Chapter 1097 Interstellar Transportation System
The more you value something, the less you can take it seriously. Although Max is looking forward to these rocket engines very much, he still has to pretend to be indifferent. He is a person who does big things, and he wants to bring humanity with him. Flying to Mars, what is the rocket engine of Lao Maozi from twenty years ago?
Perminov is a little embarrassed, is he leaving now? If we compare official positions, my official position is higher than yours, but you are like this?
Qin Tao smiled: "Everyone, we are all tired after talking for so long. Let's go have something to eat and drink first. We will discuss the details tomorrow."
The guys didn’t care what they ate, but when Qin Tao said something to drink, everyone got excited.
There are so many places to eat in the capital. Qin Tao took everyone to a famous hotel, served bottles of Wuliangye, and soon drank all these old fools to the ground.
“Mr. Qin, you are so interesting!”
“Mr. Qin, you are our great friend!”
Qin Tao smiled and sent these people back to the hotel, and then saw more than ten text messages sent on his mobile phone.
Mr. Qin, are you done?
Mr. Qin, are you gone?
Mr. Qin, let’s quickly discuss how to get these engines!
Max is really anxious.
Qin Tao smiled and asked Xu Zhengyang to drive back. After seeing Qin Tao, Max's face was full of excitement.
"Mr. Qin, with this 800-ton thrust engine, our starship MK2 can be officially developed! This rocket will help us fly to Mars!" Max was very excited: "We originally planned to use the existing For Raptor engines, multiple units must be installed. Although we are confident in the parallel engines, there are still risks with too many units. Now, we can use existing technology to complete these plans!"
After saying that, Max walked to the whiteboard aside and started drawing.
"We will use this engine to build a super-heavy rocket with a diameter of 9 meters and a height of about 70 meters. In order to propel the entire system, this rocket requires more than 7,400 tons of thrust. Even our modified Raptor engine will need Install 33 units, but now, we only need to install ten of these engines, so the reliability of parallel engines will be very high."
Looking at the design drawing drawn by Max, Qin Tao was also very emotional. Who said Max liked to use 33 engines in parallel? There is nothing we can do about it. If there were engines with greater thrust, who would use dozens of them?
Ten engines, one with a thrust of 800 tons, and the thrust of ten engines is 8,000 tons. This thrust can fully propel the overall combination with a take-off weight of 5,000 tons.
"On it, we will install a starship with a height of 50 meters. The diameter of this starship is also 9 meters. It only needs to install six to nine Raptor engines. The super-heavy rocket below is responsible for sending it Heaven, it is responsible for sending people to Mars!”
The Raptor engine must be installed on the upper stage, because after discarding the lower stage, there is no need for particularly large thrust, and the Raptor engine will definitely mature earlier. In the initial launch, the lower stage may temporarily use liquid oxygen kerosene RD The imitation version of the -170 engine will become a liquid oxygen methane engine later.
Coming out of the conference room, Max began to think about it. Of course, he had already started thinking about the starship flying to Mars, but he had been unable to implement it. After all, manned landing on the moon was the first step, and now, he finally saw it To hope.
“We can call it an interstellar transportation system, and I’m going to use it to immigrate a hundred people to Mars!”
The current combination of Starship MK1 and Dragon spacecraft is still too small. It can only transport up to seven people, and it can only move around the earth. It cannot fly into space at all. If you want to go to the moon, you have to dock with a special landing craft. It is extremely difficult to use the lunar module to fly to Mars. In comparison, it is most suitable to use this brand-new system. It is a combination of a super-heavy rocket and a large starship. It can also be called an interstellar transportation system. It is used for interstellar migration.
“Max, your system is a two-level structure, or even a one-level structure. How could you imagine this?” Qin Tao asked.
The idea of a multi-stage rocket was proposed by Tsiolkovsky, the great father of modern aerospace. The rocket is divided into several parts. After burning part of the fuel, the shell of this part is thrown away, which can reduce the weight of the rocket itself. The weight allows the rocket to fly farther and gain greater speed.
Spacecraft in the past used multi-stage rockets. For example, if you want to launch a low-Earth orbit satellite, you have to use a two-stage rocket. If you want to launch a high-orbit satellite, you have to use a three-stage rocket. The Apollo rockets also had a three-stage structure. Because the technology was not high enough, Asan even built a four-stage rocket.
However, with the advancement of technology, especially the continuous improvement of rocket engine performance, the number of rocket stages is becoming fewer and fewer.
The Yankees' space shuttle is not a multi-stage structure. It has a fuel tank on its belly and solid boosters on both sides. It can be launched into orbit directly after being launched into space. How much does that count?
This is a typical one-and-a-half-stage structure. The booster is considered a half-stage. After all, it falls off after burning, which can also reduce its own weight. Some rockets with one stage have also begun to develop one-and-a-half-stage structures. In China, Long March 5B is the first A rocket with a one-stage and a half structure has the main body of the rocket in the middle and only the first stage, with the payload on top and boosters tied to all sides.
The one-and-a-half-level structure is already at its peak, but what is Max going to do?
The starship above is a whole and can be counted as a payload. There is only a first-stage super-heavy rocket below. Isn't this a monopolar orbit?
Considering that the starship spacecraft above can also carry thousands of tons of propellant, this starship can be called the second stage of the rocket. However, the above starship is not only a rocket, but also a payload. It is to fly to Mars as a whole. , if such an overall structure is counted as a load, then the entire system is a monopolar rocket.
Hearing Qin Tao's question, Max smiled: "Of course I want to completely recycle it, so that we can save more. My ultimate goal is to reduce the cost of starship word flight to ten million US dollars, so that everyone can go to Mars." The cost was reduced to two hundred thousand dollars.”
The current Starship MK1 cannot be fully recycled, especially the second-stage rocket, which can only be thrown into the atmosphere and burned. This is a serious waste. However, Starship MK2, this new system adopts a new structure, which is to To achieve complete recycling!
"After completing its launch mission, the super-heavy rocket below has to fly back, and it also needs to fly to our launch tower." Max continued: "Our launch tower needs a new name, called the launch capture tower. This tower will not only launch the rocket, but also recover it, and be able to quickly conduct a second launch.”
Speaking of this, Max was frothing and very excited.
"This launch capture tower is 145 meters high, with an all-steel structure. It has three robotic arms, one of which is called a quick disconnect arm. This is used to connect the filling equipment and quickly remove the filling equipment before launch. It also serves as a central stabilizing structure. .The other two robotic arms are like chopsticks, yes, they are chopsticks, used to capture our super-heavy rocket!"
How to recycle rockets? The best way is to let it fly back on its own!
“I’m afraid this super-heavy rocket has already flown out of the atmosphere after completing its launch mission?” Qin Tao continued to ask. It is not easy to make an aircraft that has flown out of the atmosphere fly back again!
"It hasn't completely flown out yet. I have calculated that the speed should be around Mach 25. During the recovery, I plan to let it land using a special belly-slapping dive method, making full use of air resistance to slow down, thereby saving time on return. fuel." Max thought of all these technical routes in a short period of time.
He once again drew the design diagram for the return trip. When he came back, it was similar to the space shuttle. It was horizontal, using the largest area to contact the air to slow down. During the descent, he kept correcting his attitude and gradually become vertical.
This method of return also applies to the spacecraft above. After all, the spacecraft also needs to be recovered.
When he heard this, Qin Tao shook his head: "Max, I don't think composite materials are necessarily good. The simplest materials are the most suitable. How about we just use stainless steel?"
Qin Tao remembered that in the time and space before his rebirth, Max announced that this system would use carbon fiber composite materials. However, two years later, he had to scrap the heavily purchased composite materials and use stainless steel.
It's very simple. From the low temperature of space to the high temperature of returning to the ground, stainless steel must perform much better than carbon fiber, and even better than titanium alloy.
The gleaming stainless steel shell also looks full of industrial beauty. Max does not need to replace this material. Max’s eyes were filled with confusion: “Will you continue to use stainless steel?”
“Yes, trust me, stainless steel is the best choice.”
Max nodded: "Okay, Mr. Qin, I believe you, then use stainless steel. Super-heavy spacecraft and starships are all made of stainless steel shells and fixed with outriggers, so that they can also fly to the surface of other planets and land. We plan to do this within two years Complete the design and manufacture it within two years, and within five years at most, you will have the opportunity to fly to Mars!”
"Ahem." Qin Tao coughed twice: "Max, if this kind of starship is developed, wouldn't it be better for us to fly to the moon to test it first? This kind of starship should have a payload of 150 tons. Right? Wouldn't it be better to transport supplies to the moon and build a lunar base? As for flying to Mars, we still have to take our time."
The race to the moon has begun. Flying to the moon and building a lunar base are very important, but flying to Mars does not seem to have much effect except for fame.
It’s better to go to the moon first.
This interstellar transportation system is the largest rocket in the world, far exceeding any other rocket in the world. After all, Lao Maozi's Energy No. only has four boosters using RD170, with a total thrust of more than 3,000 tons, and now This super-heavy starship uses ten engines and has a take-off thrust of more than 7,000 tons!
The entire take-off weight also exceeds 5,000 tons, with more than 3,000 tons of propellant loaded below and 1,200 tons of propellant above.
Despite its size, this spacecraft is very light. The dry weight of the spacecraft is only 85 tons, so it can easily carry a payload of 150 tons. However, it is estimated that some fuel will be consumed during the launch process. If you want fuel It is more abundant, and it is estimated that the fuel must be replenished in orbit so that it can fly to the moon or Mars better.
"Yes, our planned payload is 150 tons." Max nodded: "Flying to Mars is not easy. Since you fly there once, you must carry a large amount of supplies."
Flying to Mars is a complex aerospace project. This not only requires consideration of flying there, but also the key to considering how to get back. It cannot be just a one-way ticket.
Someone once calculated that if you want to fly to Mars, you need at least a big guy of 500 tons.
When the spacecraft sets off, it weighs more than 500 tons. It uses the hydrogen-oxygen engine with the highest specific impulse. Entering the ideal Hohmann transfer orbit requires a speed increase of 3590 meters per second, and then reserves 10% of the fuel. This requires The fuel is more than 300 tons. If the burned rocket fuel and casing are thrown away, the weight of the spacecraft will be reduced to less than 200 tons when it reaches the orbit near Mars.
Next, it will be captured by the gravity of Mars, which will consume 70 tons of fuel and enter the Mars synchronous transfer orbit of 200 kilometers from the near fire point and 17,000 kilometers from the far fire point. At this time, there are still more than 100 tons left, which is divided into two parts. The orbital module is waiting in the orbit of Mars and has to prepare to return to the earth. At least 80 tons are needed, and then a Mars landing module of more than 40 tons is dropped, reducing consumption. Six tons of fuel. Sixteen tons of fuel are consumed in ascent. When returning, there are still more than ten tons of weight left. After returning to the orbital module, the remaining fuel is used to accelerate and then thrown away. The orbital module returns to the earth.
This is a very complex and full of uncertain factors. Once it is delayed, it may be catastrophic. After all, the moon has been revolving around the earth at a similar distance, but the distance between Mars and the earth varies greatly. Once If you miss the launch window, you'll never get it back.
However, Marx’s plan is even more radical.
This spaceship weighing more than a thousand tons will land directly on Mars. After going up, it will definitely consume a lot of fuel. It will not be enough when it comes back. The plan he gave is to build it on site and use the atmosphere of Mars to obtain methane. and oxygen, make fuel and then come back.
As for people, they can stay up there for a while. Mars and the Earth will have the opportunity to be closest every about 780 days. This time is also called the rendezvous period, which is about 26 months. People can stay up there for two years before returning. That's it, this time is enough.
As for whether you will be lonely?
Hundreds of people pass by, can you be lonely? Taking advantage of this time, maybe a few more little lives will come out.
"In the future, we will copy the RD-170 engine and use methane fuel instead. This super-heavy rocket will be able to continue launching. After the first launch, it will return to the launch capture tower and complete the fuel refueling and inspection tasks within an hour. At the same time, install the starship spacecraft waiting next to it and launch it again. In this way, within a launch window, using a launch pad and a super-heavy rocket, you can launch five or even ten times. These starships will fly together. Mars, that’s what’s called excitement.”
Just imagine that scene and you will know how spectacular it is: a row of starships with outriggers standing next to the launch pad, waiting for the super-heavy rocket to come back, hoist it up, and then launch it. This is just like queuing up at a tourist attraction. As fast as a roller coaster ride!
The reason why we do not build more super-heavy rockets and launch pads is of course to reduce costs. Super-heavy rockets can be used repeatedly, which can greatly reduce the cost of entering space. If they are all launched in one launch window, it will be like space. Fleet!
Thinking of that kind of scene, even Qin Tao was looking forward to it, it was so spectacular!
This is also the reason why a methane liquid oxygen engine is used.
In fact, this kind of fuel is not the first creation of the Starship Company. As early as the 1960s, there were already such designs in the world, but it was not favored at the beginning. The first one was a poisonous rocket, which was called Panax. Hydrazine, and later liquid oxygen kerosene and liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engines. If the Starship Company had not wanted to explore Mars, this kind of engine would not have come out, because both methane and oxygen can be produced through the Martian atmosphere and can be obtained from local materials. After all, For rockets, the weight of fuel plays a major role.
However, after research, new discoveries have been made. For example, liquid oxygen methane engines do not coke, which is an important reason why they can be reused many times. After use, if the inside is clean, you can continue to use it. If it is inside With coking, it becomes dangerous to use again.
Superheavy rockets that want to be used multiple times still have to use liquid oxygen and methane. However, Starship Company has previous experience. Since it can transform the NK33 into a liquid oxygen and methane engine, it can also transform the RD170 into this kind of engine.
Used multiple times and flown to Mars, these dreams are about to come true.
Max’s eyes were full of longing.
“Mr. Qin, how can we steal the RD170 engine?” Max continued to return to the original question.
All of this relies on a powerful engine. Without this engine, everything is in vain.
For Lao Maozi, this kind of engine is also very powerful and is an important weapon of the country. Lao Maozi will never take it out and sell it easily. In later generations, there have been many news that Lao Maozi offered a price of hundreds of millions. Sell this engine to Dongfang and nothing will happen.
In fact, this kind of article is based on speculation, or even deliberately concocted news. The East does not need this kind of engine at all, and the reason is very simple: there is no place to use it.
Even the Americans use the RD180, which has been cut in half and has half the thrust, just because it doesn’t need such strong thrust.
Dongfang’s Long March 5 only uses a 120-ton thrust liquid oxygen and kerosene engine as a booster, and the core stage uses a 50-ton thrust liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engine, which is enough.
Later, the Long March 9 was planned to use the YF-130 with a thrust of 500 tons, and later it was planned to use the YF-135 with a thrust of 360 tons. Later, it was also planned to use a liquid oxygen methane engine with a thrust of 200 tons. The design plan kept changing. , which illustrates the difficulty of developing this kind of engine. However, no matter how it changes, the 800-ton engine has never been used.
As for the final choice of liquid oxygen methane engine, it is estimated that the huge cost of heavy-lift rockets was also taken into consideration. Using this reusable engine can save weight.
Now, Max has to get this engine before he can feel at ease. This is the prerequisite for all projects.
Qin Tao smiled: "That's not easy. Just get the old guard drunk. After all, they are paid by us. Who do you think they are targeting?"
(End of this chapter)