In the reception hall of the NASA headquarters building.

After the experts of the NASA press conference took the stage, media reporters from all over the country made a noisy noise, and everyone squeezed forward towards the podium in a cell, and the scene was chaotic.

Countless microphones reached the speaker's mouth, and all kinds of questions rang out in the reception hall.

"Hello spokesperson, I am a media reporter for the Washington Post, and I heard that Huaguo launched a space shuttle called 'Xinghai' last night and used the most advanced electric propulsion engine, is this true?"

"When will our Artemis project be executed?"

"Ten years after the retirement of Endeavour, China has developed their own space shuttle, does this mean that we retired the space shuttle in the first place was a wrong choice?"

“.”

Before the experts who hosted the press conference at NASA could speak, one question after another poured out, and the media reporters who came to interview were eager to stuff the microphone in their hands into each other's mouths.

The launch of Xinghai is undoubtedly a catch-up for the United States to take the lead in the aerospace field.

In particular, the power system it uses is still the legendary electric propulsion that can't even send an egg to the sky, which is a serious blow to their glory in the aerospace field.

What the United States couldn't do, the opponent who had never been in their eyes did it.

On the podium, the person in charge of holding the press conference was the expert who had previously proposed that the Xinghai electric propulsion was a semi-finished product.

Looking at the crowd of media reporters in the reception hall, he only felt a big head.

Bill Nelson threw him today's launch event, which is undoubtedly a difficult task. In the face of the cries of the ordinary people who are excited, a careless person may be crushed by the big waves.

Taking a deep breath, the expert spoke: "NASA has indeed received the news about the space shuttle launched by Huaguo, and our satellite has also followed the whole process of the other party's launch. ”

For the flight activities of the Xinghai, this matter can no longer be hidden.

It is not only the United States and NASA that are paying attention to this matter, whether it is Tsarist Russia, or European countries and regions also know the relevant news.

In this case, it is impossible for NASA to deny it.

However, with proper guidance, it is still possible.

For example, tell everyone that the launch of the space shuttle Xinghai is all under the monitoring of their satellites. Another example is some speculation about the electric propulsion system used by the other side.

After a pause, the expert continued: "We don't have accurate information about the propulsion technology used by the shuttle. The other party has not disclosed the relevant technology and details in detail, and we cannot judge whether it is all electric propulsion technology for the time being. ”

In the lecture hall, many media reporters who had gradually quieted down had some commotion after hearing this.

Media reporters are all human beings, and soon someone heard the subtext of this statement.

The first to react was a media reporter from the ABC radio and television station in the United States, who quickly handed out the microphone and voice recorder in his hand, and quickly asked: "You mean, the Xinghai space shuttle may not use electric propulsion technology?" ”

On the report platform, NASA experts shook their heads and said: "Whether Xinghai uses an electric propulsion system or not remains to be confirmed, we have no accurate information at present, and all conclusions are analyzed from satellite aerial images." ”

Hearing this, a media reporter quickly asked: "Then what are the results of NASA's analysis?" ”

"From the information we know so far and the satellite aerial imagery, the space shuttle named Xinghai is obviously different from the tail flame when it sails in the atmosphere and when it sails into outer space."

At the same time as the voice fell, the screen in the reception hall also jumped.

A comparison of the two space shuttles is shown on the screen, with the former having a brilliant reddish-purple tail flame and the latter having a blue-white tail flame.

Two contrasting images appeared, and the media reporters in the reception hall pressed the shutter one after another to record their filming.

The NASA expert who hosted the press conference looked sideways at the two images and continued: "Here are two photos we took from different time periods, the former is the image of the space shuttle flying through the atmosphere, and the latter is in low-earth orbit. ”

"Comparing the two, we can clearly see that the flame color of this space shuttle is completely different in the atmosphere and in outer space. From this, it can be inferred that the propulsion fluid used in the atmosphere is completely different from that used in low-earth orbit. ”

"Through the analysis of the tail flame, we can determine that the latter is the high-efficiency working fluid xenon used in common electric propulsion engines, while in the former, we compared all the current electric propulsion systems in the world and did not find the corresponding working fluid for the flame color."

As soon as these words came out, they immediately caused a commotion among media reporters.

A keen reporter quickly noticed the meaning of these words and quickly asked, "You mean that the Xinghai was launched in the atmosphere without an electric propulsion system?" ”

NASA's expert coughed and guided in a more ambiguous tone: "I didn't say that, this is just the result of our internal analysis, maybe they have found a more advanced and efficient electric propulsion working fluid, this is also possible, NASA will keep a close eye on this matter." ”

NASA's press conference ended quickly.

At this sensitive critical juncture, they didn't dare to say much else except for making some guided responses to the speculation of the tail flame of the Xinghai and stirring up the people of the United States.

And even if it is a guide, it is only some ambiguous words, and it is not directly confirmed.

In fact, it's not just ordinary people in the United States who want to know about the propulsion system used by the Star Sea, NASA itself wants to figure out what kind of working fluid the red-purple tail flame is.

And they don't have any clue about that.

Twelve hours have passed since the launch of the Star Ocean, and as the expert said at the press conference, NASA has compared almost all the electric propulsion fluids, but has not found any of the working fluids with a reddish-purple tail flame color.

And what makes them even more puzzled is how electric propulsion can have such a huge thrust.

On the other hand, when the Xinghai was still sailing in outer space to complete the experiment, and when Chinese netizens were still excited about their breakthroughs in the aerospace field, a piece of news was introduced from the Internet by people with intentions.

"Xinghai is suspected not to use an electric propulsion system, or its essence is still traditional fuel propulsion!" 》

The source of this news came from ABC Broadcast Media, one of the three major television networks in the United States, headquartered in New York City, and its influence is quite large.

Click on the news news, and the content is the press conference of NASA headquarters, and the evaluation and speculation of the Xinghai propulsion system by a NASA spokesperson. Including the comparison of the two tail flames shown by NASA at the press conference, they were also included in the press release.

Under the deliberate guidance of some well-intentioned people, this news news quickly rushed to the hot search and was seen by many surfing netizens.

A piece of news poured cold water on many netizens who are still excited, celebrating the ultimate development of their aerospace field and surpassing the United States in the near future.

In its news coverage, ABC Broadcast Media not only reported on NASA's analysis, but also further filled in and processed NASA's speculation.

In addition, the reporters of "ABC Broadcast Media" also interviewed experts and professors in the field of astronautics such as Space-X, Blue Origin, and orbital science. It's not just NASA experts who are puzzled about the fact that Xinghai uses an electric propulsion system, but other experts and professors in the field of astronautics in the United States also have doubts about it.

The difference between the tail flame of the thruster in the atmosphere of the space shuttle Xinghai and that in outer space is the biggest doubt and problem.

As soon as the news report was released, it sparked widespread discussion on social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Many Chinese people feel that the analysis of space companies such as NASA and Space-X is very reasonable.

If it could be electrically propelled into the sky, the tail flames at the two ends of the totally different colors would not be explained at all.

And when this report was transmitted back to China, it set off a fierce discussion, and related topics were quickly put on the hot search of websites such as Bib and β.

[Not electric propulsion? Is it a combination of electric propulsion + chemical fuel engine? 】

[Hey, Bai Huanxi, I really thought that the electric propulsion system had broken through. 】

[Laughing to death, I said a long time ago that it is impossible, what even a space power like the United States can't do, just rely on that Professor Xu to do it? ] It's really pure and deceived. 】

[Yesterday and today, they are still shouting about surpassing the United States in the aerospace field? Why is it all gone now? The fossil fuel space shuttle has been done in the last century. 】

[Wash and sleep, the gap in the aerospace field is not something that can be smoothed out by one person. 】

[These shepherds upstairs are really interesting, how to drop, lick your Mi Daddy like this, can it give you Mi Jin? ] Even if it's a combination of electric propulsion + fossil fuel engines, that's our pride, Xinghai can break through the gravity well without external thrusters, can your Mita's space shuttle? 】

[Le, a space shuttle that can freely sail in the atmosphere and in outer space, you don't know how much it means, this is an ordinary space shuttle? It's an aerospace plane! 】

The heated discussion is not only on the scarf, with the passage of time and the fermentation of news, some bloggers in the aerospace field have made further analyses of the Xinghai.

Some people believe that Xinghai uses electric propulsion engines from beginning to end, but it is simply because the power required in the atmosphere and outer space is different, and the working fluid used is also different.

The reddish-purple working fluid exhibited in the atmosphere is able to provide tremendous thrust for climbing gravity wells. In outer space, because there is no air resistance and gravity, there is no need for such a huge thrust to control.

In contrast, it is easier to control the use of working fluids with smaller thrust to complete activities and orbit changes in outer space.

After all, short-distance space activities and experiments do not require extreme speed like interstellar travel.

Others believe that Xinghai uses traditional fossil fuel engines for propulsion and switches to an electric propulsion system after climbing gravity shafts, and that the Xinghai Research Institute has crammed two sets of engines into a space shuttle.

News reports from ABC Broadcast Media were also quoted by it, and the views of space giants such as NASA, Space-X, and Blue Origin were enough to influence a group of people.

After all, the strength of the United States in the aerospace field is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and since the Red and Blue Cold War in the last century, no country can catch up with the other side.

Not only that, this part of the blogger lists the various working fluids with high propulsion efficiency currently used in electric propulsion engines, and none of them can match the Xinghai sailing in the atmosphere.

On the contrary, among traditional chemical fuels, there are many high-propulsion fuels that have a red or purple flame color.

The tail flame of the space shuttle's thrusters in the atmosphere and in outer space is consistent with this characteristic.

In addition, whether electric propulsion is really capable of sending a space shuttle weighing tens or even hundreds of tons into the sky is also a huge doubt.

After all, in the past, the electric propulsion system with the largest thrust in the world had a thrust of only about 5N.

The thrust of 5 oxen is only theoretically able to send an egg into outer space, and it is still theoretical, and it is far from possible in practice.

And now, not to mention the weight of Xinghai, not to mention 100 tons, there must be a weight of 30 or 50 tons, and it is impossible to send such a heavy space shuttle into the sky with the electric propulsion technology of this era.

On the other side, in the Xinghai Research Institute.

Although Xu Chuan doesn't use the Internet much when he is busy, when it comes to the development of the space shuttle, he will still browse the voices of major media in various countries.

He almost didn't laugh out loud when he saw the NASA space agency's press conference and news from media outlets such as ABC radio.

NASA: Is this a poor donkey? is still in a hurry to regain his face in the aerospace field, and he even tossed such a press conference.

But in retrospect, it seems to make some sense.

Theoretically, there really is nothing wrong with the analysis of NASA and some bloggers.

The thrust of the electric propulsion engine has been extended from the N-class to the KN class, and the leap is unbelievable.

Before the aerospace engine matured, let alone NASA, many high-level executives in China who knew about the breakthrough of the small reactor did not believe that the aerospace engine could break through so quickly.

After all, from a few N to hundreds of KN, the difference is not ten times or a hundred times, but a difference of tens of thousands of times.

But sometimes the maturity of a technology can drive far more than its own field.

Just as the maturity of controlled nuclear fusion technology has led to the development of far more than the energy sector.

Whether it is the application of high-temperature plasma turbulence, or the development of superconducting materials, or the construction of spiral magnetic fields, etc., all have been greatly improved.

And the aerospace engine, in this environment, can naturally be developed more violently.

In addition, the research of electric propulsion systems has not been paid much attention in the aerospace field.

In the past, the largest use of electric propulsion engines was for satellites, space stations and other equipment.

And because these devices are in space, there is no air resistance and gravity interference, and the requirements for propulsion power and functional systems are not high.

Most of the time, a solar panel and a lithium battery are enough to power a Hall thruster or other electric propulsion engine.

NASA experts probably have a hard time imagining what an aerospace engine with power consumption comparable to a small and medium-sized thermal power station would look like; It's also hard to imagine an electric propulsion system that can use air as a propulsion fluid.

After all, this is more than a star and a half of technological lead.

Even, even overtaking in corners is not enough to describe the lead of the Xinghai!

After all, the United States has not even kept up with the technology of large controllable nuclear fusion reactors, let alone small fusion reactors, which are more difficult on this basis.

Without a small reactor, the aerospace engine would only be an ideal design, and it would not be possible to provide a huge amount of thrust to propel the Star Ocean into space.

Half a step ahead can catch up, one step ahead can be speculated, and two or three steps ahead can be looked up.

But when leading technology can't even speculate, it's just despair.