Chapter 732

Wu Zheng gave Gu Lu the status of chief technical advisor of the rocket research and development department.

This title is somewhat similar to the ancient supervisory army.

Although there is no real power.

But in terms of status, he can be on an equal footing with the head of the rocket research and development department.

After finalizing the specific matters, Gu Lu did not exchange too many pleasantries with Wu Zheng and set off directly for the rocket research and development base in Dongchang.

By the time Gu Lu arrived at the rocket research and development base in a valley in Dongchang, it was already the early morning of the next day.

The person in charge of the rocket research and development base had already gone to rest early, so it was naturally impossible to welcome Gu Lu.

then.

Gu Lu was randomly found a room to stay in by the staff at the base, and they would wait until tomorrow to talk about business.

…………

The next day.

Gu Lu woke up early.

In the base made of steel, Gu Lu could see many workers busy.

And in the very center of the base.

A rocket is standing tall, ready to break through the sky.

This is the Long March 9.

but……

This is just the shell of the Long March 9.

It has not yet been filled with equipment such as boosters and fuel engines.

at present.

The Long March 9 launch vehicle is still in the conceptual stage.

Gu Lu walked around the base under the leadership of the base staff.

The whole base is huge.

It is divided into four areas in total.

Located in the center is the rocket manufacturing area, and the office area is directly north of the central area.

While Gu Lu was still wandering around the base, the top leader of the rocket research and development base located in the office area had already learned of Gu Lu's arrival.

The top leader of the base is a director named Bi.

Director Bi was previously the deputy director of the Huaguo Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute, and was temporarily transferred here because of the launch of the manned moon landing plan.

Oh, Director Bi's original unit, the Huaguo Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute, is the same institution that developed and manufactured the Long March 5 a few years ago.

After the Huaguo Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute successfully developed the Long March 5, it was divided into two factions.

One is a conservative who believes that China's launch vehicle technology is unlikely to make a huge breakthrough in a short period of time, so it should focus on the improvement and maintenance of the Long March 5.

The other one is a radical.

Director Bi is a representative of the radical faction.

He believes that in today's era, the United States and Russia are actively seizing the commanding heights of space and restarting the development plan of heavy-duty launch vehicles. Europe, Japan, India, etc. are also competing to promote the research and demonstration of new large launch vehicles. China also needs launch vehicles with greater capabilities.

Come free into space.

Although the Long March 5 carrier rocket made its first flight successfully and reached the world's advanced level, in order to realize manned space projects such as manned moon landing, a rocket with greater transport capacity is needed.

Therefore, under this background, the Long March 9 carrier rocket was born.

In the planning, the Long March 9 rocket has a large technological span, but its powerful performance is even more unforgettable. Its carrying capacity is roughly equivalent to that of the American Saturn V rocket, and exceeds the carrying capacity of the next-generation American launch vehicle (SLS) being developed.

It can fully meet the needs of various deep space exploration missions such as manned lunar exploration, Mars sample return, and solar system planetary exploration in the future, ensuring China’s right to speak in future space exploration and larger and farther space.

Before the China Space Administration announced the launch of the manned spaceflight project, Director Bi led a group of researchers from the China Launch Vehicle Technology Institute to invest in the development of the Long March 9 rocket.

However, the results were minimal.

One reason is insufficient manpower, and another reason is insufficient start-up capital.

but……

These two problems will not be a problem after the manned moon landing project is launched.

three years ago.

After Director Bi heard that the Chinese Space Administration had decided to launch a manned lunar landing project, he directly and decisively led all the researchers from the radical wing of the institute to join the rocket research and development department of the manned lunar landing project.

The main task of the rocket research and development department under this manned lunar landing project is to complete the research and development of Long March 9.

According to the concept draft of Long March 9.

After the Long March 9 is successfully developed, the carrying capacity of its Earth-moon transfer orbit will probably reach 50 tons.

This is fifty tons!

Be clear.

At present, China's most advanced Long March 5 carrier rocket has a carrying capacity of only about eight tons in the Earth-moon transfer orbit.

So.

Once the Long March 9 is successfully developed.

Then there is no need to launch eight rockets and then reassemble the lunar landing spacecraft in the earth-lunar orbit.

Just a little control over the mass of the moon landing spacecraft.

Then, a Long March 9 rocket can reach the destination in one step!

certainly……

Then again.

For the entire manned moon landing project, Long March 9 is not necessary.

But without it.

Its operational difficulty and risk coefficient are two completely different numbers.

Director Bi knows how heavy the burden is on his shoulders.

so.

Director Bi issued a military order in front of the director of the China Space Administration, promising to complete a series of tasks including the development, manufacturing and test flight of the Long March 9 rocket by 2024 to ensure the smooth progress of the manned moon landing plan.

However, the fact is.

In three years, with all personnel and funds in place, Long March 5 has indeed achieved a series of considerable breakthroughs.

But Long March 9 faces too many difficulties.

Now.

The main research content of Long March 9 can be called "one total and three major".

The first is the overall technology and program optimization of heavy-lift rockets.

This is a rather holistic issue.

At this stage, this problem has been barely solved for about one-third.

This is actually not bad. As long as you work hard and slowly, Director Bi is still sure to get it done in 2024.

The real difficulty lies in the ‘big three’.

The so-called Big Three.

It refers to the world-class scientific research level of larger thrust liquid oxygen and kerosene engine technology, larger thrust liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engine technology, and larger diameter rocket body design, manufacturing and testing technology.

One is liquid oxygen and kerosene engine technology, one is liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engine technology, and the other is the design of a large-diameter rocket body.

Three difficult questions.

Just like the three swords of Damocles hanging over Director Bi's head, Director Bi couldn't sleep all night long.

The Long March 9 rocket consists of a four-stage structure.

They are booster, core level one, core level two, and core level three.

Each four-stage structure has its own engine.

According to the concept map.

The booster part requires two liquid oxygen and kerosene engines.

The core first stage requires four liquid oxygen kerosene engines.

Core two and three require two and four liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen engines respectively.

So.

A Long March 9 rocket requires a total of twelve engines.

and.

There are strict requirements for the weight and thrust of each engine.

The most ideal situation is.
Chapter completed!