The rise of nanometers

The last train of the times has actually been stepped up by Huang Xiuyuan in advance. If they cannot get the tickets before 2030, the fate waiting for them will definitely not be good.

Judging from the current global situation, it seems that the world has become calmer and more stable due to the bipolar struggle for hegemony, but this is only a temporary situation.

In the first half of this year, NASA's scientific research funding increased from 75 billion yuan to 180 billion yuan. Such a huge investment was not because of the results they wanted, but because of a forced decision.

Because the strategic think tanks of major financial groups in North America have given out the only one-and-done solution, which is to become an interstellar civilization first, and then completely lock other areas of Blue Star within Blue Star.

That's why they are desperately investing in the aerospace field, with the purpose of using aerospace as the key to victory or defeat.

Musk's Space Exploration Company has also received 27 billion yuan of investment from Wall Street and is currently developing reusable launch vehicles.

These guys obviously no longer want to be human beings.

This is also one of the reasons why China is gradually strengthening investment in the aerospace field. In order to reduce some restrictions, the Suiren Department also specially registered Eagle Aerospace in Mobei as a supplementary force.

The huge investments made by the two camps in the aerospace field have made other regions feel suffocated.

The expanded general assembly workshop of Dongfeng Space City and the construction of launch sites No. 3 and No. 4 are a manifestation of increased investment in aerospace.

Xichang Satellite City and Wenchang Satellite City are also undergoing upgrading and expansion.

Seizing the moon and Mars has become the core of current aerospace missions, and long-term survival technology in space, artificial ecological environment technology, artificial gravity technology, and radiation protection technology are key supporting technologies in the aerospace field.

On the viewing platform, in addition to Mr. Zhang and a group of candidates, there were also reporters from domestic and foreign media, domestic audiences, corporate employees, and more than 200 overseas tourists on other independent viewing platforms.

Everyone used the fixed telescopes on the observation deck and waited quietly for the launch.

Another Long 12 launch vehicle is currently being assembled in the third area of ​​the general assembly workshop.

Xue Siqiang, who had just assumed the post of chief engineer, was watching the assembly of the launch vehicle with Huang Xiuyuan, but the situation at the scene was a bit strange.

Because Huang Xiuyuan's real body is not actually here, but in Shanmei City. He appeared in Dongfeng Aerospace City through the Internet.

A robot transformed from a small multi-legged mecha. As his robot stand-in, this multi-legged mecha is equipped with a rotatable display screen and four mechanical arms.

"Xiuyuan, this one is 12 in length and uses the latest improved design and new materials."

The multi-legged mecha's horn sounded Huang Xiuyuan's voice: "Is this the reusable core level one?"

Xue Siqiang took the microphone and replied: "Yes, although we could recycle the core level before, it was only for recycling and could not be reused. This improved model has a length of 12, and the core level can be reused."

“How many times can it be recycled currently?”

"In ground tests, the core stage can withstand repeated launches 18 to 20 times, but for safety reasons, we set the upper limit of use at 15 times."

Thousands of miles away, Huang Xiuyuan was sitting on a chair, watching the real-time images from the surveillance camera, twirling his ballpoint pen with his fingers.

I turned my head and looked at another tall monitor, which showed an improved version of the Long 12 cost assessment.

Due to technological advancement, the old version is 12 in length and has an overall cost of 92 million (excluding aerospace equipment and materials). The average cost per ton of payload is about 1.76 million, or 1,760 yuan per kilogram.

This is the one with the lowest transportation cost among many launch vehicles in the world.

Compared with Xizhou Space Agency's launch vehicle, the transportation cost per kilogram in low-Earth orbit has reached 10,000 yuan, making it the most expensive in the world.

Then there are Lucia’s 7,400 meters per kilogram, Japan’s 7,000 meters per kilogram, and Tianzhu’s 3,500 meters per kilogram.

The Falcon launch vehicle, which has just entered the research and development stage, claims to be able to achieve a price of 1,500 to 2,400 yuan per kilogram.

Obviously, in terms of load ratio and unit cost, the bonus brought by high-energy fuel has opened a clear distance from its peers.

After all, 1,760 Chinese yuan per kilogram is equivalent to 301 yuan. Unless the launch vehicles of foreign counterparts also have similar high-energy fuel, the reusable Falcon launch vehicle is the bottom line of their costs.

Even if Musk is willing to lose money and make money, the transportation cost of the Falcon launch vehicle will be reduced to about 800 yuan per kilogram at most, provided that it can be recycled more than 10 times.

If the old version of the Chang 12 is China's first test in the aerospace field, then the new version of the Chang 12 is the new peak of this launch vehicle.

Although the cost of Chang 12 has been increased to 124 million in order to achieve reuse, a large part of the cost can be reduced every time the core level is successfully recycled.

Judging from the cost of each part of Chang 12, the cost of the first-level core is about 76 million. If it is successfully recycled once, it means that half of the cost is left.

If you successfully recycle 10 times, the cost will be one-tenth.

Moreover, the new version is 12 meters long, and the payload has been slightly increased, reaching about 54.3 tons.

This cost advantage is conducive to domestic development in the aerospace field, and can make it more capable than its opponents in fierce competition.

If you think about it, you will know the difference. The opponent's launch cost is at least three times that of the Chang 12.

This means that with the same launch scale, we only need to pay less than one-third of the cost; and with the same investment scale, we can launch at least three times as many spacecraft as our opponents.

If it were the Xizhou Alliance's launch vehicle, the cost would be enough to bring them down.

Therefore, in the current space race, the opponent that Huang Xiuyuan is least worried about is the Xizhou Space Administration. Their internal wrangling and high costs made them the first to be eliminated.

On the contrary, Lucia and Tianzhu, if their shortcomings are supplemented, it is really possible to catch up with Falcon and reduce transportation costs.

However, they are still no match for Chang 12. The two sides are really not on the same level. If the future super launch vehicle is completed, the gap between the two sides will further widen.

Huang Xiuyuan walked around the general assembly workshop through the multi-legged mecha, and then asked Xue Siqiang: "How is the lunar exploration plan arranged?"

"Next month, we plan to launch three relay satellites as outposts for lunar exploration. The lunar probes launched previously were not professionally designed probes and their service life will last until next year at most. The new satellites must keep up in time."

After hearing Xue Siqiang's answer, Huang Xiuyuan thought for a while and suggested: "In fact, we can build a high-orbit space station first and use it as an auxiliary space station for future moon landings."

Xue Siqiang shook his head and replied helplessly: "I have actually thought about this idea, but the budget is currently limited, and building a high-orbit space station is a bit stressful."

"How about this! The high-orbit space station is built by my Eagle Aerospace. Anyway, I need to do some space scientific research here."

Xue Siqiang was stunned and reminded: "Xiuyuan, are you sure? This is no joke. Even tens of billions may not be enough."

"Don't worry! I have a sense of discretion."

"In that case, I congratulate you on your success in advance."

While the two were chatting, the countdown to this launch mission also entered.

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