"In other words, out of the $200 million launch cost of the heavy-duty rocket, the real material cost is less than 2.5 percent, and the fuel is only 3 percent? Robert, are you sure?" Elon Musk asked Robert Dalton, a rocket expert at the Haysen Physics Laboratory, with great interest.

Robert Dalton looked displeased: "I've been working on rockets for NASA for 25 years, of course I can be sure." Boy, if you are in doubt, you can ask other people, not me. ”

Elon Musk studied for a PhD at Stanford for two days, well, it was really only two days, and two days after enrollment, Elon Musk submitted a withdrawal application to Stanford and dropped out of school to start a business.

This is not uncommon at Stanford, so Elon Musk still found Robert Dalton, who specializes in rocket research at the Haysom Physics Laboratory, through his mentor's relationship, for consultation.

Elon Musk didn't care about Robert Dalton's bad words, and half an hour ago, his mentor reminded him that this old man was not easy to deal with.

"I'm sorry, Robert, since the cost of the rocket is so low, NASA can do it lower than the launch price of Huaxia, right, now their external quotation is 200 million US dollars, the same load and orbit, Huaxia only quoted 140 million, their Long March launch vehicle and European Ariane launch vehicle have robbed 70% of the commercial market in the United States, do they have such high requirements for profitability?" Elon Musk asked.

Robert Dalton snorted: "How can it be so simple? Three percent is just the cost of materials, and NASA has to give large research and manufacturing contracts to outsourcing units such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing and United Technologies every year." ”

"The cost of developing a launch vehicle can account for more than 30 percent of its total amount, and if it is developed by NASA itself, the cost will be even higher. Plus, there's a myriad of inspection and maintenance teams around the rocket, and that's the cost. ”

"At present, NASA's commercial rocket launches have a profit margin of less than 30 percent. Huaxia's labor costs are too low, they are a national system, and we are completely different, we have no way to fight with Huaxia costs, even if the 30 percent profit margin is all reduced, a considerable part of the rocket launch costs must be extracted every year to feed back the operation, and the price reduction is even more impossible. ”

Elon Musk's eyes were shining, and he didn't seem to hear Robert Dalton's sneer at the possibility of reducing costs, "Lockheed Martin, Boeing, The R&D budget of United Technologies is indeed very high, however, I remember reading a report that their R&D efficiency is only 3.32, Lockheed Martin may be slightly higher, but it is not more than 5, and the R&D efficiency of general scientific research companies is generally between 14.8-30, and NASA gives them billions of orders every year, which does not seem to be a suitable business. ”

Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and United Technologies are all arms dealers at the level of a giant in the United States, and these companies are extremely inefficient, no more efficient than China's state-owned enterprises, and even more extravagant and wasteful.

Robert Dalton was angry when he mentioned this topic: "These damn arms dealers! If NASA had a choice, how could it give them the contract? But now, only these companies have the ability to take orders from NASA, and in recent years, Lockheed Martin's orders have gradually surpassed the other two, and they have only chosen the worse one from the worse, the worse, and the worst!"

Elon Musk was excited, thanked Robert Dalton, who was still angry, and pulled Kimbar Musk out of the Hasten physics laboratory and went straight to the parking lot.

Kimbalmusk knew his brother too well, and hurriedly grabbed Elon Musk: "Wait, wait, Elon, calm down, you must think about it carefully, if you leave ZIP2, our equity will be further diluted。。。。。。 ”

Elon Musk turned around and looked at his brother, "Kimbal, I'm very calm, really, never so calm." This is the real big business! The big business that subverts the course of human evolution! Oh my God, I can't believe that no one has ever thought of starting a private space company!?"

Kimbalmusk stammered: "Elon, Elon, you are too impulsive, we should still think about it again, not to mention whether Zack's plan is feasible or not, you have to think about it, now that the NASDAQ is so hot, our ZIP2 may be able to go public next year, even if it can't be listed, there will be big companies to buy, and then we will all be millionaires! No, maybe ten and a million!"

"ZIP2 is finished. Elon Musk had a sneer on his face, "Don't you understand? The day Google Maps was launched, it was when ZIP2 completely failed. Richsolkin this idiot, I said a long time ago, only free, only free is ZIP2's only chance, if he is not so short-sighted, maybe ZIP2 still has a chance, but now... Hehe. ”

"Now we can also persuade Rich to change his strategy. "Our company is currently valued at more than $50 million, and ZIP2 has at least $25 million in funding, and we haven't failed yet." Even if Google Maps is launched, they won't be able to capture the entire market, and we will at least maintain a certain market share. ”

Elon Musk shook his head, a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes: "It's late, Kimbal, it's already late." At present, the business form of the Internet has become very obvious, it is a winner-takes-all market, and the most terrible thing is that Google has not even targeted us, and we have been defeated. ”

After all, ZIP2 was the first company he founded, and it is impossible to say that there is no emotion.

Kimbalmusk's face was reluctant, "But... But... ”

Elon Musk's gloom was fleeting, he reached out and pulled out his phone and dialed a few numbers.

"Richie, you bitch, let me hear clearly, don't you want to squeeze me out of the board of directors? OK, Lao Tzu quit! Stop playing! Give you twelve hours, find an investor to take over Lao Tzu's shares! Four million! Not a penny less! The offer is only valid for 12 hours! Do you hear me?"

Kimbar Musk looked at his brother dumbfounded, he didn't expect Elon Musk to be so decisive.

"Hi, Zack, I'm Elon, Elon Musk. Yes, I've thought about what you're talking about, where are you? I'd like to talk to you about it. ”

"Stanford? No, no, of course, I'm here now. yes, what a coincidence. ”

"Okay, see you in ten minutes, MERL. ”

Said that the protagonist foreigners are not allowed to invest, didn't you see the protagonist applying for naturalization?

Now the protagonist holds a Xiangjiang passport and has applied for American citizenship at the same time, which has been made clear before.

(End of chapter)