"Option one can produce the first rocket within three months, almost without any new technology, while option two, including the engines and rocket body, will take at least two years to produce the first prototype."
"Then that just leaves option one, doesn't it!"
Lin Ju complained, having just been persuaded by option two, he was abruptly doused with a bucket of cold water.
Option two is great, satisfying three advantages at once: a five-meter-diameter large rocket, reusability, and the CBC configuration with the potential for heavy-lift rockets, as well as incidentally being able to develop a new large-thrust engine.
Of course, the harsh reality is that, considering the upgrades needed for the base and the scientific research force, two years is absolutely not enough time.
Moreover, the manufacture of the H1 spaceplane will also take a lot of time; option two is perfect, but it requires waiting.
And rocket design relies on engineers to solve problems by themselves, nothing comes with the ultra-high reliability that a systematic approach provides, obviously making option one the most prudent.
Androff meant the same thing, but by presenting option two, he hoped to set it as a long-term project.
Option two is the future.
Several new entries were added to the system's research institute tasks:
[Mission: New Yuan-2 rocket development…]
[Mission: New Yuan No. 3 rocket preliminary research…]
The bundled 3.5-meter-diameter series belongs to the New Yuan-2 family, while the 5-meter-diameter belongs to New Yuan No. 3.
Different improved models of New Yuan 1A were given the suffixes A, B, and C, respectively, to distinguish them.
…
September, the season for university freshmen.
This year, at Southern Machinery Institute, the opening season was exceptionally bustling.
Although the satellite launch was a bit late to affect this year's recruitment, the freshmen who came to register were much more excited than in past years.
The unscrupulous school leadership specifically had a model of the New Yuan 1A erected right behind the main gate of the school, where it was particularly conspicuous.
Most of the content on the welcome board was also about the New Yuan 1A satellite; a small satellite of 400 kilograms managed to generate two 100-meter-long rows of promotional material, really a stretch for the publicity department.
The main department involved in the satellite project, the School of Electronic Engineering, had the highest enthusiasm, and its director's face was as blooming as a chrysanthemum when he saw the newcomers delivering themselves to the door.
There are not a few colleges with their own satellites, but one as big (spreading his arms) and as heavy as ours, and launched on a self-developed (in collaboration) rocket, can you find that anywhere else in China?
Even with limited scientific significance, Southern Machinery Institute has made a name for itself within the province, and the inclined resources are bound to increase.
At the same time, it also strengthened their resolve to cling to the new path of aerospace development, inviting Lin Ju over in the name of the freshman ceremony.
Lin Ju, who had always been inconspicuous in the school, was suddenly giving a speech in front of thousands of people, feeling very excited and somewhat frightened. This was not like the factory's few dozen workers; the audience was a sea of black heads.
Thankfully, equipped with the system's help, Lin Ju, who had seen his share of the world, did not try any tricks and simply read the speech provided by the school, which was quite standard.
This was just a minor interlude; the meat of the story was to follow.
After attending the analysis meeting on satellite research achievements at Southern Machinery Institute, Zhou Rui, Tong Peiqiang, and others insisted on having dinner with him, bringing up the main topic.
"Lin Ju, you really gave us a tough time," Tong Peiqiang said with a sigh as soon as he sat down, and Lin Ju knew exactly what he meant.
Lin Ju had nearly taken half of the elite from the Southern Machinery Institute's factory, which was indeed a bit unethical, and he knew he was in the wrong.
However, the school clearly wasn't seeking to punish him, and he understood this, simply continuing:
"Director Tong, these excellent experts can serve anywhere, and New Yuan will be able to offer help with whatever you need in the future."
These words hit the nail on the head for Tong Peiqiang; he came on behalf of the school to build relations, and his goal was, of course, to establish good connections with the enterprise.
In reality, China's higher education system is a bit out of whack because enterprises and factories in society generally form their own systems, and often students who graduate cannot directly work but must start learning from scratch in the factories.
The schools also lack the technology and funds of enterprises to ensure they're always at the forefront of technology, so they are very keen on school-enterprise cooperation or even running their own factories.
Some universities' affiliated factories do indeed lead the industry forefront, but these often suffer from poor management due to the universities' limited energies, so universities actually prefer to cooperate with powerful enterprises on technology.
Now they were eyeing New Yuan, especially aerospace, an unarguably top-notch project where any achievement means national recognition.
The Southern Machinery Institute wanted to invest in New Yuan Aeronautics, directly incorporating it as part of their scientific research strength, which of course, was vetoed by Lin Ju.
But Lin Ju was likewise coveting the Southern Machinery Institute; even though it wasn't a top-tier university, the access to the academic network could bring many unexpected benefits.
Eventually, he proposed that capable professors and experts from the school take up positions in the company's R&D department, and the company would accept a certain number of good interns each year.
As for the joint R&D results, the Southern Machinery Institute would have gratuitous rights to use them, with specifics to be determined according to the actual situation.
The Southern Machinery Institute accepted this agreement, thus becoming New Yuan Aeronautics' first official partner.
With the agreement reached and both host and guests satisfied, Lin Ju relaxed and chatted with the professors and experts he had worked with before, occasionally discussing New Yuan's future plans.
"New Yuan No. 1C? 3.5 meters in diameter with a 770-kilogram SSO payload capacity; this capability almost stretches the rocket to its limit—the designers are too bold."
A professor involved in some of the rocket design looked at the modified version of New Yuan No. 1 that Lin Ju shared and couldn't help but be astonished.
China's aerospace bureaus were always conservative; if a rocket had a 28-ton payload capacity, they would reduce it to 25 tons (I'm talking about you, CZ-5) and leave a considerable margin.
The advantage is a safer margin that increases risk management capabilities; the downside is that it gives the impression that China's rocket designs are inferior.
Because several foreign medium to large rockets have payload ratios (payload to rocket mass ratio) of over 3%, those domestically are generally around 2% and not quite reaching 3%.
Androff's "C" modification almost completely squeezed out the power of New Yuan No. 1, prying a 770-kilogram SSO capability, which is considered highly efficient among rockets with a hundred-ton lift-off mass.
Lin, of course, had unconditional trust in the skills of the System Engineer, while others were quite surprised.
Everyone eagerly discussed, when suddenly someone said:
"If it's changed to a 3.5-meter diameter with a 1.6-ton LEO payload and a 770-kilogram SSO payload, why does this data feel so familiar?"
"I also feel that, wait, CZ-6!"
Zhou Rui suddenly uttered the name of a rocket, and a stream of technical data flooded into his mind.
Because of his relationship with Tang Weitian, he knew some of the rocket data that the aerospace bureau was researching, and it wasn't a secret.
The crowd quickly caught on and realized that the New Yuan 1A and its "C" modification perfectly clashed with the CZ-6!
Zhou Rui held his forehead and sighed, considering that the CZ-6 from Modu City's Eighth Academy had its maiden flight next year.
"What kind of karma has the aerospace bureau created? YF100 clashes, CZ-6 clashes too, Lin Ju, did you time-travel from the future specially to undercut them?"
"Uh... coincidence, coincidence."
Lin Ju had also just realized that things were indeed too coincidental, but at that moment, he took it as a joke, completely unaware that Zhou Rui's words would turn out to be prophetic.