This star is going to the moon

Chapter 187: Space Elevator? You...are just talking about movie plots, right?

The leaders of Binhai are happy, but the leaders of Suwu are unhappy.

If they fail to secure the first space airport for humankind, they can only continue to guard their own "Meiyou Airport".

But Lu Yun had no choice, because Binhai’s location was good.

The latitude of the coastal area is low, where the larger linear velocity near the equator and the centrifugal phenomenon caused by inertia can be used to greatly reduce the rocket fuel consumption.

In addition, the leaders of Binhai gave too many preferential treatments.

Although the Binhai Space Launch Center is already the most important space center in China, it is only okay in the international arena.

At most, with various future plans, it can become a world-class space launch site.

Although Binhai City has accelerated the layout of the aerospace cultural and tourism industry as the grand picture of "exploring the vast universe and building a space power" in China is gradually unfolding, it still feels that it is not enough.

Binhai doesn't have many industries, and the only thing it can rely on is the "space cultural tourism industry". It is currently planning to promote the construction of space theme parks and space theme museums, and promote the simultaneous planning and construction of commercial space launch areas and space tourism areas.

We want to drive local economic development through the construction of aerospace commerce, and strive to create an aerospace cultural and tourism destination that is coveted by tourists from all over the country and even the world.

It is easy to attract domestic tourists, but if you want to attract "world tourists", it is not enough to be "world-class" now and in the future.

Then Lu Yun’s plan for “humankind’s first space airport” came into being.

Obviously, anyone who is not a fool knows that "humanity's first" is better than "world-class"!
In an interview with reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony, the leader excitedly said: "With the establishment of humanity's first space airport in Binhai, we have incorporated aerospace culture and tourism into the urban planning, industrial layout, rural revitalization, cultural education, and emergency management of the International Space City in accordance with the functional positioning and long-term planning of the Binhai Launch Center."

"We will promote integrated planning, layout, promotion and implementation, follow the overall layout of the all-region tourism development plan, accelerate the improvement of tourism infrastructure and public service facilities, and continuously promote the improvement of tourism quality and efficiency."

"We will leverage the space engine to develop all-region tourism, connecting the well-known cultural and tourist attractions in Binhai into lines and areas, and making them bigger and stronger..."

As expected of a leader, he really knows how to speak, and he has a lot of words to say.

Lu Yun would only say, “We are working hard to put humanity’s first spaceport into use as soon as possible.”

The reporter immediately recorded it.

This demonstrates Lu Yun's confidence, as he reiterates that the Wooden Kite space shuttle can make its maiden flight on schedule by the middle of next year!

[It also shows that humanity's first space airport can be built, accepted, and put into use in just nine months!]

[Even nine months is just a conservative estimate. If we consider the country's strong infrastructure capabilities, perhaps eight months would be enough!]

[By then, the history of human manned space flight will enter a new chapter, and it will be written by my country, and the Americans will have to stand aside...]

Well, how should I put it.

That’s what Lu Yun meant.

The size of mankind’s first space airport is not large. After all, the early Wooden Kite will not be as busy as civil airliners.

The history of human manned space flight will indeed enter a new chapter, but there is no reason for the new chapter to start at high speed.

Therefore, the size of this space airport is very small, it is the kind of small airport that can be built within a year.

Even the terminal and hangar of the space airport are smaller than those of a small airport. The only bigger thing is that the 800-meter runway has been expanded to 5000 meters!

In fact, even though the space shuttle returns from space, after it goes through layers of deceleration, the relative speed when its tires touch the runway is only about 350 kilometers per hour, which is only slightly faster than the landing speed of a large passenger aircraft.

However, since the space shuttle does not have devices such as speed brakes like ordinary passenger planes, it can only slow down by releasing parachutes, so the taxiing distance for a safe landing is generally 2000 to 2500 meters.

This distance is actually similar to the landing distance of the world's largest transport aircraft An-225 and the largest civil airliner A380.

However, when landing a space shuttle, one must consider the possibility of a direct and rapid descent from a high altitude, or the failure of the parachute when it is ejected. At this time, the landing speed of the space shuttle may be over 400 kilometers per hour, and the gliding distance may exceed 3000 meters.

But in any case, a 5000-meter runway is more than enough. In comparison, the runway at Kennedy Space Center, where the American space shuttle once landed, and the main runway at Edwards Air Force Base are only about 4500 meters long.

Yes, the space shuttles used to mainly land in these two places, which have little to do with the "Houston" that often appears in science fiction movies, such as "Houston, we're in trouble."

It is the research and development base for the space shuttle and is also responsible for manned space missions in Earth orbit.

But the space shuttle was launched vertically from Kennedy Space Center.

Although the Wooden Kite space shuttle was manufactured at the Blue Star Aerospace Intelligent Manufacturing Base, it has been staying at the space airport since it left the factory.

Whether it is maintenance or repair, or horizontal takeoff and landing, they are all carried out at the space airport.

"I never thought that Binhai would really become the world's aerospace center."

Yu Xingchen said with emotion: "I remember when construction began in 2009, its short-term goal was simply to enhance my country's space launch capabilities, and its long-term goal was to become a world-class space launch center by 2030."

"I never thought that in less than 30 years, next year, in 2020, it would become the world's number one space launch center, albeit with an adjective, but without any dispute."

"In the future, it will become the undisputed world aerospace center, without any need for qualifiers!"

Lu Yun was listening on the side. He knew what the adjective Yu Xingchen was talking about.

The space shuttle will definitely surpass the reusable manned spacecraft, so the title of "the world's number one in Earth orbit manned space capability" must belong to the Binhai Aerospace City.

The reason why it is limited to the Earth is that the American space launch site is used to launch manned lunar missions, which cannot be compared with the Binhai Space City in the past two years.

However, Lu Yun looked into the distance again and saw that not only the launch pad for the Wanhu rocket was under construction, but also the Long March 10 integrated launch tower for launching manned lunar missions was under construction.

But what Yu Xingchen said about being the "undisputed world space center"...

"Hard to say."

"?"

Yu Xingchen turned his head and looked at Lu Yun with a puzzled look: "What's hard to say?"

"Because of Binhai's latitude, the world's space center may be here temporarily, but it is hard to say whether it will be the world's space center for a longer period of time." Lu Yun said, looking at the sky.

"You mean the Americans will surpass us?"

"That's not true."

Lu Yun shook his head. "It's just that I've been discussing the space elevator issue with the crews of The Three-Body Problem and The Wandering Earth 2 recently. If we really want to build one, we have to choose a site on the equator for construction."

"..."

Yu Xingchen was silent for a moment after hearing this. He first looked up at the sky along with Lu Yun, then looked back at Lu Yun strangely: "You...are sure you're just talking about the plot of the movie, right?"

Lu Yun also withdrew his gaze from the sky, but not at Yu Xingchen, but at the south.

"For now anyway."

Hearing this, Yu Xingchen was completely speechless.

The space elevator is not a purely science fiction concept, but just like controlled nuclear fusion, it is still 50 years away from being usable.

But, the person standing next to him was Lu Yun!

"Will I ever be able to see it in my lifetime?"

(End of this chapter)