August 1, 1944, Jiuquan Aerospace Center.

Zhang Shusheng arrived at the Jiuquan Aerospace Center late yesterday, accompanied by Premier Zhou Guolai of the State Council, Minister of National Defense Cai Yi, and others.

As one of the three major aerospace centers of the Republic, Jiuquan has the unshirkable responsibility to undertake the task of launching the satellite. The Qionghai Aerospace Center has not yet undertaken a major launch mission, while the Xichang Aerospace Center mainly conducts some weapons tests, such as the test of new jet aircraft, missile tests, rocket tests, etc.

The Shengong-3 rocket, which undertook the satellite launch mission, was precisely the one in charge of the launch test and finalization by Xichang.

Due to the early development of the aerospace industry of the Republic, abundant technology, and abundant funds, the entire satellite launch project has actually carried out many simulated launch tests, or low-orbit satellite launch tests.

Because of this, this launch is different from the past and has high expectations, because this new satellite will be a new type of active communication satellite with high specifications, named Huaxia Star.

Early in the morning, Zhang Shusheng and other top leaders of the Republic came to the general command center of the Jiuquan Launch Center.

As soon as Zhang Shusheng stepped into the general command center, he couldn't help but feel some familiarity.

The command center in front of him is much larger than the one he came a few years ago, and the computer has begun to be applied more deeply to the entire launch, command, and monitoring links.

Although today's computers are still very large, if they are manufactured regardless of the cost, they can also make some 'very old' computers in Zhang Shusheng's eyes. Of course, these computers may not be suitable for home use at all, often a few square meters, more than a dozen square meters in size, but in the field of science and technology, it is already a leap.

After all, the impression of computers in later generations is not entirely correct, it is just a product of household use and practicality, in the field of military and scientific research, even old antique computers, can play a huge role, surnames can definitely exceed the imagination of ordinary people.

In the center of the command center is a screen wall, and in the middle is a 29-inch color display, on which is a freeze-frame screen.

In the picture, a large rocket pointing to the sky is standing there quietly, the Shengong-3 rocket in the screen, it looks so mighty, the Huaxia Star has been transported into the rocket, the whole solemn picture background, is the launch site that has been prepared for a long time, the red flag is waving, there is no figure, the silence is surprising.

"Chairman of the committee, there are still 30 minutes before the launch of the satellite, do you want to go to various departments to express your condolences and encourage you again?"

Soon after Zhang Shusheng sat down, Major General Ke Jun, the political commissar of the Jiuquan Aerospace Center, who was in charge of accompanying him, whispered to Zhang Shusheng.

"We laymen will not blindly command, don't interfere with everyone's work, and after the launch is successful, we will give you a good condolences."

Zhang Shusheng shook his head and refused, although the aura of the head of state is very effective in encouraging people, but in case it interferes with normal work, the gains outweigh the losses, and he constantly admonishes himself not to take the formalistic line, especially after reaching a certain height, even a word and deed may bring excessive interference to others, and it is necessary to pay more attention.

"Chairman, how big do you say this Huaxia Star is?"

Sun Changqing sat on Zhang Shusheng's left side, looking at the rocket on the screen, while looking at the technical manual in his hand, hearing that there was still a lot of time, he also asked for his surname to read it himself, so he pulled Zhang Shusheng to chatter.

Major General Ke Jun saw that the leaders were chatting to pass the time, so he sat in the rear and stopped talking casually, and everyone in the republic knew that the senior leaders were taking a pragmatic line and did not need any excessive flattery.

Zhang Shusheng: "Old man, the weight of this Huaxia Star has reached 425 kilograms, which is a very remarkable weight. When we launched our earliest simulated satellites and the first low-orbit satellites, they were very lightweight, and the experimental quality of the satellites was very strong. This Huaxia Star is a communication satellite in the true sense of the word, and it has high practical value. ”

In fact, China's satellite launches have been carried out many times before, and simulated launches are not counted, and low-orbit satellite launches have also been carried out.

It's just that the low-orbit satellites launched at that time were domestically produced and self-developed first-generation satellites, which were experimental and weighed only 190 kilograms. Although the satellite can be regarded as an active communications satellite, a Chinese merchant fleet sailing far away in the Atlantic Ocean is responsible for sending and receiving signals. In that experiment, the merchant fleet successfully received the signal from the space satellite, and the signal they sent to the satellite was also successfully received, amplified, and transmitted to the domestic receiving station.

The success of the experiment proves that the domestic satellite research and development team is still quite strong, and a large amount of investment has not been wasted.

However, Zhang Shusheng can no longer afford to wait for the slow development of satellites.

In history, the world's first satellite was launched by the Soviets in 1957, barely ten years later. Zhang Shusheng was not very clear about the development of satellites of the Soviets in the original history, but later he found out that after the Soviets launched the first satellite, the development was very rapid, and in the 70s, they were able to launch 4 or 5 tons of advanced satellites, which was very powerful.

But this time, the republic has a more solid theoretical foundation, a talent pool and a stronger capital investment, and the development of rockets and satellites is much faster.

If this state of affairs continues, even if Zhang Shusheng does not provide technical support, in a year, the rocket launch load of the Republic will be able to break through the 1-ton mark, and within five years it will definitely reach the height that the Soviets took ten years to reach. The most important thing is that Zhang Shu survives, and the aerospace industry of the Republic can take a little less detours, and there is no need to spend the price of several launches or several failures to verify a completely wrong conclusion.

However, what Zhang Shusheng needs is that in the later stage of World War II, satellites must play a very important role in the war, especially in battlefield communication and command, which is too important in the future.

Just imagine, as the combat distance of the republican [***] team becomes farther and farther away, it will become more and more difficult to communicate with the base camp and the rear, and when necessary, a communication satellite network that can be put into use can do the most things in a limited cost.

"Chairman, I heard that the Germans are also engaged in this thing?"

Sun Changqing looked at the technical booklet in his hand and looked up and asked. Although he treats Zhang Shusheng as a parent, in front of outsiders, he still abides by his duties, and he must call Zhang Shusheng the chairman of the committee, which can be regarded as a very high degree of self-discipline.

"Well, according to the current intelligence, it is estimated that Hitler will launch the first satellite codenamed Germany next year, which is a passive satellite, the basic function is to reflect signals, the surname of the test is very strong, and the practical value is almost nothing. Other countries are lagging behind and slow, and the Americans have plans to do so, but so far, there has been little progress. ”

Zhang Shusheng said with a smile that the strong scientific research strength and scientific imagination ability displayed by the Germans in World War II are frightening and unimaginable to ordinary people. Originally, in history, one company could lead the world, the first to develop jet fighters, the first to develop missiles, the first to design flying saucer aircraft, and the first to establish nuclear weapons...... Too much first.

Even in this era, the Germans are not weak, and the overall strength cannot catch up with China, but the local scientific research strength often gives people a refreshing feeling. They may seem backward compared to China, but compared to other countries, they are more advanced.

When it comes to the Americans, Zhang Shusheng frowned a little, according to intelligence, the Americans' nuclear weapons program is progressing faster and faster, and after suffering some setbacks in the early years, there is now a tendency to accelerate.

Thinking of the top-secret plan that Luo Feng, director of the Intelligence Department, reported to him before, Zhang Shusheng's mood was a little better, after all, it was about nuclear weapons, and no matter what the price was, he had to stir up trouble for the Americans, otherwise, it would not be a joke in the future.

According to Luo Feng's report, this plan will almost be implemented when the Sino-Soviet war resumes, and it is also because of the fact that during that period, most of the intelligence attention of the Americans was attracted by these rekindled wars.

At 8:25 Hanjing time, the weather at the launch site was normal, the rocket was normal, and the monitoring and command systems were all normal.

"Chairman, there are five minutes left until the launch."

Major General Ke Jun walked to Zhang Shusheng's side, stood up and saluted and said.

"Very well, are all the preparations done?"

"It's all set."

Zhang Shusheng: "Okay, you can start on time." ”

"Yes!"

Five minutes later, the entire launch command center was under high ground attention.

From time to time, there were frequent reports from the staff, and when the last minute came, the last swing arm on the rocket was also untied, and the rocket completely entered the countdown launch state.

From time to time, as the last ten seconds approached, the voice of the commander in charge of the launch command work at the scene sounded on the radio, "Ten, nine, eight...... One, ignition! ”

With the order of the launch commander, on the launch site on the screen, a huge flame suddenly erupted from the tail of the rocket, and in the firelight spray, the rocket rose from the ground, and then quickly flew into the sky.

"The rocket is flying normally!"

"The remote control signal is normal!"

"2201 tracking is normal!"

…… With a series of normal reports, the launch stage of the rocket was successful, and it entered the flight phase.

After the successful launch was finally confirmed, Zhang Shusheng met with the representative of the Jiuquan Aerospace Launch Center and delivered an important speech.

One of them is very impressive.

“…… Comrades, the successful launch of the Huaxia Star is a milestone feat. However, you still have a great responsibility and a long way to go. Be mentally prepared that in the next few years, you will have countless satellite launches, and we will have at least a dozen satellites flying in space while other countries are still in the exploration stage!! ”

―――――― thanks to www.xstxt.org876a and other supportive brothers.

The transitional chapter of this chapter,It's not going to break out.,Then choose the opportunity to break out.,It should be a few days after going home for the New Year.,About the 20th.。

(To be continued)