Chapter 274 MSP
Hexagon.
In the AAF Air Force Intelligence Research Room, Michael Carey summoned NACA Director Claire again.
Carey's face was more serious than ever before, which gave Claire a bad feeling.
The intelligence analyst put a stack of photos on the table and explained to Claire what happened:
"Three hours ago, an RC135 at the Okinawa base accidentally caught up with the entire process of an H1 space shuttle entering orbit using an air launch.
The Aeronautical Development Commission's external announcement was very brief, but we took all the photos and videos."
Claire picked up a photo, which showed the Lightning combination just separated from the An-1250. He knew from the color of the tail flame that the Lightning's engine must be liquid hydrogen fuel.
Since the Aeronautical Development Commission and Xinyuan have not released more information for the time being, they don't know the name of the Lightning now, but only marked it with an "H1X" reference.
"MAKS" Claire said a letter combination after a moment of hesitation.
"This is the former Alliance's MAKS, the Multi-Purpose Aerospace Program, which uses large transport aircraft to launch space shuttles with external disposable fuel tanks. The Chinese have revived them.
Well... yes, they have large enough transport aircraft, and the space shuttle is also ready. The H1X has been slightly modified, that's it."
Carey: "I know this, did you notice that the H1X was launched in the Pacific Ocean."
Claire: "The An-1250 can take it anywhere, and it can freely choose the launch site, which is good."
Carey: "Obviously, the X37B is behind again. I think air launch by aircraft is cheaper and more convenient than rockets, right?"
Claire: "Of course, each large transport aircraft is a movable launch station, and the maximum launch mass of the X37B is only about 10 tons. If the fuel tank is about 120 to 160 tons, then the C5 transport aircraft can launch it. .
So, you want this? ”
“H1X is unmanned,” the intelligence analyst answered for Carey:
“We think this should be a civilian launch mission, but obviously China’s X37B or something else can also be launched in this way, unmanned or manned. The size of H1X has not changed much, and the launch mass is definitely more than 15 tons.
Do you remember the MiG-105? A real air-space fighter, about the same size as H1X but can carry people. The X37B does not have such potential, but the Dream Chaser is closer. ”
Carey: “We hope to develop an unmanned space fighter larger than the X37B based on the Dream Chaser, and we also need to develop manned ones. The survivability and convenience of air launch are very much needed by the Air Force. Tell me, how long will it take?”
Claire thought for a while, holding the photos on the table and thinking carefully, thinking about how to develop Aramco’s MAKS with existing equipment.
The transport aircraft C5 is enough. The T-tail is not as good as the H-tail of the An-1250, and it may be burned by the tail flame of the space shuttle, so it must be ignited after a while after releasing the assembly, which will waste a little speed, but it is not a big problem.
The modification of C5 needs to be asked to Boeing, but it should be enough to carry a mass below 200 tons.
The fuel tank is easy to deal with, and the technology of the old space shuttle can be easily solved there.
Finally, there is the space shuttle. The weight of the Dream Chaser is very suitable, but it needs some modification, which should not be too difficult.
Claire finally raised a finger:
"In one year, we developed the air-launched Dream Chaser system based on C5, which is already very fast. This project requires the participation of Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Rocketdyne. The quotation... I think $10 billion can complete it."
Carey: "Then we will name it Multi-purpose aerospace program (Multi-Purpose Aerospace Program, MSP), damn, we were so pessimistic about the space shuttle before, but now we keep doing all kinds of space shuttles.
NSTS, FATS and MSP, the Air Force's funds will be squeezed dry by your space agency. "
Claire: "It may be a mistake to give up the space shuttle, but we are correcting these mistakes, right? And NACA is busier than you think, sir. H2M Pioneer will be launched tomorrow, but our SLS will take another half a month.
To be honest, the main force of MSP will be Boeing, and NACA has no more energy. "
…
"Secret weapons exposed, space planes are coming!"
"The International Oceanographic Institute's discarded fuel tanks will cause serious pollution to the Pacific Ocean, causing heavy metal content to exceed the standard."
"The Pentagon spokesman expressed serious concern about the An-1250's space shuttle launch in the South Pacific."
"Xinyuan: The Lightning is a commercial launch vehicle and has no military use."
"The MAKS plan is revived, will the MiG-105 be reborn in China?"
The Aeronautical Development Commission's performance on the Lightning launch was bland and there was little content in the announcement, but Ame got a lot of images and videos of RC135 and began to hype it up online.
They directly regarded the Lightning as a product of the Shenlong plan, and seriously simulated the Lightning being chased by the An-1250 and shot down by the satellite.
The Ame Air Force also initiated an emergency bill in Congress, took out the MSP plan to benchmark the Lightning, and boasted about the air launch system.
Like the FATS plan, the MSP plan's advantages of mobile launch and low cost instantly became the future commanding heights in the mouth of the US military. Media everywhere envisioned various terrible scenes and brought out the MAKS plan during the Alliance period as evidence.
Xinyuan did come out to refute the rumor and explain the purpose of the Lightning, but no one believed it, not even its own people.
The outside world gave the Lightning the title of an aerospace plane. After all, the Lightning does not throw booster rockets, and it flies to space entirely on its own power, which can barely be regarded as an aerospace plane.
The domestic reaction was only surprise and pride. After all, the Lightning was launched on the 27th, and the Pioneer was about to make its first flight on the 30th. The first flight of two new space shuttles in one month seemed to be stronger than the A-Mi during the Cold War?
However, for other contestants, what they felt was a strong sense of tearing.
Yuri Borisov just got off the plane in Qiongzhou, and he will be invited to watch the first unmanned flight of the Pioneer.
As the director of RKA, he came to China again for a purpose. Compared with the last visit, Russia's economic momentum has improved a lot. With the funds obtained from India, RKA has officially decided to start the demonstration of the manned lunar landing project plan.
It is obviously unrealistic to compete with China and the United States, which love and hate each other across the Pacific Ocean. Russia is still more cautious now. It plans to spend little money to do big things and save a little to land on the moon at about the same time as Europe.
The lunar base cooperation agreement reached with CASA before was relatively general and hasty. This time it is much more detailed. For example, it can discuss which specific parts will be manufactured and launched by Russia, so as to adjust the rocket development plan.
As a result, as soon as he landed, he heard that the MAKS plan that the Alliance failed to achieve was actually realized by them. Yuri immediately felt a blockage in his heart.
That's all the Alliance, all our Russia's creativity!
Yuri also came with Yevgeny Mikrin, the former chief designer of the Union rocket engine. The latter participated in the development of the main engine of the Energia rocket and part of the MAKS, and felt more deeply.
Once upon a time, Lucia was able to carry out space programs so frequently, producing spacecraft like sausages, but now it can't even afford to reproduce its past achievements.
Micklin is 70 years old. He is currently leading the research and development of Lucia's new generation of reusable rockets, but the biggest problem is not technology at all, but the funds that are completely unreliable.
How to catch up with the world's cutting-edge level with limited funds is a problem.
The state is a bit bad... sneak attack!