Electric propulsion system to the sky?

Heaven?

Hold the grass, am I right?

The people sitting in the meeting table, whether they were experts or the heads of enterprises, subconsciously rubbed their eyes. However, no matter how many times you rub your eyes, there is no change in the data displayed on the PPT.

The expert from the space group who had previously presented the PPT on stage shook his head.

A representative of a private aerospace company that has just received Penguin's investment has a crying and laughing expression on his face at this time.

Although bragging on PPT is a basic operation, you are bragging about it......

It's too much of a draft!

As the eerie silence ended, the sound of discussion spread like a tidal wave.

"Unbelievable ......"

"It's not unbelievable, it's simply impossible! I've never heard of an electric propulsion system with thrust up to the KN level! Even the latest AEPS electric propulsion system designed by Rockdyne for NASA simply doubles the thrust of the XR-5 Hall thruster. ”

“……”

Hearing the sound of discussion from the audience, the staff prepared to maintain order in the venue, but they were indeed stopped by Lu Zhou.

Quietly waiting for the discussion to subside, Lu Zhou said in a relaxed tone.

"If there is any question to ask."

Although this is not the time to ask questions, and this demonstration of technology does not leave time for the audience to ask questions, he knows that if he does not explain here, probably no one will listen to him.

Soon, someone raised their hand.

"I have a problem."

Looking at the old man who raised his hand, Lu Zhou nodded.

"Please."

Slowly standing up from his seat, the old man stared at the PPT for a while, then looked at Lu Zhou, and said cautiously.

"I've never heard of an electric propulsion system with thrust up to the KN class, and I would like to ask Professor Lu, are you sure you didn't write an extra letter?"

Lu Zhou smiled and said, "I can tell you with certainty that I didn't write one more letter. And we have proven through reliable experiments that its thrust can indeed reach the KN level. Of course, I admit that using the maximum thrust mode to overcome gravity consumes a lot of working fluid, but it still saves at least 90% of the weight of fuel compared to conventional chemical rockets. ”

The old man shook his head and went back.

Soon, another expert from the space group pushed his glasses and stood up as well.

"Small reactors of 500-1000M...... This is beyond my knowledge, and I haven't heard any rumors about this technology before, so I won't comment on it for now. But the question is, how are you going to increase the speed of the jet to thousandths of the speed of light? ”

An RD-170 rocket has a converted power of 192M, and most of this power is used to propel the liquid fuel carried by the rocket itself. If the total power of this electric propulsion system can reach the order of 1000M, it may theoretically be able to send 50 tons of load to low earth orbit.

However......

Power alone is obviously not enough.

The key to the problem is how to apply all this power to the working fluid.

As if expecting someone to ask this, Lu Zhou smiled and switched to PPT.

"That's what I'm going to say next."

Picture switching.

A cylindrical object was presented in front of everyone.

Although the internal structure is not visible, the text listed next to it elaborates on its experimental parameters.

However, after seeing these parameters, the participants, who had finally calmed down, fell into a wave of surprise and heated discussions again.

"Hall propulsion unit? What is this? ”

"I don't see anything special about this Hall propulsion unit design, and if it works so well, why not make it bigger and integrate an infinite number of so-called propulsion units into the same engine?"

"It can't be! That's ridiculous! ”

Seeing that the situation was developing out of control, Director Li, who was presiding over the meeting, was about to speak, but at this moment, an old man sitting in the front row of the auditorium stood up.

"Let me say a few words."

The chatter in the auditorium gradually subsided.

The person who got up was Yuan Huanmin, chief engineer of the Aerospace Group, and also the person in charge of the latest high-thrust rocket project of the Aerospace Group. After seeing this old gentleman, the vast majority of people sitting here calmed down the voices of discussion very embarrassed.

Lu Zhou looked at the old man, only to see that the old man was also looking at him.

"I understand that Professor Lu, as an expert in the field of controlled fusion, has a special preference for the technical route of electric rockets, and I admit that controlled fusion has changed our way of life, and I also admit that electric propulsion technology is a promising direction."

Whispers rang out in the auditorium.

After hearing this, many people were confused.

That's not quite right......

Why did this big bull in the field of chemical rockets also support this guy's point of view?

However, Lu Zhou, who was also listening to this sentence, did not take it lightly.

Because compared to the others in the audience, he could clearly see the old man's eyes.

And in those pupils, there was obviously a lot of suspicion.

Sure enough, after a pause, the old gentleman suddenly changed his words and spoke.

"Maybe one day in the future, the electric propulsion system you proposed will really change the face of the entire aerospace industry, but I don't think it is now."

Lu Zhou: "Oh? Why? ”

The old gentleman smiled and said: "The development of any technology is inseparable from a gradual process, and the birth of new technologies cannot be developed and matured in a day or two. It's like quantum computers, which already exist, but we still put more energy into improving traditional supercomputers, not because quantum computers are bad, but because they are not good enough...... I say that, do you understand? ”

Without waiting for Lu Zhou to speak, the old gentleman continued: "It is still too early to adopt electric propulsion technology, we should concentrate our limited resources on chemical rockets, first complete the first step of manned landing on the moon, and then try the so-called new technology with a higher development ceiling." If you adopt the electric propulsion technology you are talking about now, we will have to take all the risks that all the new technologies can bring, can you guarantee that your electric propulsion system is really that reliable? If there is an accident, even if we can afford to wait, can our country's aerospace industry afford to wait? ”

The old gentleman's words have also been recognized by the vast majority of people.

Although Lu Zhou was named as the chief adviser of the lunar landing project, he did not hold the real power in his hands after all. Moreover, there is a specialization in the art industry, interlacing is like a mountain, and the big bull of controllable fusion has come to the aerospace field, and the right to speak may not be much higher than that of a newcomer, at least in the hearts of the vast majority of practitioners.

And in the field of chemically powered rockets......

Obviously, this old gentleman is more prestigious.

However, Lu Zhou is quite calm about this.

It's normal not to be favored.

After all, for people who have studied electrochemical rockets all their lives, it is not only too unbelievable, but also difficult to accept.

In fact, when the structural diagram of the Hall propulsion unit was recovered from the wreckage 3, Lu Zhou was full of doubts about whether this thing could actually push the space shuttle from the surface to low earth orbit, after all, according to the information that has been released, even NASA's strongest electric propulsion system can only lift an egg.

However, after completing the assembly of Hall's propulsion unit and the associated tests, all the doubts in his mind dissipated.

I can't believe it, it's just a judgment based on common sense.

The development of science and technology itself is a process of subverting the common sense of the past.

Lu Zhou believed that after seeing that amazing scene, they would naturally understand the shock they had at that time.

Even, there is no need to go through the hassle of explanation.

Facing the questioning of Chief Engineer Yuan, Lu Zhou shrugged his shoulders and said without any change in expression.

"If only I could prove that the electric propulsion system can put a load of 50 tons into low earth orbit."

Academician Yuan said with a smile.

"If you can do it, I'll eat this thermos cup."

"Then there is no need," Lu Zhou smiled and sighed, "None of the people who have said this to me have ever fulfilled their promises. ”

Seeing that the topic of the meeting had run to the thermos cup, Director Li, who was presiding over the meeting, suddenly coughed with a headache and said roundly.

"Friendly discussion...... Today's main thing is to announce the bidding, which technical route to use, or depends on your bidding materials. On the side of the Bureau of Science and Industry, we will also conduct research with other departments such as the Space Bureau, and select a suitable plan with reference to the quotations and technical parameters of each unit. ”

In fact, Director Li was also very difficult.

Although the electric propulsion system is good, out of reason, he still prefers to choose the chemical rocket launch scheme of the space group.

This is not due to the rejection of new technologies, but simply for practical reasons.

After all, aerospace has always been linked to national defense, and the reason why the country is willing to spend money on rockets is to a large extent because of the development of rocket technology, which not only enhances the aerospace strength itself, but also strengthens the country's strategic strike capability.

No matter how strong the electric propulsion system is, it is affected by the limit of working fluid quality, and the thrust is still not as good as that of a chemical engine. Even if they have a greater advantage over longer distances, ballistic missiles do not need such an advantage.

What's more, it is impossible for them to throw a controlled fusion device on a missile.

Controlled fusion miniaturization is important, but is electric propulsion just as important?

Maybe the future is, but the present may not be......

Seeing the expression on Director Li's face, Lu Zhou roughly guessed that most of the Science and Industry Bureau was reluctant to invest money in electric propulsion technology, but it was inconvenient to express his position because of his own face.

In fact, Lu Zhou doesn't care much about whether other people are optimistic about his research, but Qian cares......

That's tens of billions of dollars......

Even if he didn't exchange a few years' savings for East Asia Power's shares, this is not something that Lu Zhou can afford on his own.

What to do?

Standing on the stage and thinking for a moment, Lu Zhou's heart suddenly moved, looked up at the smiling Academician Yuan, and spoke.

"So be it."

"Since you're so confident that I can't do it, let's make a bet."