition to the outside, we also have a brand-new design for the interior of the spaceship. The previous spaceships used a large number of buttons to operate, which was very complicated and easy to touch by mistake. On our spaceship, we use a brand new cockpit Design, only a few physical buttons are kept, and the rest are replaced by computer screens."

Although in the civilian field, LCD screens have not yet become popular, and huge cathode ray tube displays are still the mainstream, but here in Mingzhou Group, advanced touch displays have already been used. For example, the J-31A uses a touch screen as the main display. , Of course Starship can also get related products.

It is very simple to operate by touch, and the backup performance is good. If a physical button is broken, it cannot be used without maintenance. However, the touch screen can be switched to another screen for use.

Astronauts lift off and lie on the seat, what they see in front of them is a large display, which is sci-fi enough when you think about it, but there are still many problems with this design. Although the interface is simple, the program The design is complicated, that is to say, the system must be more intelligent, and more situations must be considered, how to deal with various accidents, so as to save the operator from having to rummage through the interface in case of problems, which will Waste precious time.

However, Starship is taking a high-end technological route. Such a spaceship is very sci-fi, and of course it can attract attention.

"However, if we are showing a cargo spacecraft, we won't have these displays." When it came to this, Rubio felt a little regretful.

"It doesn't matter. Although we can only show the actual cargo spacecraft, we can show the design drawings of the manned spacecraft, and we can also make them into animations." Qin Tao said: "In addition to the internal structure diagram of the manned spacecraft, In addition, we can also display other equipment, such as astronauts' space suits, which shows that we are really engaged in spaceflight step by step."

There are also many things to display around.

Spacesuits and the like can still attract attention. After all, in this era, only three countries can manufacture spacesuits. Private companies have not set foot in this field yet. Starship is taking a road that no one else has traveled. .

"Yes, we need to display more product peripherals, and we can even make some of them into souvenirs." Max said: "This can make more profits."

In Max's eyes, only profit is the most important thing. If you are not in charge of the family, you will not know how expensive it is.

"President Qin, our spaceship hasn't been named yet." Max said, "Do you have any nice names?"

name?Qin Tao blurted out: "How about calling it the Dragon Spaceship?"

The spaceship made by Max’s starship company was originally named after a dragon, but this dragon is just a western dragon. In western myths, there are also many dragons, but in Qin Tao’s case, of course it is the eastern dragon. The dragon is gone.

In the East, the dragon is worshiped as a totem, and it is the sustenance of the spirit of the Chinese nation. Now, naming this spaceship with a dragon has a deep meaning, and I hope it can take off like a dragon!
"That's right, it's called the Dragon Spaceship!" Max was very satisfied with the name Qin Tao proposed.

The matter of the spacecraft was finalized. Next, Qin Tao checked in the company. There are many research and development projects in the company. Even if the Starlink project is temporarily terminated, they still have a lot of things to do.

The most important thing for Max is, of course, the development of the engine.

The old Maozi's NK-33 engine was used, but it was only temporary. If you want to land on Mars, you have to use your own engine in the end. After all, the fuel used is different.

"At present, our funds are still insufficient, so the liquid oxygen methane engine project can only be pre-research." Max brought Qin Tao to the engine research and development department of Starship Company and introduced him.

Most of the staff working here are foreigners, but unlike other departments, the foreigners here are mainly old men.

"President Qin, are you here?" A person inside greeted Qin Tao. This person was Qin Tao's old acquaintance, Victor Checo!
He is the person in charge of the joint production of labor and scientific research, and the chief engineer of the Kuznetsov Design Bureau. His main task here is to collaborate in the development of engines!

The starship company does not have comprehensive engine research and development capabilities, and Lao Maozi's Kuznetsov Design Bureau is a leader in this area. However, in Lao Maozi's country, they are not taken seriously and cannot compete with Rurika- The Saturn scientific research consortium competed, and their engines were also unpopular.

When they were about to go bankrupt, Qin Tao rescued them and bought all the NK-33 engines in their inventory. Later, he invited them to join in the research and development, but one of the conditions was that the research and development had to be done in the East.

As a result, many people from the Kuznetsov Design Bureau came over. Judging by their appearance, it is estimated that they will not be able to leave in the future.

"Well, let me see your progress."

"Recently, we have been studying the work of improving the vacuum specific impulse of the NK-33 engine. Now, this work has come to an end. In the future, this engine can be used on the second-stage rocket of Starship MK1." Victor Cecco said: "However, the research and development of the liquid oxygen methane engine has just begun. We have encountered many difficulties in the development, especially for repeated use, which we have never done before."

At present, rockets fueled by unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitric acid are still used in China. Lao Maozi mainly uses liquid oxygen kerosene, and the United States mainly uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engines. They all take different routes, and Max wants to land on Mars. It can only take the route of liquid oxygen methane. After all, fuel needs to be produced from the atmosphere of Mars. If it is transported there, the person will definitely not be able to return.

There is no way to use NK-33 now. After all, we need to make money first, but after making money, we must develop a brand new engine.

Qin Tao nodded: "This job is difficult, but don't worry. I believe that we will be able to complete the research and development of this engine. By then, our starship company will be able to lead the trend of the entire aerospace industry. Our liquid oxygen methane engine is Engines with the characteristics of non-toxic and environmentally friendly, high reliability, high performance, low cost, easy operation, and reusability represent the development direction of aerospace active power technology. In the future, we can still become the leader in aerospace power.”

Qin Tao is really not fooling around. Later, the research and development routes of various countries have changed, and even the country has started to develop liquid oxygen methane engines. Although Max has many shortcomings, he is really good at choosing a technical route. That's right.

At this time, after hearing Qin Tao's words, Victor Checo nodded: "That's right, we will become the leader in aerospace power in the future!"

He believed that it was right for him to bring the design bureau here, and it was not wrong for the entire labor and scientific research joint production organization to come to the East. Qin is always a good person and very loyal.

Sure enough, what Qin Tao said next moved him even more.

"By the way, the Zhuhai Air Show is about to start. Do you want to participate in the joint production of labor and scientific research? If you don't plan to rent the booth, you can put it on the booth of our Mingzhou Group." Qin Tao thought of something, continued.

Victor Cecco was almost moved to tears. Mr. Qin is so kind, he gave them the venue without charging any money. They really can’t afford to rent the booth now, but if they don’t exhibit, they can’t even There is a sense of presence.

However, what exhibits, if any, do they have?I've been living on my laurels all these years!
"It's fine at the booth of our starship company." Max nodded: "We will jointly display the NK-33 modified engine jointly developed, as well as a brand new model of the liquid oxygen methane engine."

Anyway, these engines are jointly researched and developed. To be precise, Starship Corporation pays, and Kuznetsov Design Bureau sends people to share the results. This method is still feasible. After all, Max can’t get too many rocket engine experts. , the elites in this field are on Da Mao's side.

Now, leave a part of the booth for them, or the booth of the Starship Company, and everyone will jointly exhibit, and the momentum of both parties will grow.

"Okay." Victor Checo nodded.

Before leaving, Qin Tao gave an impromptu impassioned speech.

"Everyone is an expert in the aerospace field. Our starship company provides you with the most suitable conditions. We hope that you can give full play to your strengths. The aerospace industry requires imagination, and you are just such a group of the most imaginative people. I believe that you will be able to accomplish our ultimate goal of landing on Mars!"

These are people with ideals. As long as the salary is in place and some tricks are added, it is enough for them to work here with peace of mind.

After coming out, Zhao Ling, who was silent all the time, sighed with emotion: "Brother Tao, I really didn't expect that you could push the Starship Company to such an extent. In the past, I always thought that landing on Mars was a dream, but now, I saw the ladder to my dream."

Now it's no longer talking about it, but getting closer to that target step by step, it's not easy.

"There is still a long way to go, but no matter what, we are making steady progress step by step." Qin Tao said: "It doesn't matter whether we can land on Mars or not. The development of these technologies can make us a space power. That's enough. gone."

Qin Tao raised his head and looked at the sky, as if he was very young. At this moment, the roar of the engine came, he raised his head, and saw a beautiful advanced fighter with integrated wings and body, flying from above his head. However, the dark gray paint almost blends with the sky.

J-[-]?
No, no canards!
At this moment, the plane just turned around in the sky, and the side can be seen. The huge double-seat canopy made the nose look even more downward. Just by looking at it, you can know what kind of plane it is.

"J-[-]? HNA has already equipped J-[-]?" Qin Tao said in surprise: "And, is it deployed in Qiongzhou?"

In the past, Qiongzhou mainly deployed J-2 fighter jets. When Qin Tao came to the naval aviation base here, he met Wang Wei and his group. Now those pilots have grown up, and most of them have become carrier-based aircraft pilots.

The fighter planes here in Qiongzhou are also constantly being updated. For example, the JH-[-] is the Flying Leopard fighter-bomber. This kind of aircraft can depart from Qiongzhou and circle the southern waters before returning, although there are already some in the southern seas. The Naval Air Force base, but the Qiongzhou base is still very important.

Ordinarily, the flying leopards are enough, but Qin Tao didn't expect that the naval aviation actually had J-[-], and they were deployed here!
In this air show, J-[-] will also be the protagonist, right?
In the past, the aircraft were mainly used for air combat, mainly with single seats, and the two-seaters were generally trainers, but the J-[-] has always only had the two-seater version, because it is a fighter-bomber just like the Flying Leopard!
When needed, it can carry eight or nine tons of ammunition to take off, which is almost equivalent to the ammunition load of the H-[-]!Bombing missions are easy, and when the bombs are dropped, it transforms into a fighter jet.

The Flying Leopard is at most self-defense. Its second-generation aircraft's physique limits its mobility, but J-[-] is different. It can completely fight with any third-generation aircraft in the world!

Therefore, in the later period, orders for J-[-] gradually decreased, and there were more and more J-[-] in the equipment sequence of the Air Force and Naval Aviation.

The Zhuhai Air Show this time will definitely be more sensational than the last one. The aerospace industry of the motherland is developing rapidly!
(End of this chapter)