Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 61: Implicit Rules of the Spacecraft Design Competition
"Then let's take a step back and spend 50 million to buy two Atlas rockets from Convair and then do an orbital docking?"

Lin Ran used his hands to simulate an aircraft, holding them together in the air:
"Look, the aircraft has completed docking in the air.

Regardless of the plan, if you want to go to the moon, you can't avoid rocket docking. If we can take the lead in this technology, NASA will definitely not be able to avoid us unless they reinvent the wheel."

John Morgan said, "Brother, you should think of something else.

The Atlas rocket is derived from the SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile, which was deployed by the Air Force in previous years.

According to the information I know, the cost of a single coin is about 500 million US dollars, and if it is sold, it will cost at least million US dollars.

In addition, we cannot buy it at all. Although it is produced by Convair, the ownership and use rights of this strategic weapon are in the hands of the federal government.

So forget it, let’s get the order from NASA first.”

During this period, Lin Ran went to General Aerospace every now and then. The plan was about to be submitted to NASA. It would be funny if it didn't pass the first round.

During this process, Lin Ran met Jim, an engineer poached by John Morgan from Glenn Martin Company. To be more precise, the chief engineer, Jim Chamberlin.

This person is also a famous person, he is a Maple Leaf national.

In February 1959, the Maple Leaf Country suddenly announced the cancellation of the Arrow rocket project. This news caused 2 employees at the aerospace factory near Toronto, Ontario to lose their jobs.
It also led to the departure of Jim Chamberlin, the chief aerodynamicist for the CF-105 fighter.

He initially worked for Glenn Martin. After Glenn Martin's project was not selected, he joined NASA and became the chief engineer of the manned space projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo. He was regarded by the Maple Leaf Americans as a symbol of talent drain to America.

Because of Lin Ran's appearance and the split of General Aerospace, Jim's fate took a turn. John Morgan poached him from Glenn Martin to General Aerospace as chief engineer.

"Randolph, why did you think of adding 13 tons of liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen propellant and three LR-3 engines to transform the lifting body design into a blunt body reentry design?" Lin Ran came to the company with great difficulty, and Jim almost seized every opportunity to communicate with him.

Before, Lin Ran was in Hong Kong and could only communicate with them remotely. The efficiency was too low and many questions could not be fully answered.

Jim Chamberlin's view of Lin Ran also changed from scrutiny to admiration.

At first, he thought that as a master of mathematics, the other party could only give some advice from a mathematical perspective. He couldn't understand where the other engineering colleagues' worship of Lin Ran came from.

In this day and age, it is not easy to gain the admiration of white engineers.

Later, as remote communication progressed and the project progressed, he was really impressed. The other party was indeed much stronger than him. This strength was not in any particular aspect, but in the overall grasp.

Compared with the plan he originally thought of, the current plan is superior in all aspects, even the aesthetics of the design is ahead.

Lin Ran explained: "What we are going to do is a moon landing mission, not a moon circumnavigation mission.

The entire spacecraft needs to land on the lunar surface, so the additional 13 tons of liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen propellant and three LR-3 engines provide the descent capability.

The lifting body design was not chosen because it requires too many control processes.

Too many control processes means an increase in links, and an increase in links means risks. We need to keep it as simple as possible and reduce the technical difficulty rather than increase it.

The design here helps the landing module withstand the impact of the lunar landing, including the strengthening of the structures of the command module and the mission module.

The entire mission process transitions from simple orbital maneuvers to complex descent and possible ascent phases.

In this case, you need to consider both descent and ascent, and designing it with a lifting body is not only more complicated, but also heavier and requires a rocket with greater thrust. This is also a potential failure point."

Lin Ran looked directly at Jim with sharp eyes, full of confidence in what he said.

It would be strange if he wasn't confident, after all, he was very familiar with the Apollo program.

I don’t know how much historical data I have read.

It’s almost like participating in person.

"If we pass the initial review, we will then optimize the system and consider the distribution of propellant to balance the thrust requirements during the descent and ascent phases."

"The modification here is to make the T-410's re-entry moderately controllable. You see, the reason why we have to add four aluminum alloy control flaps and a composite heat shield made of ablative material and high-temperature alloy is to ensure that the solar panels are not exposed and can continue to power the spacecraft in space."

"Pair these two electronics and propulsion modules. In addition to the electronics for a manned lunar spacecraft, we also need engines and liquid fuel.

Ensure the T-410 is sent en route to the Moon using the lower stage attached to the rocket adapter.

That’s enough to actually land on the moon.”

Jim looked at Lin Ran with admiration, and Lin Ran thought to himself that none of this mattered. What mattered was getting the approval of Maxime Feigit, chief designer of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center.

The implicit rule of any spacecraft design competition, judging by declassified documents on the history of the Apollo moon landings, is that what Maxime Feigit wants, Maxime Feigit gets.

Maxime Feigit has been given an implicit veto power by NASA.

Nothing else matters.

John F. Kennedy won the election on November 1960, 11.

After winning the election, the other party gave a speech.

That Christmas, Professor Horkheimer returned to Frankfurt to see old friends, while John Morgan spent the New Year with his family at the family villa.

After Huang Yunji, the editor-in-chief of the Chinese American Daily, learned that Lin Ran was alone, he strongly invited him to his home to celebrate the New Year, saying that he was also alone.

Unfortunately, NASA's preliminary bidding has ended, General Aerospace has entered the semi-finals, and Lin Ran has also accepted the first round of investigation from relevant federal departments.

This was the first round of investigation, and after the investigation, the other party told him clearly that he would need to communicate with them in advance for any future departure from the country.

In order not to cause trouble to Huang Yunji, Lin Ran declined. After all, the other party's identity and work unit were extremely sensitive.

He had planned to go to Times Square in New York City to spend Christmas and the last day of 1960 there.

Just like when I came here, I stood in the center of Times Square, witnessed by the neon ball with the words 1961 on it, and there happened to be countless doors near Times Square.

But he didn't expect that Fred would invite him to his home to spend Christmas. Lin Ran thought it was so interesting.

(End of this chapter)