Super Dimension Technology Era

Strait Space Base.

More than a dozen launch vehicles enter outer space almost every day, but the amount of transportation in low-Earth orbit is still a drop in the bucket.

The upper limit of chemical energy launch vehicles is too low, especially on a planet like Blue Star with a thick atmosphere and relatively strong gravity, the upper limit of chemical energy launch vehicles is even more stuck.

The United States announced a very radical rocket design in 1962 and named it the "Sea Dragon" rocket.

This behemoth is 150 meters long and 23 meters in diameter. It is dwarfed by the Saturn V, the largest rocket ever built by mankind.

Sea Dragon's transportation capacity has reached an astonishing 566 kilometers of Blue Star low-Earth orbit with a single shipment of 550 tons, which is about four times that of the Saturn V.

The Sea Dragon rocket, with a take-off weight of approximately 18,000 tons, is still the largest chemical energy launch vehicle in mass and capacity among all chemical energy launch vehicles with complete design demonstration.

The problem is that the fuel-to-load ratio is as high as 32.7, which is extremely useless, coupled with the terrible cost.

Wouldn’t it be nice to use the Chang 5-D? The cost of the reusable Chang 5-D is hundreds of times lower than that of the Hailong. At most, it can be launched a few times to achieve a carrying capacity of 550 tons.

Therefore, the Scientific Committee shows little interest in developing large-tonnage chemical energy launch vehicles, mainly because this route will be thankless if used in Blue Star.

Don't look at the Illuminati who built a giant like Saturn VIII on the moon. The problem is that the environment of the moon is different from that of the blue star.

Now the Scientific Committee is also very worried.

The Chang 5-D payload is mediocre; the large-tonnage chemical energy launch vehicle is extremely cost-effective; the nuclear-powered launch vehicle cannot be used inside the atmosphere; the mass projector does not currently have an ultra-long vacuum orbit; and the space elevator is also made of materials.

In the long run, the future development direction of new humanity is to be self-sufficient in outer space, but in the short term Blue Star will still be the most important industrial center.

For example, nuclear fusion reactors, biological computers, precision instruments, agricultural products and food, these things are heavily dependent on Blue Star. This is not a problem that can be solved in a short time.

Unless the new humans cease to be human and are all mechanized like the remnants of the Shinra Federation; or like the lizardmen, their bodies are covered with a layer of chloroplasts to perform photosynthesis.

Otherwise, if people who need to eat, drink, and defecate go to outer space, there will be many in terms of food alone.

According to statistics from the Service Committee, there are currently 1,248 new humans living in outer space for long periods of time (more than a month), and there are between 500 and 800 floating astronauts.

This number is constantly being refreshed, and it is estimated that by January 2 of the new era, the permanent population in outer space may exceed 3,000.

Astronauts need to consume a lot of food every day, and as time goes by, more and more food will be consumed.

This is a big issue that cannot be ignored and is related to the progress of new humans colonizing outer space.

…

Qin Jingwei looked at the display screen beside him, which was scrolling with the space launch schedule. The 24 launch sites at the Strait Space Base were almost full.

"Director Qin, this is the launch list just sent from the Spacecraft Research Institute."

Taking the documents from the staff, Qin Jingwei ordered with a headache: "Adjust the launch and take out the launch schedule for the day after tomorrow."

"But the launch schedule the day after tomorrow is very important..." The person in charge of the launch schedule office looked depressed.

Qin Jingwei said helplessly: "It must be launched the day after tomorrow. The priority of the Spacecraft Research Institute is 8.7, you know."

"Priority 8.7! Okay then!"

New Humanity has an internal priority evaluation system. The priority is between 0 and 10. Artificial intelligence evaluates it. The higher the priority index, the units, companies, and individuals who receive the task must prioritize the task with the higher priority index. .

The priority of tasks is not static. Artificial intelligence will make dynamic corrections based on time and actual conditions.

Generally speaking, a priority index of 8 or above is basically a very urgent task.

After the order was completed, Qin Jingwei was about to go to the warehouse when a message popped up on his communicator.

"Trouble strikes again."

He complained and hurried to the port.

A transport ship of the Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation was moored at the port. A gantry crane lifted a carrier rocket from the transport ship and slowly placed it on an oversized electric transport vehicle.

Li Guoqing got off the boat.

"Jingwei, arrange a launch site for us."

"Lao Li, there are no launch flights these days. We may have to wait until next week." Qin Jingwei replied angrily.

Li Guoqing impatiently handed over the launch application: "I am very urgent."

"The launch missions of other units are also very urgent." Qin Jingwei spread his hands, looking helpless.

"Take a look." Li Guoqing stuffed the launch application form over.

Qin Jingwei glanced at the application form, and his eyes widened immediately. The priority index was 9.3? After looking through it carefully, he had to pick up the communicator:

"National tycoon."

"Copy that, Director Qin."

"Clear a launch site immediately. It's an urgent task with a priority index of 9.3."

"OK."

Half an hour later, Launch Site 17 was quickly cleared and the launch procedures were prepared.

A launch vehicle with a height of 70 meters is erected on the launch tower of the launch site.

From the appearance point of view, this launch vehicle is different from the Changwu family, especially the heads of the four secondary booster rockets are not pointed, but concave hourglass-shaped.

The code name of the painting is: Qianjin No. 1 - Type A

…

Qin Jingwei, who was busy preparing for the launch, said hurriedly: "Old Li, the launch procedure has been completed and it is ready to launch."

"Then launch!"

Qin Jingwei shouted into the communicator: "Forward 1 has entered the launch countdown."

"receive."

There is a big difference between Qianjin-1 and general chemical energy launch vehicle launches.

The heads of the four booster rockets began to forcibly inhale, and then compressed the gas into the ionization chamber. The nuclear fusion reactor used the fastest and most violent electrical energy to directly ionize the compressed air, and finally ejected it directly from the engine nozzle.

The Qianjin-1 carrier rocket carrying 200 tons of test items was pushed into the sky by plasma.

And as the rocket's flight speed increases, the four boosters activate the active and passive inhalation modes. The very dense troposphere and stratosphere provide the launch vehicle with a huge heating medium.

As the altitude increases, the air becomes thinner, and Qianjin-1 begins to use the solid powder working fluid stored internally.

"Report, Forward 1 broke through the Karman Line."

"The core-level separation was successful."

"Prepare to recycle..."

Li Guoqing, who was in the launch command hall, quickly checked a series of data with his assistant.

In fact, Qianjin One uses a jet engine, but instead of using the compressed air to ignite chemical fuel, it uses the electric energy of the nuclear fusion reactor to directly ionize the compressed air.

This is to lower the fuel load ratio of the launch vehicle and use atmospheric air as the working fluid.

The total weight of Qianjin-1 is 850 tons, the payload is 200 tons, of which the working fluid is 420 tons, and the working fluid load ratio is 2.1.

The designed purpose is to be used for Blue Star-Low Earth Orbit-Medium Orbit transportation.

This time the Qianjin-1 test was to carry 200 items to the New Jiuquan Satellite City and transport a batch of raw materials there for processing.

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