Chapter 732

Wu Zheng gave Gu Lu the identity of the chief technical adviser of the rocket research and development department.

This title is somewhat similar to that of the ancient Overseers.

Although there is no real power.

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

After finalizing the specific matters, Gu Lu didn't say too much to Wu Zheng, and set off directly to 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 R&D base had already rested early, so it was naturally impossible to greet Gu Lu.

Thereupon.

Gu Lu was randomly found a room by the personnel on the base to stay, and waited until tomorrow to talk about business.

…………

Next.

Gu Lu woke up early.

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

And in the very middle of the base.

A rocket is towering and about to break through the sky.

This is the Long March 9.

But......

This is just the shell of the Long March 9.

It is not filled with equipment such as boosters and fuel engines.

Presently.

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 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 leader of the rocket research and development base located in the office area had already learned the news of Gu Lu's arrival.

The leader of the base is a director surnamed Bi.

Director Bi was the vice president of the Huaguo Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, and was temporarily transferred here because of the launch of the manned lunar landing program.

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

After the successful development of the Long March 5, the Huaguo Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology was divided into two factions.

One is conservative, who believe that it is difficult for Huaguo to make a huge breakthrough in launch vehicle technology in a short period of time, so it should focus on the improvement and maintenance of the Long March 5.

The other is the radical.

Director Bi is a representative of the radical faction.

He believes that in the current era, the United States and Russia are actively seizing the commanding heights in space and restarting the research and development program of heavy carrier rockets. Europe, Japan, and India are also competing to promote the research and demonstration of new large launch vehicles. China also needs more powerful launch vehicles to go into space freely.

Although the first flight of the Long March 5 carrier rocket was successful and reached the world's advanced level, in order to realize manned space projects such as the manned lunar landing, a rocket with a larger capacity is needed.

Thus, in this context, the Long March-9 carrier rocket was conceived.

In the planning, the Long March 9 rocket has a large technical span, but its powerful performance is even more unforgettable. Its capacity is roughly the same as that of the Saturn V rocket of the United States, exceeding the carrying capacity of the United States' next-generation launch vehicle (SLS) under development, which can fully meet the needs of various deep space exploration missions such as future manned lunar exploration, Mars sample return, and planetary exploration of the solar system, and ensure China's voice in future space exploration and larger and farther space.

Before the China Space Administration announced the launch of the manned space program, Director Bi led a group of researchers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to devote themselves to the development of the Long March 9 rocket.

But with little success.

One reason is the lack of manpower, and the other is the lack of start-up capital.

But......

These two problems were not a problem after the launch of the manned lunar landing project.

Three years ago.

After hearing that the China Space Administration had decided to launch the manned lunar landing project, Director Bi directly and decisively took all the researchers from the radical faction 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 the manned lunar landing project is to complete the research and development of the Long March 9.

According to the concept draft of the Long March 9.

After the successful development of the Long March 9, the carrying capacity of its Earth-Moon transfer orbit can reach about 50 tons.

That's 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 spacecraft in Earth-Moon orbit.

Just control the mass of the lunar spacecraft a little.

Then, a Long March 9 rocket can be done in one step!

Of course......

Then again.

For the entire manned lunar landing project, the Long March 9 is not a must.

But there is no it.

The difficulty of operation and the risk factor are two completely different numbers.

Director Bi is well aware of how heavy the burden is on his shoulders.

So.

Director Bi made a military order in front of the director of the China National Space Administration, saying that he would guarantee to complete a series of work such as the R&D, manufacturing, and test flight of the Long March 9 rocket by 2024 to ensure the smooth progress of the manned lunar landing program.

However, the truth is.

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

But the difficulties faced by the Long March 9 are too many.

Right now.

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

The first is the overall technical and program optimization of heavy rockets.

It's a fairly holistic question.

At this stage, this problem is barely solved by about a third.

This is actually okay, as long as you grind it slowly, Director Bi is still sure that he will be able 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 kerosene engine technology, larger thrust liquid hydrogen liquid oxygen engine technology, larger diameter rocket body design, manufacturing, and testing technology.

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

Three puzzles.

is like the three swords of Damocles hanging over Director Bi's head, which made Director Bi unable to sleep all night.

The Long March 9 rocket consists of a total of four stages.

They are boosters, core level 1, core level 2, core level 3.

Each of the four stages has its own engine.

According to the concept map.

The booster part is the need for two liquid oxygen kerosene engines.

The first stage of the core requires four liquid oxygen kerosene engines.

The second and third stages of the core require two and four liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen engines, respectively.

So.

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

Moreover.

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

Ideally, it is.

With as little fuel as possible, produce as much thrust as possible.