Capital.
The big shots at the Aerospace Bureau watched as the citizens lined up to send off the New Yuan-2 prototype rocket, and as an Il-76, with a 6-meter-wide Core Stage One sticking out ahead of its nose due to its length, took off from the airport. They remained silent for a long time before commenting:
"The near-Earth orbital payload capacity is 45 tons. If they use the CBC configuration, which private aerospace companies prefer, by strapping two more Core Stage Ones, the payload capacity to near-Earth orbit would reach 140 tons, enough to carry out a lunar mission."
"With a diameter of 6 meters, processed as a single piece, the equipment at Xinyuan Company must be impressive. I wonder through what channels they were able to procure machinery capable of processing such a large diameter."
The white-haired Academician She brought up the rocket concept image from the official Xinyuan website, his face full of disbelief.
