At ten o'clock in the morning, under a clear sky and a scorching sun, a huge launch vehicle stood on top of the launch pad.
This is the Long March 5B launch vehicle. Originally, according to the original history, this launch would be postponed to 2016, mainly due to immature technology.
However, after Huang Mingzhe's butterfly wings flapped, Fat Five's launch was advanced, and thanks to the participation and funding provided by Think Society, Fat Five became even more powerful.
At this time, the payload of Fat 5 in low-Earth orbit reached 32.2 tons, and the payload in synchronous orbit reached 17.3 tons, which was a huge improvement over the original design.
Known as the world's most powerful materials research institute, the Sishe Society Materials Research Institute is not just for free.
After the completion of Hou Yi's plan, the relationship between the Thinking Society and the Academy of Sciences was very delicate, with both cooperation and competition.
The Fat Five is the result of the cooperation between the two parties. As early as 2013, the two parties had in-depth cooperation on materials. As an ice arrow, the Fat Five has very high requirements for materials.
After all, liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen need to be stored at low temperature and high pressure, and rocket engines burn at high temperatures. In addition, due to the intense friction during launch, it is impossible for the materials to pass the test.
However, what really brings the two parties together is Sisi Society's industrial design software and industrial operating system. Whether it is simulation space or finite element analysis, these are domestic shortcomings.
Li Guoqing, the commander-in-chief of Fat Five, is in the lobby of the launch center. Although Sisi Society provided most of the funds for this rocket, he will be disgraced if the launch fails.
"Have you checked?"
"The fuel tank has been tested for the last time and everything is normal."
"Where's the fairing?"
"Testing in progress."
"Be careful."
Li Guoqing made arrangements in an orderly manner, but various departments seemed a bit chaotic, which may have something to do with age. The average age of the R&D personnel of the Fat Five Project is only over thirty, which is very rare.
Huang Mingzhe was also at the scene. Looking at the somewhat chaotic scene, he frowned and hurriedly walked to Li Guoqing: "Commander Li postponed the launch time to two o'clock in the afternoon."
"Uh..." Li Guoqing, who was too busy to touch the ground, was stunned: "General Manager Huang, it's already time..."
"Look at the situation now."
Li Guoqing calmed down and took a look, and he found a lot of problems. Many departments seemed in chaos, and they felt like they were headless.
As expected, he was too young and lacked effective running-in. Li Guoqing, who was awakened, immediately postponed the launch time and asked everyone to calm down. He would rather work slowly and carefully than launch in a hurry.
Looking at the staff and researchers who had calmed down, Huang Mingzhe felt relieved. After all, Thinking Society had invested a lot of money in this launch. Not only the investment of Fat Five itself, but also the things Fat Five carried this time were also a huge sum.
Very huge investment.
If it fails, not only will tens of billions be wasted, but the development of the mirroring plan will also be delayed.
That's why Huang Mingzhe reminded Li Guoqing that the other party was a fan of the authorities and was too busy to notice.
Fat Five's launch was originally scheduled for 12 noon, but was delayed for two hours. After calming down, the researchers and staff finally reorganized the launch work.
During lunch, everyone ate their lunch boxes in silence, obviously reflecting on their previous immaturity.
Huang Mingzhe, Li Guoqing and others were eating lunch boxes together.
"General Manager Huang, don't dislike our food." Li Guoqing joked while eating.
"I usually work very simply in companies or research institutes." Huang Mingzhe replied with a smile.
Chen Yao, chief engineer of Fat Five, picked up a cup of tea and said, "Chief Engineer Huang, I'll toast you with tea instead of wine."
"You're welcome."
The two drank a cup of tea and chatted while eating, mainly discussing future cooperation and the development direction of future launch vehicles.
Chen Yao had to admire the young man in front of him, and thought to himself that the scientists who lived in the same era as Huang Mingzhe were really miserable.
"General Manager Huang is not optimistic about carrier rockets"
Huang Mingzhe nodded: "The launch vehicle is only a temporary measure. If humans want to colonize outer space, they must build a more convenient and powerful bridge between heaven and earth."
"It's hard for Mr. Huang to want to develop a space elevator," Li Guoqing asked thoughtfully.
"Haha." Huang Mingzhe smiled but said nothing.
In fact, he has always had a more bizarre idea, but the conditions are not mature yet, and nuclear fusion has not yet been developed. To realize that idea, it is difficult for a clever woman to make a plan without rice.
After lunch.
The intense work continued, but this time Li Guoqing paid great attention to the team's actions to avoid being in a hurry like before.
August 27, 2014, at exactly two o'clock in the afternoon.
At various observation points far away from the launch site, domestic and foreign media have adjusted their cameras and telescopes, and many aerospace enthusiasts are also observing Fat Five nearby.
Many people were discussing quietly.
A white man wearing sunglasses mocked in Texas-flavored English: "I hope it's not a big firework. If you don't have good technology, don't launch such a big rocket."
"Haha, maybe Don Quixote can defeat the windmill." Another BBC reporter raised his glasses and smiled.
Most of the reporters present could understand English, and those Western reporters were either sarcastic or laughing.
Suddenly a female reporter from the Yangcheng Daily stood up and said loudly: "Anyone who is unwilling to see the strengths of others will always see at a glance the weaknesses of others. I will give this sentence to you."
"Ha ha……"
"I estimate that the launch failure is more likely."
"I must take pictures of these brilliant fireworks later."
"..." Those Western reporters still went their own way and taunted them, and they spoke very loudly. If it weren't for the police around and the fact that many people couldn't understand English, these guys would definitely be thrown rotten eggs.
"It's started." A space enthusiast who had been staring at the launch site shouted.
Everyone suddenly became quiet, picked up cameras and telescopes, and observed the launcher that was slowly opening in the distance.
10…9…3…1…0
After igniting the fire, the surging blue tail flame instantly evaporated the pool at the bottom, and countless white water vapor rolled up at the bottom.
After launch, the final launcher was opened, and then the Long March 5B carrier rocket soared up to 90,000 miles. Driven by the huge rocket engine, it rushed out of the atmosphere at an oblique angle.
In the command hall of the launch center, everyone was nervously controlling the rocket. The atmospheric stage of the launch vehicle was the most dangerous stage, and they did not dare to neglect it.
…
Seeing Fat Five disappearing from sight, a group of reporters quickly turned on the live broadcast of the national news.
Chinese reporters hope that everything will go well next, while those Western reporters are praying for a failure in the launch and are ready to watch China's jokes.
Inside the live news room.
At this time, on the satellite surveillance map, Fat Five was rapidly approaching the Karman Line.
"Report, the first-level core separation was successful."
"Report, the Rockets successfully broke through the Karman Line."
Li Guoqing calmly ordered: "Prepare to correct the flight trajectory."
"receive."
After breaking through the Karman line, the distance of this launch vehicle has been further improved, but they still dare not take it lightly.
As long as the rocket does not reach the predetermined orbit for one second, it cannot be said that the launch was successful.