Xiao Okada doesn't quite understand what Seryov means, the maintenance cost of H1 is 20 million, that is to say, the launch system is less than 10 million? How is this possible?

Seryov opened his X16 notebook, pressed the touchscreen-enabled screen to a 180-degree opening and closing angle, and opened the electronic board.

"You see, if we build an unmanned H1 without carrying people, raise the cabin temperature limit to the maximum threshold of 60 degrees, and reduce the weight enough to fit ten tons of load, can we reduce the maintenance cost to less than 20 million?"

"Of course that's fine, it doesn't make a difference whether it's 20 degrees or 60 degrees for the device, so ...... I think 16 million for one maintenance is definitely enough, and the insulation layer must be greatly simplified. ”

Seryov: "Well, it's a question of the way of launching, have you heard about the MAKS program?" ”

Xiao Okada: "MAKS...... Max, no, I remembered, launch the space shuttle with the An-225? ”

Seryov: "Before I died, the Union was working on a plan to launch a small space shuttle or space plane into space cheaply and easily, and at that time there was no MAKS, it was the 'spiral' program proposed by the MiG Design Bureau.

They intend to build the MiG-105, a small aerospace fighter that will be carried by a hypersonic carrier aircraft manufactured by the Tupolev Design Bureau to Mach 5 and released on its own, and fly into space on its own, similar to your plan to soar into the clouds.

Later, in the 80s, after the creation of the An-225, the Lightning Design Bureau launched the MAKS after several program ideas. ”

The MAKS Aerospace Aircraft Program is an aerospace aircraft project promoted by the Alliance in the last century.

The core of the plan is to use the An-225 carrier aircraft to transport the MAKS small aerospace aircraft and the fuel tank complex of more than 200 tons to an altitude of more than 10,000 meters, and release the combination after reaching a certain speed.

Then two engines in the tail of the MAKS shuttle, which provide 275 tons of thrust, started and pushed the complex all the way to low earth orbit, after which the fuel tank was abandoned.

During the entire launch process, the An-225 carrier aircraft took off at no cost, and the canister containing more than 200 tons of fuel also cost nothing, and the space shuttle was recyclable, and only the maintenance cost was there.

Serov: "H1 is bigger than MAKS, but it doesn't matter, the An-1250 can have a load of 500 tons, and a fuel tank weighing 300 tons is enough, as for the engine, it must use a hydrogen-oxygen engine with a high specific impulse, just H240, enlarge a little to make an H300, 10,000 meters at an altitude of 110% power output, 330 tons of thrust must be there."

How much does an An-1250 cost to take off once? The disposable fuel tank plus the fuel is the most expensive, maybe about 12 million, so the entire launch system of 30 million can be pressed down, and its overload is definitely low enough, about 3G, which is lower than the launch with Xinyuan 5A. ”

Xiao Okada randomly found some information on the Internet that MAKS planned to disclose to the outside world, and quickly verified Seryov's statement.

"In that case, all we need is to build or modify an unmanned H1 and design a fuel tank, which is much easier than waiting for the H2M to be completed."

Seryov: "Yes, there is everything in the base, give me 1 month and I will be able to complete the design, and the whole project will not cost anything. The only drawback of this plan is that the fuel tank cannot be reused and liquid hydrogen fuel is a bit expensive, but only more than two hundred tons, and the budget can be controlled. ”

"Then let's go to the president......"

"No" Seryov waved his hand, "For projects below 1 billion, I decided for myself, in three months, we will work hard, and let our MAKS fly into space in December, and the C-level base has just had spare capacity, so let them come." ”

……

"Blue Sword Aerospace launched the first liquid oxygen kerosene reusable rocket Qinglong II, it is reported that the recovery LEO capacity of Qinglong II has reached 20 tons, and the current commercial quotation starts at 57 million US dollars.

This is a great success for China's small and medium-sized private aerospace enterprises......"

On August 23, the Qinglong-2 rocket was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Site and successfully recovered.

This is the largest rocket manufactured by private aerospace enterprises in China except Xinyuan Company, and it is also the rocket with the highest technical content.

A medium and large rocket with a take-off thrust of 870 tons, 7 liquid oxygen kerosene engines, recoverable, how does it sound a little familiar?

In addition to 7 K120 instead of 9 Merlin 1D engines, Qinglong No. 2 can be said to be the plus version of Falcon No. 9, and the appearance looks exactly the same!

Moreover, as a bare-rod rocket, Qinglong 2 can also develop the "heavy-duty Qinglong" in CBC configuration, and the maximum LEO capacity without recovery has reached 81 tons, which is a proper super-heavy rocket.

Heavy Falcon needs 60 tonnes of capacity that can only be achieved without recycling, and Heavy Duty Qinglong Recycling can do it.

And unlike Falcon 9, Qinglong 2 was successfully recovered on its first flight, which perfectly replicated the pace of Xinyuan's initial success, so that investors were relieved and not so anxious to promote the listing of Blue Sword Aerospace immediately.

While many people cheered and encouraged the rise of private aerospace, some people also found problems:

recycling system, bought; engine, bought; The arrow body is made by itself, how is this a bit like the major mobile phone manufacturers?

Can it be considered self-developed if you buy key components and combine them to make high-tech rockets?

Of course, and everyone would be happy to do so.

The domestic quotation of 350 million yuan for Qinglong-2 immediately received the order: the space agency is preparing to carry out Tianzhou-2 at the end of the year, and it has been decided to use Qinglong-2.

If it is a bit of a thing to always use the Xinyuan rocket, but if the rain and dew are evenly wet, then the Aviation Development Commission can come forward and say that it is a hoof quality reform, optimizing the industrial structure, and streamlining the tasks of the space agency.

And 350 million is really not expensive for the space agency, much cheaper than a rocket that cannot be reused.

After all, Changqi's outrageous CCBCC configuration, 9 K120 units have to be recovered as a whole, and the load coefficient is indeed pitiful, but the space agency has not stopped, intending to continue, and it is about to make its first flight.

Moreover, the cost of the Long March 7 is only a little more than 150 million yuan, and the province still needs to save it.

The Qinglong 2 rocket is also cheap enough now, and it would be nice to just fill the gap.

Other private enterprises in China have also been given great confidence in the success of Qinglong 2, and also believe that this model can continue and quickly improve the success rate of their rocket launches.

At the same time, it has also had a profound impact on the foreign aerospace community.

On August 24, at an unremarkable executive meeting within ESA, Italian representative Badis made a surprising statement:

"Guys, I don't think there's any need for the Ariana Rocket to continue developing."

As soon as these words came out, Antoine, the most excited representative of the country, jumped up suddenly, pointed directly at Badis's nose and scolded angrily:

"Ariane 5 is the last glory of the European heavy rocket! Without it, ESA does not have its own heavy rocket! Do you want to cut off astronautics in Europe? ”

Badis was unhurried: "The launch cost of Ariane 5 has already reached $2 billion!" Ladies and gentlemen, the international launch price of Xinyuan-2 is only 130 million US dollars, and the rocket that cannot be recovered is worthless, what we need is a new generation of rockets that can be recovered. ”

"If you want to develop a new generation of reusable heavy rockets, I'm afraid you don't have enough financial support. ”

Countries are accustomed to the behavior of taking the pot in advance, and Bardis just rolled his eyes, and then said in a straight voice:

"Italy has its own heavy-lift rocket, Veneto 1, which can carry 30 tons of payload into orbit while being reused, and only costs $200 million per launch, which is one-tenth of Ariane's!"

(End of chapter)