#1392 - Space plane

Liu Tao did not leave the Panshan Machinery Factory, but stayed there temporarily.

Even after so many years, every time he came here, he could still recall the scenes of the past.

This is the root of Panshan Group.

Every year, he would always come here at least once, whether to inspect the work, organize senior cadres to study, or bring his wife here for a few days.

The number of employees currently working at the Panshan Machinery Factory is not as large as before.

However, there are more people living in this area.

The vast majority of retired employees did not choose to leave and return to their hometowns, but stayed here to live their retirement lives.

Because they have worked here for many years, they have colleagues, relatives and friends here, and they have already taken root here.

There was not enough space to accommodate new employees, and the upgrading of production lines meant that there was no need for so many employees here.

Today, the entire Panshan Machinery Factory has a total of only about 30,000 employees.

Even now, this place is still in a semi-isolated state, with a clear dividing line from the outside world, and outsiders cannot easily enter.

Here, prices are still maintained at a relatively low level, and the shopping malls are full of daily necessities, no different from those in big cities.

The hierarchy is very clear, but people are very equal.

Statues of those who buried themselves in forging swords for the country, warnings to serve the people... Here, the party spirit of party members is very strong.

In a sense, this place is somewhat similar to Utopia.

If the entire society could reach this state, perhaps it would be the legendary stage of communism.

China has developed to the point where its productivity is already terrifying, and its resources are very abundant. In theory, it should be no problem to implement distribution according to needs, but the country has always emphasized that China is still in the primary stage of socialism.

It is the primary stage, not the intermediate stage, let alone the advanced stage!

Not to mention the highest stage!

China's great rejuvenation is only the first step, and it has not yet been realized!

Liu Tao agrees with this judgment very much. The Chinese people must continue to work hard. The achievements they have made are gratifying and worthy of pride, but they cannot be complacent or satisfied. China's future lies in the stars and the sea.

Three days later, Liu Tao left the Panshan Machinery Factory and headed to Rongcheng!

Rongcheng, located in the heartland of China, is the core of the Southwest!

After so many years of development, Rongcheng has long since developed into a mega-city with a population of over 20 million!

In this city, the most core industries are the aviation industry and the aerospace industry!

Industry is the foundation of Rongcheng, including the aviation industry, aerospace industry, automobile industry, etc. These industries make Rongcheng one of the top three industrial powerhouses in the country.

Liu Tao's helicopter landed in an aerospace park located in the suburbs of Rongcheng.

This aerospace park is affiliated with the Southwest Aviation and Aerospace Group Corporation and specializes in the aerospace field.

He will stay here for a while.

At this year's Aerospace Science and Technology Conference, some people proposed developing a space shuttle and following the path of the United States and the Soviet Union. This proposal was rejected by Liu Tao.

Since the decision was made in the space shuttle and spacecraft route dispute, China has wholeheartedly focused on developing spacecraft.

However, in recent years, as China has become wealthier, some people can't help but want to develop a space shuttle.

In their opinion, since the United States and the Soviet Union later developed space shuttles, it must mean that space shuttles are more advanced than spacecraft and represent the direction of technological progress.

Even the repeated accidents of the American space shuttle have not discouraged them.

Liu Tao rejected them because he believed that the space shuttle route of the United States and the Soviet Union was not suitable for China.

Space shuttles are not suitable now. Even if a large amount of money is invested to develop a space shuttle, it is estimated that it will not be as good as the space shuttles of the United States and Russia.

Besides, if it is developed, it will be outdated in a few years, which is a waste of money.

But after thinking about it, Liu Tao felt that it would be too discouraging to not let them do it at all.

So he decided to initiate the development of a space-based fighter jet in advance.

Therefore, Liu Tao began arranging work as early as April.

As a result, the most outstanding talents in the aviation and aerospace fields in China have gathered at the Aerospace Research Institute!

There are more than fifty academicians alone!

There are plenty of people who are slightly inferior to academicians!

When Liu Tao arrived at the meeting room, hundreds of people had already taken their seats according to their respective specialties, with the academicians taking the lead.

When they saw Liu Tao coming in, everyone couldn't help but stand up to show their respect.

Liu Tao asked everyone to sit down. The projector was already connected to his computer.

He opened a file and then opened a picture in it.

Everyone couldn't help but look at each other.

This is a conceptual drawing. It is said to be a space shuttle, but it is very different from the current space shuttles.

Liu Tao introduced that this is indeed a space shuttle, but it is very different from the space shuttles of the United States and Russia. To be precise, this is a space-based fighter jet!

Because this is a space shuttle that uses electric propulsion. Below the atmosphere, it is like an airplane. It continuously provides acceleration through electric propulsion, and the wings provide lift. When it reaches a certain height, the atmospheric density will rapidly decrease to a very low value. At this time, it is no longer possible to rely on the wings to provide lift. It needs to rely on engine thrust to counteract gravity, and the space shuttle will fly upwards at a greater angle.

Clicking on a simulation video, this is a simulation video formed through wind tunnel full simulation and multiple computer simulations.

Those who can come here have undergone strict political review and there is absolutely no problem.

"Leader, is this electric propulsion?" An academician opened his mouth, his eyes full of disbelief: "Electric propulsion? Using electric propulsion to send a space shuttle into the sky?"

Electric propulsion is used in the aerospace field for orbital changes of satellites and other objects in space.

The most advanced application is on China's space-based weapons, but even so, the power that can be provided is actually not very large.

As for using it to send a space shuttle, that is simply impossible!

The most advanced electric propulsion technology used on satellites and the Tiangong space station has a thrust on the order of N. To get a spacecraft from the surface of the earth to outer space orbit, it must reach at least the order of KN!

The heavier the spacecraft, the greater the thrust required.

In the aerospace field, even the most optimistic aerospace experts estimate that it will take at least about 50 years to achieve this.

This is if the development goes smoothly. If the development does not go smoothly, it is normal for it to take a hundred years.

"I will solve the electric propulsion engine!" Liu Tao waved his hand and said without a doubt.

This space-based fighter jet uses a Hall thruster, and the required electricity is provided by a controlled nuclear fusion reactor.

Anyway, the launch of this project, just to digest the technology, overcome some technical hurdles, and manufacture a prototype, will take at least ten years.

These ten years are just enough time to hone a scientific research team, elevating it by two or three levels.

The spaceplane is the future aircraft for traveling to and from space and Earth, applying a large number of advanced technologies, many of which don't even exist yet.

Including avionics systems, weapons systems, materials, and so on, these are enough for the current technology team to work hard on for ten years.

As for electric propulsion and controlled nuclear fusion, don't even think about giving them ten years; even twenty or thirty years wouldn't be enough for them to figure it out.

For example, with electric propulsion, a single electric propulsion engine needs to be able to stably generate 200kN of thrust. Experts in the field of aerospace engines wouldn't even dare to dream that they could successfully develop it in thirty years.

And then there's controlled nuclear fusion. To date, experiments are still measured in seconds, and commercial application is still eternally 50 years away.

Two hours later, Liu Tao appointed the heads of various specialties, who were also the leaders, and each leader was an academician.

Next, they will all be working on a series of tasks centered around this spaceplane.

Undoubtedly, this made many people feel excited.

They felt that being able to participate in such a great project was an extremely honorable thing.

Many people here felt that now that China is rich, it should develop more technologically advanced spaceplanes.

As for the current spacecraft, China has already mastered spacecraft technology.

Even to the point where, after carrying out the Chang'e lunar exploration project, the Chang'e probe returned to Earth after collecting lunar soil, verifying that China theoretically has the feasibility of manned lunar landing.

Unexpectedly, what Liu Tao is now going to do is the even more unexpected spaceplane.

If it really comes to fruition, then by that time, let alone manned lunar landings, even manned landings on Mars would not be too difficult.

After all, if it really achieves what Liu Tao described, then in terms of endurance, almost no traditional fuel engine can compare to it. This spaceplane's super endurance and ability to stay on standby in space for a long time are unmatched by any traditional aircraft or traditional spacecraft.

It's not just the spaceplane; the spaceplane is just a means of transportation. Since we want to realize the spaceplane, then the supporting aerospace projects will all be upgraded.

A larger and more advanced space station will require a more advanced life support system, allowing astronauts to stay in the space station longer.

For example, with manned lunar landings, we can't just land on the moon once and return to Earth, right? That wouldn't fit China's style. We should at least establish a scientific research station on the moon, and then gradually cultivate the land and mine on the moon, eventually immigrating to the moon.

These all require the support of advanced life support systems.

After all, the environment on the moon is not suitable for human survival.

Also, if we have such advanced spacecraft, then traveling to and from space becomes very easy, and the current 30-person astronaut team will seem insufficient.

During the Two Sessions, the 'Twelfth Five-Year Plan' was approved, with an increase of 60 billion RMB in investment in the aerospace field over the next five years. Everyone previously felt that with so much extra money, it wouldn't be spent, completely unspendable. Some people even racked their brains about how to spend this extra money.

Now, looking back, let alone a 60 billion RMB increase in investment over five years, even doubling it wouldn't be enough!

Suddenly, no experts in the field continued to argue about whether or not to build a spaceplane. There were only some intentionally released smokescreens used to confuse the outside world.

As for the industry, it was a hive of activity, with everyone working with great enthusiasm and having no time to go online and participate in such boring debates.

Liu Tao stayed in Rong City, solving some technical problems.

The Wakhan Corridor.

This is the area where China borders Afghanistan.

The entire Wakhan Corridor appears narrow and long. At the end of the Wakhan Corridor is a pass, which is the gateway for China to enter Afghanistan and the only passage.

Outside the passage, the original refugee camp is no longer a refugee camp. Instead, it has formed a densely populated area, like a town.

Many goods from the Afghan region are transported here for trading, and then enter China through the Wakhan Corridor.

The ten-year Afghan war, although the Americans withdrew from Afghanistan, the entire Afghanistan is in a state of disrepair, a war ruin.

Even the original US-occupied areas are the same.

What the Americans did in Afghanistan can be described as a sin. They planted a large amount of opium there, making Afghanistan the world's largest opium producer for eight consecutive years.

This seriously affected the peaceful reconstruction process in Afghanistan and posed a threat and challenge to regional peace and security.

After all, even in China, some special drugs can be used for medical purposes, but their use is very cautious. A chief physician must be extremely cautious before allowing the prescription, and the dosage is very limited.

China is very cautious about safety in this area.

There are a large number of military dogs patrolling the trade transactions here.

Afghanistan's trade goods here mainly include carpets, dried and fresh fruits, wool, and cotton.

The imported goods are diverse, including various foods, motor vehicles, petroleum products, and textiles.

Of course, currently, there is also some humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

In the past few months, the Afghan government has been relying on confiscating the property of puppet government officials to survive.

However, for the Afghan government, this alone is not enough. Afghanistan must have income in order to import food and other commodities; otherwise, large-scale turmoil will occur in Afghanistan at any time.

What Afghanistan possesses, the first option, of course, is mineral deposits. Afghanistan's mineral resources are very rich, but basically undeveloped. According to current price estimates, Afghanistan's energy and mineral resources are worth more than 10 trillion RMB.

During this period, the Afghan government is using this to attract mining companies from China, attracting investment and jointly developing Afghanistan's energy and mineral resources, so that the Afghan government can have income and provide employment opportunities for the Afghan people, thereby quickly stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan.

However, development in Afghanistan is not an easy task, because Afghanistan's infrastructure is very, very backward, especially transportation conditions!

To get rich, build roads first!

Even a six-year-old child in China can say this, and the principle is equally suitable for Afghanistan.

The Afghan government is now building roads with almost the entire population, and even if construction equipment is limited, it is solved with manpower.

Apart from commodity exports, the Afghan government's external income comes from donations from the Islamic world. After all, Afghanistan's victory in the Afghan war has greatly encouraged the Islamic world, and several important figures have a wide influence throughout the Islamic world.

(End of this chapter)