There is still some time before the launch, so Wu Hao can't let these two people stay here, so he still has to accompany them to visit the base. Of course, this is also an important purpose or wish of Lao Ma and Xiao Ma's trip. As the host, how can Wu Hao not be satisfied.
First of all, they went to the rocket launch site. It was still some time before the rocket launch, so the site was not closed and cleared yet.
Therefore, I took the two of them to visit the place before it was closed and cleared. Once the launch site is closed, no one else can enter, not even Wu Hao.
After the ride, the vehicle began to drive smoothly on the straight and wide asphalt road. The figure of the rocket standing in the distance has appeared in everyone's eyes.
In this vast desert next door, the tall rocket stood like this, it must be said that it was very shocking.
The closer they get, the bigger Rocket becomes, even giving people a sense of oppression. The height of more than thirty meters may not sound high, but the actual feeling is very shocking, especially when one stands at its feet and looks up, one can't help but be amazed by its huge body.
The vehicle stopped in the open space in front of the launch site. Everyone got out of the vehicle with shock on their faces, their eyes never crossed the rocket.
The staff on the side immediately gave them white safety helmets, and everyone took them and took them on.
"Mr. Wu!" Zhou Xiangming came over with a few people.
"Xiang Ming, I'm bringing two Mr. Ma here for a visit." After saying that, Wu Hao smiled at Lao Ma and Xiao Ma and introduced: "This is Zhou Xiangming, the deputy chief engineer of our entire project. What we have in front of us is Zhou Xiangming." He presided over the design and development of this reusable launch vehicle."
"You are really young and promising." Lao Ma looked at the very young Zhou Xiangming in front of him and couldn't help but admire.
"amazing!"
Haha, Zhou Xiangming smiled and shook his head and said: "This is the result of the joint efforts of the entire team, and Mr. Wu also gave us a lot of help. Otherwise, the progress of this project would not be so fast."
Xiao Ma, who was on the side, kept looking at the rocket and asked with a smile: "Can you give us a general introduction to this rocket?"
"Of course, everyone, please come here." Zhou Xiangming said, leading everyone to introduce, smiling at everyone.
“This is the second commercial launch vehicle developed by our Aerospace Science and Technology R&D Laboratory under Haoyu Technology Company, and it is also the first retractable commercial launch vehicle developed by ourselves.
The rocket is 36.8 meters in length, 3.52 meters in diameter, and has a take-off mass of 225.4 tons. The carrying capacity can reach 4.2 tons in low-Earth orbit and 2.3 tons in sun-synchronous orbit. This capability can basically meet the orbit entry requirements of most commercial satellites and some spacecraft.
This rocket consists of a total of two stages, a first-stage recyclable rocket and a second-stage rocket.
After the rocket is launched, the first stage part will automatically fall off after sending the rocket to a certain height. The parachute warehouse located at the top of the first-level section will first throw out the guide parachute, and then throw out the three main parachutes. These main parachutes will slow down significantly to control the rocket's landing speed within a more appropriate range.
The grid plate and directional engine on the rocket will continuously control the direction of the rocket's descent, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the landing point of the first-stage rocket.
When the rocket is about to land on the ground, the launcher opens. Generally, this distance is between 200 meters and 100 meters. The rocket's main engine will ignite, thereby further decelerating, allowing the rocket to land smoothly, and the entire first-stage rocket recovery mission is completed.
As for the two-stage rocket, the rocket body is smaller, the cost is also relatively small, and the recycling cost is high and difficult to recycle. It has no recycling value, so we usually let it fall at a fixed point.
For a retractable launch vehicle like this, the first-stage rocket body accounts for about 80% of the entire launch cost. If it can be recovered, it will greatly reduce the launch cost.
According to our current quotation, generally two launches can recover the cost and make a profit. The designed service life of the first-stage rocket body of our retractable rocket is five to eight times.
Of course, the number of launches will also be appropriately extended or reduced based on the recovery status of the first-level rocket body. "
After hearing Zhou Xiangming's introduction, everyone nodded and had a general understanding of the rocket. Although I have read relevant information before, it is far less impressive than the on-site explanation.
Brother Ma, who listened to the whole process very carefully, then asked: "Is this rocket reliable? What advantages does it have compared to the Falcon rocket?"
Zhou Xiangming nodded and responded: "Of course it is reliable. The biggest condition that determines the quality of a launch vehicle is reliability.
If a launch vehicle is unreliable, then it will have no value no matter how excellent it is in other aspects.
Therefore, when we develop and manufacture rockets socially, we put reliability first. In addition to borrowing some advanced and mature international technologies, the technology on this retractable rocket also includes many of our innovative designs and technological applications.
For example, the fuel used in rockets is independently developed by us. At present, this new mixed fuel has been recognized by experts in the aerospace sector and has been partially used in some rockets to replace some toxic fuels.
The second is the rocket’s flight control system and its newly designed return method. We have designed an 'intelligent control brain' for this rocket. This 'brain' can control the rocket's flight attitude and handle some problems that arise during the rocket launch in real time.
Compared with traditional passive solutions, this proactive effort to deal with problems can greatly improve the reliability of the rocket.
The second is the return method we designed ourselves, which is different from the Falcon rocket landing method that requires engine ignition for the entire flight. Our first-stage rocket body uses parachutes to slow down at medium and high altitudes, and only at low altitudes will the engine ignite to slow down and land.
The advantage of this is that on the one hand, it can increase the rocket's carrying capacity and save more fuel, which can be used in the rocket's carrying capacity.
On the other hand, this method of reducing engine working time can extend the life of the engine and even the first-stage rocket body, increase the number of launches, and further reduce costs.
Finally, in terms of cost, the parachute thrown by the first-stage rocket body can be reused. It only needs to be recycled, cleaned, and then refolded, and it can be refilled and used.
Moreover, this parachute deceleration method can reduce the working intensity of the rocket engine, extend its life, and reduce fuel consumption, thereby reducing launch costs.
Of course, another advantage of this is that the manufacturing difficulty and cost of our engines have been further reduced, and they are not as demanding as those of the Falcon. "
