Rebirth 99 to become a car giant.

Chapter 756 Starlink Satellites, outrageous cost control
"If we start publicity so soon, will there be a risk of leaks?"

Zhao Siyu was once the person in charge of the rocket project of Aerospace Science and Technology, and he had an unforgettable impression of the topic of confidentiality.

In his past career, he also participated in the development of many products.

But there has never been a product that has been officially displayed and disclosed to the outside world just after its successful launch.

Generally, documentaries will be made many years later to commemorate or promote the event.

Even for some special military products, the technical details will not be disclosed until the death of the developer.

That's why he had doubts after hearing what Cao Yang said.

"It doesn't matter. Even if we put the drawings on the Internet, how many companies can follow and learn from our methods?"

"Having launched tens of thousands of satellites before and after, except for companies in the United States, basically no other country has this capability."

"Even if 60 satellites can be launched at one time, or even more in the future, hundreds or even thousands of missions will need to be launched before and after."

After listening to Cao Yang's words, Zhao Siyu once again realized that the environment he was in now was different from before.

There are still three years to go before this time.

Three years later, Daystar’s Starlink system is almost completed.

“How much does it cost to produce these satellites?”

When the documentary is filmed, some key processes will definitely be concealed, lest anyone actually follow similar processes to produce satellites.

This is not a small amount.

According to the normal development of history, they would not successfully launch the reusable Falcon 2015 model for the first time until the end of 9.

"Mr. Cao, the current production cost of our first-generation satellite is expected to be around 200 million yuan per satellite."

Especially when you have a unique advantage that can inspire people and attract large-scale attention, the urgency of confidentiality should be appropriately put aside.

In addition to the various high-precision camera systems and other parts inside, the small production quantity is also a very important reason.

The same is true for satellites.

Traditional satellites can easily cost millions to billions.

Although space seems vast and infinite, it can accommodate countless satellites and space stations.

"Currently, the Space Exploration Company in the United States is researching recyclable rockets, but they have not yet successfully developed them and are already lagging behind us."

Even if Masco wants to catch up in the future, there will be no window left for him.

"But when the second batch comes, it is expected to drop to 100 million yuan."

In most cases, it will cost tens of millions of yuan.

"If we must do it, we need to use recyclable rockets to be cost-effective."

If a satellite is 10 yuan cheaper, the entire project can save billions of yuan.

"Then there is the production cost of Starlink satellites. We have the world's leading carbon fiber technology, and the control system technology is also very good. A large number of parts can be produced by companies within the group. This is not something that ordinary companies can match. .”

Anyone who has been involved in industry knows the difference between the costs of small batch production and mass production.

Why are reconnaissance satellites so expensive?

"After the technology matures in the future, the cost of the third batch of satellites is expected to be further reduced to about 50 yuan."

"If you use traditional rockets to launch, the cost is prohibitively high, but the benefits are a bit uncertain, so normal companies will not do this."

"That's true. Our Starlink system was established to provide various special satellite services for automobiles, communications, outdoor activities, etc. It is essentially a profit-making enterprise."

Of course, the situation of Starlink satellites is definitely different.

Cao Yang is now full of confidence in the layout of the Starlink system.

"Once our Starlink system begins to be laid out, it will not be that easy for others to follow suit."

This is a situation that Daystar does not want to see.

But after mass production, it can become less than 100,000 yuan.

In the future, tens of thousands of Starlink satellites will need to be launched, so production costs are a topic that cannot be avoided.

In fact, the usable satellite area is limited. After Venus's tens of thousands of Starlink satellites were launched, they immediately occupied the main positions.

Of course, this does not mean that confidentiality is not important.

Originally, the structure of Starlink satellites is relatively simple, and if produced on a small scale, the cost will not exceed 1000 million yuan.

For example, the reconnaissance satellites in the United States are worth hundreds of millions or even billions of yuan.

It is unlikely that other companies will follow suit.

"The aerospace industry is one step ahead and one step ahead."

Although confidentiality is required, sometimes publicity is also important.

"If other companies cannot see the profit prospects of this project at all, it will be very difficult to support it."

For example, the cost of prototype cars from various automobile companies, even economical cars like BYD and Geely, can reach millions or even millions.

Now that we are preparing for mass production, the cost will naturally be much lower.

Speaking of this, Zhao Siyu had a smile on his face.

Obviously, he was very satisfied with the cost.

Aerospace science and technology also develops and produces satellites. Zhao Siyu knows the general cost.

It can be said that the price of Starlink satellites produced by Venus is outrageously low.

Even the cost price he now reports to Cao Yang has reserved a certain amount of space.

After all, when the actual cost comes out in the future, it will be acceptable to everyone if it is lower than what is reported now.

It would be embarrassing if it got higher by then.

"Then we will develop the second and third batch of satellites as soon as possible to further speed up our layout."

"As for Venus 9, I think it can enter normal launch status next year."

Cao Yang was quite satisfied with Zhao Siyu's answer.

However, he feels that the room for cost reduction can actually be even lower.

Once satellites enter the mass production stage, they are actually not that mysterious.

None of the parts inside are actually technologies that have not been used elsewhere.

We only need to combine some technologies from various business divisions of the group to meet the current stage of satellite production.

And a car has so many parts, and the production cost can be less than 10.

Cao Yang feels that if we continue to improve, it is not impossible to reduce the production cost of each satellite of the Starlink system to 10 yuan in the future.

After the second-generation rocket is developed, the number of satellites launched each time will increase, and the launch cost will also decrease.

By then, the cost of building the Starlink system will be much lower than originally planned.

This can also be regarded as further raising the entry threshold for other companies.

"Well, we are now considering using the gallium nitride power components produced by Nanshan Semiconductor in the solar panel system of Starlink satellites."

"That way can not only further reduce the weight of the satellite, but also improve the efficiency of energy conversion, thus extending the life of the satellite."

Zhao Siyu obviously didn't have any tricks.

The entire Venus Technology Group is currently recruiting people every day, and many projects are being launched simultaneously.

Since there is no shortage of money, some less urgent projects are also being studied at the same time.

In this way, when this technology is needed in the future, it can be used immediately, which can be regarded as saving time.

For Cao Yang, the things that money can solve at this stage are not big things.

He is already the richest man in the world. No matter how much money he earns, it will not bring much change to his sense of accomplishment and happiness.

At this time, going into space and creating something different will give people a greater sense of accomplishment.

What's interesting is that when Cao Yang cares less about money, money seems to be desperately coming towards him.

Whether it is Xingchen Auto or Honor Technology, they are making money every day.

Everyone says that ICBC, the three major operators, or Petrochemical are very profitable, but their profitability cannot compare with Nanshan Group.

Especially now that Honor Technology has begun to explode, the speed of making money is simply beyond everyone's imagination.

In the previous life, Apple was the most profitable company in the world, earning 500 to 600 billion yuan a year.

Although Honor Technology has not completely suppressed Apple, its momentum is no worse than its rival.

A conservative estimate is that it will be no problem to contribute one to two hundred billion yuan in profits to Honor Technology Group this year.

This kind of money-making speed allowed Cao Yang to spend money without any pressure at all.

Otherwise, how could Venus Technology Group and Nanshan Semiconductor dare to burn money so crazily?
Countless money was spent, manpower was invested, and with Cao Yang's guidance, various achievements naturally continued to come out.

"Although the first satellite has not yet been officially launched, subsequent operational issues need to be considered."

"We hope that by the end of next year, our Starlink system can be used by a small number of users."

"Starting from the year after next, each of our new models will be connected to the Starlink system."

Cao Yang could feel a trace of relaxation and comfort in Zhao Siyu's expression, so he must put some pressure on him.

As a leader, you must not let the people below you live too comfortably.

Otherwise, the company would not be able to develop very quickly.

Of course, when you put pressure on others, your treatment must also keep up, otherwise everyone will rebel.

“We are also beginning to plan work in this area.”

"In the early stage, some ground relay stations will be built across the country to serve as transfer stations connecting various satellites."

"After our satellites can quickly transmit information between each other, the relay station will only have a supporting role."

"In addition, we are also cooperating with Honor Technology to see how to integrate satellite communication functions into the next generation of smartphones." Venus has many actions, and Zhao Siyu can easily find some projects to deal with. Cao Yang questioned.

So I didn’t panic at all.

Cao Yang didn't mean to find trouble, so after probably arranging it, he didn't go any further.

As Venus 9 begins to be transported to the launch site, companies in the aerospace technology and other industries are also very concerned about its situation.

"Mr. Cao, I heard that the components of your Venus 9 have been gradually delivered to the assembly factory next to the launch site. Are you starting to prepare for the official launch?"

Over at Aerospace Technology, Qian Junfeng made a direct call to Cao Yang.

Although everyone has satellites, their positioning is different, and there is not much competition for the time being.

So Qian Junfeng didn't have any dissatisfaction with the appearance of Venus No. 9.

After all, encouraging private enterprises to enter the aerospace industry is in line with the general policy.

"Yes, we will try to launch it before the New Year to give everyone a New Year gift."

There is definitely no way to hide this kind of thing for Qian Junfeng.

After all, you have to go to someone else's launch site to launch a launch mission.

So Cao Yang told Qian Junfeng the situation very directly.

"I heard that you have developed an engine specifically for rockets. Whether it is for the current Venus 9 or larger rockets in the future, are you planning to use similar engines?"

Once the components reach someone else's territory, some secrets cannot be hidden.

Qian Junfeng did not shy away from the fact that he obtained some information about Venus No. 9 through other means.

"Yes, we do have this plan. We are prepared to increase the launch tonnage of the rocket by continuously adding engines."

"The current Venus 9 only has 9 engines, but in the future the MAX version of Venus 9 will have 18 engines."

"The subsequent starship series will use a record-breaking 33 engines."

"And our rocket launch missions will become more frequent in the future, and we will build multiple engines of the same model at the same time to increase the launch frequency."

Sometimes, the strength should be concealed as much as possible to avoid being seen through.

But sometimes, you need to show your strength as much as possible so that everyone can see your muscles clearly.

Daystar Technology Group is a very special existence in China, and Cao Yang feels that it is more important to show one's strength than to conceal it.

Especially in front of enterprises with the prefix "central" such as aerospace technology, it is even more important for everyone to see his strength and not have other inappropriate ideas.

Otherwise, something might happen in the future.

Sure enough, Qian Junfeng was very shocked when he heard that Cao Yang would develop a Starship series rocket equipped with 33 engines in the future.

In 2010, relevant Chinese departments officially launched the heavy-lift rocket demonstration work.

The purpose of this rocket is to carry out future manned lunar exploration, deep space exploration and other missions. It is China's rocket with the largest carrying capacity.

According to the plan, the first flight of this rocket will not be achieved until 2028.

But Daystar Technology Group has taken a completely different path.

When developing Venus 9, the production and manufacturing of heavy-duty rockets was also considered.

Using the same series of engines will inevitably lead to a significant reduction in production costs and technology development time.

Let alone 2028, Qian Junfeng thinks that at the current rate, Venus Technology Group may launch the Starship series heavy rockets in 2018.

The most important thing is that according to Venus' style, this rocket is likely to be recyclable.

That's very different.

If it really reaches that point, then Venus Technology Group's rocket technology will undoubtedly be the most advanced in China.

Even if it is placed in the world, it is still very capable.

"Mr. Cao, I would like to ask you, when are your Venus 9 MAX version and Starship series rockets planned to be launched?"

Although it is a bit inappropriate to ask for information like this.

This can be regarded as the core secret of Daystar.

However, Cao Yang's operation method of Daystar Technology Group is different from what ordinary people think, and he has no intention of keeping some launch plans secret.

Even the official website of Daystar Technology Group will proactively announce some news every now and then.

So after listening to Qian Junfeng's words, he replied directly: "The MAX version of Venus 9 is planned to be launched next year, and the first test rocket of the Starship series will also be launched before 2015. In 2016 It was officially put into operation before.”

Cao Yang's words suddenly made Qian Junfeng's mood become complicated.

The predictions I just made for 2018 are still too conservative.

They directly want to put it into operation before 2016.

By then, within ten years, China's most advanced rockets will all come from Venus Technology Group.

Once this situation is accepted by everyone, then some launch missions may not be handed over to aerospace technology, but to Venus.

This was hard for Qian Junfeng to accept, and it was also a slap in the face.

After all, you are a state-owned enterprise that occupies a large amount of advantageous resources. It is unjustifiable that your final technology lags behind that of a private enterprise like Daystar.

Maybe the position under Qian Junfeng's butt will be lost by then.

Thinking of this, he couldn't sit still and said: "Mr. Cao, with such a large number of engines connected in series, the more engines there are, the more difficult it will be to control the whole."

"Once there is a problem with one of the engines, the balance of the entire rocket will be greatly affected, ultimately affecting the launch mission."

"Have you considered this issue?"

Qian Junfeng was not so kind as to deliberately remind Cao Yang to pay attention to these problems, but he wanted to solve the confusion in his heart.

The current person in charge of Daystar, Zhao Siyu, came from aerospace technology. He didn't believe that Zhao Siyu didn't even know about such a simple impact.

But Daystar is still using this solution, which means they are confident in solving this problem.

"Our various groups will recruit more than 5 fresh graduates this year. Together with the people recruited from the society, the number of employees in our group will exceed 30 in one year, and even directly exceed 40 in two years. It’s not surprising that it will exceed 50 in three years.”

"Among these employees, there are a large number of computer and software-related talents, and they will be responsible for the research and development of related control systems."

"Whether it is Venus 9 or the future starship series, if there is any change in the shape of their engines, we will quickly adjust the relevant power output through the control system to ensure the balance of thrust."

When Cao Yang said this, Qian Junfeng was silent for a while.

He knew very well how difficult it was to come up with such a control system.

If it was an ordinary enterprise, he definitely didn't think the other party could handle it.

But for Venus Technology Group, the situation is different.

After all, Nanshan Group already has the HONOR operating system, which can be used not only on mobile phones and PADs, but also on computers and cars.

As for Huaxia Machine Tool's CNC system, more than 80% of the share is now taken away by Nanshan Equipment.

Under such circumstances, it is not surprising that Venus can come up with an excellent rocket control system.

"Mr. Cao, so far, there are not many precedents for the launch of recyclable rockets in the world. I am very much looking forward to Venus 9 making history. Let me know in advance when it is launched. I also want to be there to witness it. "

Qian Junfeng was shocked and didn't want to talk too much with Cao Yang.

……

Qian Junfeng was able to inquire about the situation of Venus 9, and the Space Exploration Technology Company on the other side of the Pacific Ocean was always paying attention to the situation of Venus.

So when Venus posted a picture of Venus 9 being assembled in the workshop on its official Weibo, the other party immediately launched various studies on these pictures.

They can't wait to use a microscope to enlarge these pictures to see if there is anything in them that can lead to some conclusions.

"Masco, judging from the information on the official website of Daystar Technology Group, their satellite has reached the final assembly stage and is ready for launch at any time."

Diers didn't want to admit this, but the fact was the fact, and he didn't want to confuse right and wrong.

"This Venus 9 is highly similar to our Falcon 9. Except for the difference in diameter, there are very few differences in other aspects."

"But they claim to have implemented recyclable technology. Do you think this information is reliable?"

Musko has always wanted to develop recyclable rockets, which can reduce launch costs to the greatest extent.

A typical rocket launch costs tens of millions of dollars per launch.

If it can be recycled, the cost of the second time can be greatly reduced.

The third time the cost is even lower.

If it is launched to the tenth time, the cost can basically be as low as several million dollars.

This is just SpaceX's estimate.

Taking into account China's level of cost control, this number is estimated to be further discounted by 50%.

That way the meaning is very different.

"Normally this is impossible. We have been studying a task for so many years but have not yet realized it. How could the Chinese people accomplish it so quickly?"

"But whether it can be recycled or not will be known immediately after launch."

"Logically speaking, there is no need for Daystar Technology Group to lie."

What Diels said basically means that Venus 9 is really recyclable.

This made Masco feel a lot heavier.

What I have been thinking about for so many years was actually figured out by someone else first?

It seems that we need to increase research and development efforts.

When it comes to writing, many people think that China is the best. This is either true or not.

For example, Japan and Korea are actually very curly.

In the United States, some companies are also very involved.

For example, in companies under Musk, the work intensity of many employees is not much lower than that of Internet companies in China.

(End of this chapter)