In fact, if it is not too demanding, there are quite a lot of places to play near Shanghai, otherwise Davis and they would not go around and don't want to return to China.

In addition, there is another outstanding advantage here, that is, it is much more convenient in terms of information and communication than other cities in China.

After Davis and the others got Fan Wuji's order to buy a satellite, they immediately took action and contacted the United States, and they really found that there was a ready-made opportunity to take advantage of.

At present, there is only one company engaged in commercial satellite operation in the entire Asian region, Hong Kong's Asia Satellite Corporation, which was established in 1988 and launched its first satellite, the Asia-1 satellite, in 90.

Asia Satellite Corporation is also a company owned by the Li family of Hong Kong, and the Asia-1 satellite is a geostationary orbit communications satellite manufactured by Hughes Corporation of the United States. The satellite body is cylindrical, with a diameter of 2.2 meters and a height of 6.5 meters, with 24 C-band transponders, weighing 1.25 tons, and a design operating life of 10 years.

This satellite was originally the Western Union Star VI of the United States, which was launched into space by the Space Shuttle Challenger in February 1984, but it was unsuccessfully put into orbit and later recovered by the Space Shuttle Discovery of the United States. After refurbishment, it was purchased by Asia Satellite Communications Corporation and named Asia-1, which was successfully launched by the Long March-3 carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Base, mainly providing communication services for China and Asian countries.

The reason why Li Zekai wants to engage in satellite television is also because of this communication satellite, and since he has this operating platform, he can make full use of it while providing services to others.

However, Asia Satellite actually does not have the ability to develop satellites, nor does it have rocket launch technology, it is just a leather bag company, but the actual owner of satellites, and the manufacture and launch of satellites need to be purchased from outside.

Since Fan Wuxian wants to buy a satellite, he naturally can't get it from such a company, one is that doing so is tantamount to being deprived of a layer of profits by the second-tier dealers, and the other is that the time period for designing and manufacturing satellites from scratch and launching them is too long, and Fan Wuxian doesn't have much time to wait.

Therefore, you can't count on the Asia Satellite Company, after Davis got the boss's instructions, he directly contacted the Hughes Company in the United States, and after learning that Fan Wuji's company was interested in buying satellites, the senior management of the Hughes Company was very excited, this is a big deal!

So Hughes immediately replied, and will send a team of experts to Shanghai within three days to meet with Fan Wuzhi and others to discuss the satellite surname and price.

"Boss, it looks like Hughes's satellites aren't easy to sell!" After Davis got Hughes's reply, he said to Fan Wuxian with a smile.

Fan Wuxian laughed, "You think you're selling instant noodles in a supermarket, selling one cart a day!" Satellite thing, where can you ordinary people afford it? Even if you buy it, you may not be able to use it! ”

At least the state is still relatively strict in terms of communication operations, if you don't get an operating license, you have ten satellites and there is no use!

If it weren't for the Li family's entrenched influence in Hong Kong, and the mainland's need to use it to influence the political situation in Hong Kong 97 years ago, it is estimated that such a large piece of fat would not have been given away to others for nothing, all for the sake of profit.

stayed in Shanghai for three days, it has always been Xia Xue who led Fan Wuxi around, the little girl's surname is very good, and she was influenced by American education, so when facing Fan Wuxi, she looked very happy, coupled with her youth and moving, she was completely a standard commentator, which made Fan Wuxian feel relaxed and happy, and it was particularly comfortable.

Although I always think that Xia Xue is a child, this child is indeed not small, at least more than a year older than Fan Wuxi's biological age, and the two of them get along well when they are mixed together.

On 25 September, the team of experts from Hughes of the United States arrived on time and checked into the hotel arranged by Davis.

In the evening, Fan Wuxian personally arranged a banquet and had dinner with the experts of Hughes.

Hughes was led by Maximus, the company's executive vice president, a Jew in his sixties with gray hair, gray eyes, and even a gray beard, who looked a bit like Albert Einstein.

It is completely authentic Chinese food, with the overall red-biased layout, so that the guests in the room feel a very unique atmosphere with a strong traditional Chinese art, and see the exquisite and exquisite color and fragrance of all kinds of dishes delivered into the water, everyone's expressions are a little excited.

"Oh, and it's not my first time in China, but there's no doubt that it's definitely the highest level of hospitality I've ever received!" Maximos raised the tall glass in his hand, shook the red wine in the glass, and raised it to greet Fan Wuxian and Davis and the others.

Fan Wuxian drank some red wine and said to Maximus with a smile, "In fact, the cultural differences between the East and the West are very large. Westerners like to talk about work when they are working and enjoy life when they are not working, while we Easterners are used to enjoying life when we are working and talking about work when we are eating, especially at a banquet. ”

Davis was eating a grilled fish, and the aroma was so fragrant that he couldn't make a choice, and he said to Maximus, "The boss's words are always right!" ”

Maximus looked at his subordinates who were suffering hard, and said to Fan Wuxian with some embarrassment, "While the Lord gives us food to ward off hunger, he also warns us that gluttony is also a sin. ”

Fan Wuxian laughed and said, "Fortunately, I am a heretic in your eyes!" You can eat with an open stomach! ”

Maximos just shook his head helplessly when he heard Fan Wuxian say this, but Davis asked curiously, "Boss, I haven't heard of any faith in you!" ”

Fan Wuxian shook his head and replied, "How can people not have faith? It's just a difference in faith! How terrible would it be if a person had no faith and no reverence? ”

Maximus obviously studied this kind of problem a little more, and after listening to Fan Wuxi's words, he nodded again and again, "That's right!" The demon is not the most terrifying, for the demon, after all, it still has its own beliefs, at least it has the same kind to look forward to! And the one who has completely lost his faith is a total sin, and you can't predict what kind of crime he will commit! ”

"Cheers to the fact that we all have faith!" Fan Wuxi immediately raised his wine glass knowingly.

After the dinner, Maximus immediately asked for the first negotiation with Fan Wuxian and others.

"We need a communications satellite that can relay satellite television programs, preferably with a larger coverage, and if we can communicate by telephone at the same time, or realize data services, it will be even better." Fan Wuxian said to Maximus.

"There's no problem with this, and our Hughes satellite manufacturing technology is top-notch." After boasting about his company's manufacturing level for a while, Maximos asked with some skepticism, "But with all due respect, if these operations are to be realized, I'm afraid that a satellite will not meet the demand target." ”

"Why?" Fan Wuxian was stunned for a moment.

"In fact, we are now in the process of putting the finishing touches on the latest communications satellites." Maximus replied cautiously.

Fan Wuxian was very curious when he heard this, so he asked in detail, and then he knew the reason.

In 1987, Australia's Osset purchased two commercial communications satellites from Hughes of the United States. This kind of satellite is a new generation of high-capacity, large-tonnage, and long-life communication satellites newly developed by the Hughes Company of the United States, representing the advanced level of communication satellites in the world today. Australia's purchase of Ostar B1 and B2 from Hughes will further satisfy Australia's television, radio, voice, data, overseas markets, and mobile communications (including telephone, telegraph, and professional networks).

However, with satellites, it is also necessary to send the satellite into geosynchronous orbit by rocket, so that the satellite can only operate normally after the satellite is fixed.

Originally, Osset and Hughes were intended to be launched by American companies, but the year before was regarded as a disaster year for the world's space industry. In the same year, the U.S. Space Shuttle Challenger exploded seventy-two seconds after liftoff, shocking the world. Immediately after that, the Hercules and Delta rockets of the United States also crashed one after another, and the US space activities were almost paralyzed. At the end of May of the same year, the European Space Agency's Ariana rocket, which had won more than half of the world's satellite launch contracts, failed again because the third stage was not ignited in time. The successive failures have caused a situation in the launch vehicle market where users are queuing up to launch satellites.

In view of this situation, Osset and Hughes are a little scratching their heads, which company should be chosen to complete the launch mission?

Coincidentally, in this year, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology hatched a bold plan, and in order to adapt to the new situation of the international satellite market, it decided to develop a bundled rocket carrying large-tonnage satellites. On the basis of the Long March-2 rocket, which has a high success rate, they lengthen the rocket body as the core stage, and then bundle four liquid rocket boosters on the original first-stage rocket body to form a new two-stage liquid rocket.

This is the "Chang 2 bundle" carrier rocket, which later became famous in the international rocket launch market.

At that time, four major groups in the world's aerospace community participated in the bidding, with the United States offering $70 million, France $56 million, and the original price of $50 million, while China's Great Wall Company only quoted an ultra-low price of $36 million.

"But there is also a problem, that is, when the Chinese are bidding, the so-called long two bundle of rockets does not have a physical object, but only a sketch, so our company is still a little worried about this launch." Maximos said with a frown.

It is normal to have this kind of worry, after all, the old rocket launch companies like the United States and Europe have made mistakes one after another, and China's Great Wall Company has only entered the national rocket launch market for more than a year.

In the event of failure, more than just a satellite is lost.

In fact, when Fan Wuxian heard the name Chang Erbin, his heart was clear, and he also remembered the unsuccessful launch at the beginning, when the Great Wall Company of China launched the Australian Star for Hughes in history, it was indeed a failure, but it did not cause irreparable consequences, the automatic emergency shutdown system of the rocket was activated at the most critical moment, avoiding greater losses, and later this system was highly concerned by the International Rocket Launch Company and imitated it.

After Fan Wuxian remembered this incident, he knew in his heart that this kind of loss could be avoided, and at that time, there was a metal residue as thick as a hair on the rocket, which affected the smooth progress of the launch.

So Fan Wuxian smiled and said to Maximus, "The long two bundles of rockets are worth looking forward to, but what is the purpose of telling me this?" ”

Maximos would definitely not say so much nonsense without purpose, so Fan Wuxian asked him directly.

The old Jewish man sat up straight and said to Fan Wuxian very seriously, "Mr. Fan, when we were developing the Aoxing for the Osset Company, we still had a backup, if you need it, you can launch it before March next year, of course, provided that the Chang Erbao rocket of the Great Wall Company of China can be successfully completed." ”

"Oh?!" Hearing the news, Fan Wuxi immediately felt a little overjoyed.

What could be better than this? Think about it! It takes several years for a general satellite to be developed and put into production, and finally it needs to be debugged, but now, there is a ready-made satellite in front of him, how gratifying it is!

The satellite developed by Hughes for Osset was originally intended to solve Australia's television, radio, voice, data, overseas markets, mobile communications (including telephone, telegraph, professional network) and other services.

If this is the case, you don't have to rent other people's satellite frequency bands, and now you can set up your own satellite service company to provide satellite services to the entire Asian region as long as you pay for it.

"Moreover, there seems to be a little bit of a problem in our business with Osset." Maximos ignored the joy on Fan Wuxian's face, and then said to him, "If possible, you can consider buying three communication satellites at a time to form a communication network covering the whole world!" Of course, I mean all regions except the North and South Poles! ”

"Buy three communications satellites at once?!" Fan Wuxian threw his body into the sofa, stroked his forehead with his hand and said, "Could it be that your company's satellite is sold?!" Three communication satellites! How much does this cost me?! If there is a fault after going to the sky, who should I talk to?! ”

Communication satellites are different from ordinary scientific research satellites and military satellites in that they need to enter geosynchronous orbit and keep synchronized with the ground, otherwise, there is no way to find stars through fixed antennas, and naturally there is no way to use them for activities such as television signal broadcasting.

At an altitude of about 36,000 kilometers above the equator, as long as there are three communication satellites, the communication range of all regions of the world except the poles can be covered, which is why the old Jewish man Maximus said that he would sell Fan Wuxian three communication satellites, instead of two or four.

When the old Jewish man heard Fan Wuxian's answer, he couldn't laugh or cry.

Originally, Australia's Osset signed a contract with Hughes for two communication satellites, but next year's delivery is only one, and the other will need to be delivered after a while.

However, Hughes is a little anxious, and actually got out of two satellites in advance, in addition to two backup satellites, but the recent international commercial satellite market has been relatively bleak, and it is difficult to shoot, and the company's upper echelons are worried about the landing of these three satellites.

Who knew that at this time, Fan Wu's illness actually proposed the idea of buying satellites to Hughes, how could the executives of Hughes not feel excited? After inquiring about Fan Wuxi through the channels of the Ministry of National Defense, he found that this person was a real rich man, so he thought about selling the other three satellites to Osset next year.

"In fact, your company has all the control over satellite resources, as for after-sales service, we can provide it! We will solve the technical problems related to the communication equipment and the use of all these services, all of which just require you to spend a little more money. It's nothing to a big guy like you. The old Jewish man made full use of the inherent business talent of the Jews, which had been inherited from his blood, and tried his best to lobby Fan Wuxi.

"I don't lack money!" Fan Wuxian first affirmed this, and then continued, "But you have to make me feel that I am worth the money!" Otherwise, what's the use of me buying three satellites back? Do you have a show at home? ”

Naturally, it can't be like this, if Fan Wuxian really has to spend a billion 800 million US dollars to buy back three satellites to put at home, he won't be laughed to death by others! You must know that this kind of thing, when it goes to space, is a baby, and it is a waste to leave it at home!

"Buying three satellites at a time has a lot of benefits!" The old Jewish man was busy explaining to Fan Wuxian the advantages of doing so, such as having the ability to provide communication services covering the whole world, setting up a satellite TV company, being a telecommunications service provider, and operating a global broadcasting business.

After waiting for him for a while, Fan Wuxian asked sharply, "Hurry up, give me a wholesale price!" Or I'll just do it! ”

"Wholesale price?" The old Jewish man had never been exposed to such a word with completely Chinese characteristics, and he couldn't help but be stunned.

Davis, who had been watching for a long time, lazily explained, "The so-called wholesale price is actually the group purchase price, so you understand, right?" Mr. Maximus? ”

The old Jewish man nodded, and said in his heart, it seems that he has to talk about the price.

In the entire industrial chain of commercial satellites, according to the internationally accepted algorithm, the average cost of manufacturing a satellite is about $120 million, the cost of a rocket is about a quarter of the cost of a satellite, about $30 million, the launch cost is also about a quarter of that of a satellite, about $30 million, and the insurance premium is about one-fifth of the first three, about $36 million, which is about $220 million. The ratio of revenue between the manufacture, launch and application of satellites is roughly two to one to seven.

In this way, the benefits of satellite applications are still very attractive, and the benefits of satellite manufacturing are also considerable, as for satellite launches, it is the least profitable link, but in fact, satellite launches are the most problematic in the entire commercial satellite industry chain.

"So, three satellites, we can make a total of five million dollars in profits! This is a big concession, and we at Hughes have never been in this situation since we got into the satellite business! The old Jewish man Maximus looked in pain, gritted his teeth and said to Fan Wuxi.

"Three satellites, only to give up five million dollars?" Fan Wuxian shook his head with a smile and said, "When we bargained, we cut down 550 million!" ”

The old Jewish man suddenly got a little angry, and said to himself, I know you are rich, but why are you bargaining like this? Fifty million and fifty million bargains? What did you buy?

Davis saw that the old Jewish man was a little upset, and knew that he thought Fan Wuxian was talking nonsense to him, so he explained to him, "Mr. Maximus, our boss never tells lies. You know, our boss's business has never been at the level of a billion dollars, just like the current Cisco, you always know? ”

"Cisco, of course you know!" The old man immediately said, "That's a big company with a market value of more than $40 billion!" Industry insiders are unanimously optimistic, or in a few years, they will become the largest public company in the United States! ”

"Our boss is the majority shareholder of Cisco!" Davis said to Maximus with a smile.

After listening to Davis's explanation, the old Jewish man Maximus was stunned for a moment, and then cursed in a low voice, "Damn the Ministry of Defense, why didn't they tell me about this!" ”

After learning about this situation, Maximus was much more confident that he would sell the three satellites, so he thought for a moment and said, "If you are willing to exchange Cisco shares, I believe that our Hughes executives will be more than happy to sell these three satellites at an extremely good price!" ”

After hearing this, Fan Wuxian said with some admiration, "Mr. Maximus, you are really good at business!" Actually got the idea of my stock! But I'd like to hear at what price your company is willing to trade if you use the stock for replacement? Everyone is a cheerful person, and if you give a fair price, you can make a decision! ”

Well, if you do this business, you won't lose money! Maximus thought to himself, anyway, Cisco's stock price will soar sooner or later, and it is nothing for him to lose a little now, if it weren't for Fan Wuxi, a big buyer, these three satellites would have to be in the warehouse for at least two years, and Cisco's stock after two years would probably rise by more than 50 percent.

So after a hundred and ten turns in his heart, Maximus finally made a decision, he raised his head and said to Fan Wuxi, "Then, the integer price, one satellite is 100 million US dollars!" Completely swap in Cisco stock! That's the bottom line for us! We can't go down any longer, otherwise our company's financial statements this year will have a huge loss! The board of directors won't pass it either! ”

Fan Wuxi looked at Davis, only to see that he nodded slightly, obviously satisfied with the price, so Fan Wuxi groaned for a while, and then said to the old Jewish man, "Since you have shown such a big concession, I can't ask too much of you, then okay!" At this price, a satellite is $100 million! ”

"Alright! Let's sign this contract now! As soon as the old Jewish man heard that Fan Wuxian had agreed to his offer, he immediately jumped up for joy, and was about to go find champagne to celebrate, which was not at all like a man in his sixties could do.

So in a five-star hotel in Shanghai, without inspection or complicated negotiations, several people casually signed the simplest commercial satellite purchase contract in history, with a total value of 300 million US dollars.

(To be continued)