This star is going to the moon

Chapter 105: Warm-up for the Second Space Race, Returning Next Week

Space enthusiasts from around the world.

[Wow, Starship, what a wonderful name! It's so fitting! Lu Yun is definitely a naming genius!]

[Guys, I have a little rumour: Ma Yilong is looking to change the name of his "Mars spaceship" again. He was supposed to call it "Starship," but Lu Yun snatched it up.]

【? 】

If we were to say which group was the most excited after Lu Yun announced the "Starship" PPT, it would definitely be the space enthusiasts.

Because they wish humans could land on the moon today, land on Mars tomorrow, and rush out of the solar system the day after tomorrow to attack the Trisolarans’ hometown!

This is the case with the members of the “World Space Enthusiasts Group”.

This time, Lu Yun even announced the news at the International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany, so they received the news faster than Lu Yun’s aerospace fans in China.

If Lu Yun's "Starship" hadn't come out, I would have thought Ma Yilong's "Big Falcon" was worthy of being called a starship. After all, it was a groundbreaking fully reusable rocket, and its mass reached 5000 tons. But now, it's clear that Lu Yun's "Starship" is the real starship.

[Guys, it's too early to say that. Ma Yilong's "Mars spaceship" PPT had a diameter of 12 meters and a takeoff mass of an astonishing 10000 tons. Now it's been scaled down to 9 meters in diameter and 5000 tons in mass. I think Lu Yun's "Starship" will also have to be scaled down, because current human technology isn't capable of building such an impressive rocket.]

But Lu Yun is a genius who can surprise people. His Wanhu rocket is the perfect landing of the PPT. Other aerospace companies first take it up in the air and then gradually release the carrying capacity, but the Wanhu rocket has almost achieved 95% of its carrying capacity from the beginning, so he can definitely make the "Starship" PPT a reality.

I don't think so. Starship is different from Wanhu. Wanhu is just a small rocket. China's aerospace technology is roughly at that level. It didn't participate in the space race of the last century and doesn't have the experience and ability to build a 10-meter diameter super rocket. So I don't think Lu Yun can build a 10.6-meter diameter Starship.

【How about a bet? 】

[What to bet on? 】

If Lu Yun can build a starship with a diameter of 10.6 meters, then the loser will invite the winner to watch the starship launch live!

[This is great, I'll join! ]

[What if Lu Yun didn't build the original starship? ]

[Then the winner can tell me the terms. Anyway, I'm betting that Lu Yun can do it.]

[Well, it seems I have to sell my plasma and sperm in advance to save some money.]

"Hey, there are still several years to go. Do you want to start saving money now?"

[Of course, selling plasma only costs $50 per dose, but the plane ticket to the other side of the ocean is not cheap.]

[Guys, look! Ma Yilong changed the data and name of his "Mars spacecraft" again at the press conference. Now the "Big Falcon" has been renamed the "Super Falcon", but this time his expression is very unhappy, haha...]

[Hey, I'll go check it out. This loudmouth can still get upset...]

………………

"...Yes, I finally decided to call my Mars spacecraft the 'Super Falcon', which shows that it has the same heritage as the 'Falcon 9' and the 'Falcon Heavy'..."

Lu Yun was sitting in the audience and almost laughed out loud when he saw Ma Yilong say the new name of "Mars Spaceship".

Ma Yilong has participated in the International Astronautical Congress in recent years, and every year he talks about his "Mars colonization plan", and the "Mars spacecraft" has been constantly being revised.

From the original "Mars Colonial Transporter", it was later renamed "Interstellar Transport System" and then "Big Falcon Rocket".

The diameter has also been reduced from 12 meters to 9 meters, becoming more and more realistic.

(Online image, showing the real changes from the beginning to 2018. This is the second stage of the rocket, not including the first stage booster)
Ma Yilong has always been a big mouth. Whether it is PPT or timeline, he always exaggerates everything, so much so that when space enthusiasts see him talk about certain timelines, they automatically multiply them by two.

For example, if it is “first flight in one month”, then it should be calculated as at least two months.

Now he found that the "Starship" he wanted most had been taken by someone else, so he had no choice but to accept the "Super Falcon" that had been "inherited by technology". Lu Yun wondered if he would suffer internal injuries from holding it in. However, Ma Yilong later won the game back.

"We will develop a lunar version of the 'Super Falcon', which will be the largest lunar lander ever, and its final version can carry 100 people to the moon at a time!"

Lu Yun was helpless because the Americans had already clearly launched the "Return to the Moon" plan and were selecting commercial lunar landers, while China had not yet clearly launched the "manned lunar landing" plan.

Of course, it doesn’t matter. Lu Yun even has the “starship” in his hands in this life, so other things are naturally no problem.

Originally, Ma Yilong wanted to contact Lu Yun at this International Astronautical Congress, but Thomas reminded him: "Hey, buddy, have you forgotten why the National Space Council wants to talk to you? You can't contact him now."

However, Ma Yilong has already thought about his future path. He is now seeking political status. If there is only slight contact or even some hostility, it will not be a big problem.

It just so happens that he is a very proud person and has a strong gambling nature!

So he walked straight up to Lu Yun and said, "Lu Yun, how about making a bet? Whoever's super rocket flies first will get the name 'Starship'. How about it?"

Lu Yun smiled when he heard that.

He held up a finger and said, "First, the name 'Starship' is already mine."

"Second, my rocket has a diameter of 10.6 meters, and yours has a diameter of 9 meters. Do you think your rocket deserves the name 'Starship'?"

"Third, the maiden flight doesn't mean anything. Maybe what flew up was just a big firework."

“It will only be considered a success if it is officially put into use!”

Ma Yilong regrets it now, very much.

Why reduce the diameter from 12 meters to 9 meters?
Now, big means starship, and starship means big!

But no matter what, the advantage is mine!

Because Ma Yilong didn't believe that Lu Yun's "starship" would not shrink.

If it is shrunk, then his 9-meter diameter "Super Falcon" will win.

If it is not shortened, the development time will definitely be very long, and his "Super Falcon" will definitely make its maiden flight and be put into use first, so he will still win!

The media people at the scene were so happy that they were shooting with their cameras like crazy, and the sound of camera shutters clicking filled the air.

Some media people compared this scene to "the warm-up for the second space race"!
Before two countries started the space race, two aerospace engineering geniuses competed first!

While everyone here was cheering wildly for space exploration, Wu Fanqian also cheered.

He sent a voice message on WeChat: "I'm going back to China next week. Which district in Beijing are you in?"

Sweet female voice: "I'm in Chaoyang District, brother~"

"What a coincidence," Wu Fanqian said excitedly, "I have a long-term presidential suite at the Rosewood Hotel in Chaoyang District. From there, I can see the TV station's 'Big Pants' building. How about I treat you to dinner at the Michelin restaurant there?"

Sweet female voice: "Okay, but won't that cost me money? I'll feel bad for you~"

Wu Fanqian was overwhelmed by the voice and touched his nose and said, "If you care about me, then come with me to the room after dinner and give me a massage to relieve my fatigue. I'm quite tired from doing business abroad."

Sweet female voice: "No problem, brother, but brother, you won't take the opportunity to bully me, right~"

Wu Fan signed: "Of course not, I'm a serious person..."

(End of this chapter)