Most things in this world can be solved with money, and the same is true in the field of scientific research.

Since the sales dividend of the 703 factory has been received, the progress of the entire research institute has been soaring like a rocket taking off.

All kinds of experimental equipment and materials are consumed day and night as if they don't need money.

In less than a month, almost half of the more than $30 million that had been distributed had been spent.

Of course, the cost is worth it, and Zhang Xingyang originally predicted that it would be three or four months before substantial progress could be made in the core system.

In just over 20 days, the development of the turbopump, which is the core of the engine, has been completed.

The turbopump plays the role of the heart of the engine system, which needs to transport more than 400 kilograms of propellant fuel at high pressure in 1 second.

As a high-speed rotating component in a liquid rocket engine, the turbopump is also the only high-speed rotating machine in the important engine assembly.

If we think of a turbine pump as a pumping machine, then its working pressure can pump water from sea level to an altitude of 5,000 meters.

That is, it can reach the height of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau!

At exhaust speeds of up to several kilometres per second, turbine pumps are exposed to harsh operating conditions such as strong vibrations, noise and high pressures.

This requires its structural strength to be very strong, so Inconel superalloys are used.

Of course, this is also Zhang Xingyang's hand and came up with a new superalloy production formula, otherwise this material problem alone will take at least four or five years to study.

After the development of the turbine pump was completed, the performance of the fuel pump was tested.

In order to test its operation, it is necessary to conduct experiments in conjunction with a gas generator.

In the experiment, the gas generator first started to produce high-pressure gas to push the turbine, which in turn drove two pumps to pressurize the liquid oxygen and kerosene flowing from the storage tank.

After pressurization, most of the liquid oxygen and kerosene go into the combustion chamber, and a small part into the gas generator, so that the gas generator regains high-pressure gas and continues to push the turbine.

In this way, the cycle is repeated, and most of the gas is not wasted.

"Xingyang, do you think this experiment will be successful?"

Geng Bo, who was mainly responsible for the design of the turbine, was very nervous before the experiment began.

After all, this experiment is not only related to the hard work of hundreds of people in the research institute for such a long time, but also the experimental funds spent here are even more frighteningly high.

Take this experiment as an example, not counting the equipment problems in the experiment, the liquid oxygen kerosene consumed alone is a lot of money.

For this experiment, more than four hundred tons of fuel and oxidizer were prepared, which, at the latest current prices, add up to close to two million.

Coupled with other losses, it will cost three or four million dollars for this experiment.

If the experiment is successful, everything is well said.

If it fails.

Geng Bo didn't dare to think about such consequences.

Zhang Xingyang patted Geng Bo's shoulder and said lightly:

"Don't worry too much, don't worry too much if something goes wrong, it's better to have a problem on the ground test bench than on the launch site.

Moreover, according to our technology zeroing system, there will probably be no problems in production this time. ”

Geng Bo was comforted by Zhang Xingyang, and the whole person relaxed a little, no longer so nervous, at least the two legs that had been shaking around were separated.

At this time, the experimental control center has not yet applied a panoramic monitoring screen.

Zhang Xingyang could only stand behind the bulletproof glass behind the test bench with Geng Bo and observe.

Of course, there are also personnel connected to a heavier monitoring instrument panel on standby, ready to record the parameters of the gas generator-turbopump operation at any time.

"Countdown!"

"Ten, nine, eight...... Three,"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Ignition!"

"Boom!!"

Hundreds of kilograms of fuel were ignited in an instant, turned into high-pressure gas, and then sprayed out.

It's like a blue-white sword, shooting out a distance of more than ten meters!

Standing behind the bulletproof glass, Zhang Xingyang can still feel its vigorous power.

The entire experimental center was filled with the sound of various parameters being recorded one after another.

"The experiment was a success, now it's time to see how long it can work!"

Zhang Xingyang shouted loudly in Geng Bo's ear, the sound of the experiment outside was too loud, and the communication in the room could only rely on roaring.

Geng Bo glanced at Zhang Xingyang, smiled happily, and did not speak.

At this time, the heart that was originally hanging can finally be regarded as letting go.

The minimum requirement for this experiment is that the gas generator and turbine pump can work normally.

As for how long you can work, there are not too many requirements, even if you can only work for a second, it can prove that this road can be walked.

The next thing to do is to increase the service life of the individual components and try to increase their working time to the extent that they can complete the entire task.

Time flies, and a hundred seconds pass quickly.

Without waiting for the parts to persist to the point of being scrapped, Zhang Xingyang gave the order to suspend the experiment.

Engineers and researchers who had been waiting for a long time immediately interrupted the pipelines for liquid oxygen and kerosene, and rushed to the test bench with various cooling equipment.

Once the temperature of the test bench had cooled down, the engineers began to quickly disassemble the turbopump.

The two pumps will be quickly brought back to the institute's test center for metal damage analysis.

See how badly the metal is damaged.

This is followed by a 200-second and 500-second experiment, respectively.

In fact, when the rocket is launched, as a first-stage engine, its working time is less than 200 seconds, about 186 seconds.

The fire that was enough to blind the eyes was rushed up again, but this time everyone's mood was much calmer.

After all, with the successful experience of the previous experiment, everyone still has a lot of confidence in this experiment.

The second two-hundred-second experiment went smoothly without incident.

In the entire test bench control center, everyone was full of confidence and began to bet on whether they could successfully pass the 500-second experiment.

"Xingyang, do you think you can?" Geng Bo jokingly asked on the side, "Let's say okay first, I'll bet a hundred yuan, it can!" ”

Although Zhang Xingyang has strong confidence in this turbine pump, it is in his estimates.

400 seconds is probably its ultimate working time, beyond which even the superalloy with metal "rhenium" still can't withstand it.

Glancing at the confident Geng Bo, Zhang Xingyang smiled and said:

"I bet it can only last for 400 seconds, I'll bet a thousand dollars!"