Chapter 727 Tacit Understanding
On August 1, the third day after Lin Ju got married, the first Type 055 ship began sea trials and was ready to be handed over to the navy.
On the afternoon of the same day, a representative initiated a proposal to clarify the definition of "shuttle" spacecraft and proposed to establish domestic review standards for nuclear-powered aircraft.
The next day, the "Proposal on Expanding the Application Scope of Space Planes and Strengthening Space Launch Forces" was submitted, requiring the continued increase in the number of space planes in service.
It requires that within three years, no less than 25 Tengyun series and modified space planes and no less than 8 nuclear-powered space planes/shuttles be purchased, and half of all models will be handed over to the Air Force, with a total budget of 200 billion yuan.
After this proposal was submitted and caused heated discussions, rumors immediately spread that the central government intended to initiate reforms in the military again, shift the future construction center to space, and build an integrated space and air attack and defense system, officially announcing the establishment of the Space Force for the first time.
In the following week, when people were discussing this huge space plane plan and the content of the Space Force, Amy suddenly broke big news:
On August 10, the Pentagon submitted a bill to Congress, requesting the reorganization of the Space Force (an independent military branch, but more like the Space Force) formed in February (the original world line was June) with the Air Force, and merging part of the Air Force into the Space Force.
The bill also claimed that the Space Force is the focus of the future, requiring it to be the center of future construction, and submitted a plan to purchase 10 "Super Starship" spacecraft.
The "Super Starship" is a nuclear-powered interstellar spacecraft that has just begun to be designed. The Pentagon now proposes to place an order for 10 ships for future deep space exploration to form a scientific expedition fleet.
At the same time, the SSTO space plane under development was also mentioned, and a huge order of 55 aircraft was called out at one time.
The two major powers expressed their great enthusiasm for the Space Force one after another, which made the whole world a little confused.
In mid-August, after a UN General Assembly meeting, the representative of the United States said that the existence of the "Space Force" violated the principle of demilitarization of space, and hoped that the relevant parties would not continue to increase the enthusiasm for the military presence in space.
After this statement, Lucia and Dai Ying followed suit and expressed their agreement, but the "relevant parties" did not respond.
At about the same time, the Endeavour made its first unmanned lunar-to-earth voyage, taking only 75 hours for a round trip, which doubled the time in the past.
In late August, the opinion on expanding the production of aerospace planes was passed. Almost at the same time, the A-American Space Force reform proposal was also approved, and Congress began to discuss the specific number of "Super Starships" and SSTOs to be purchased.
The entire August was spent in a tacit understanding of the two sides of the Pacific Ocean constantly grabbing the heat. During this period, United Mining quietly carried out 9 launch missions to the moon and sent the remaining 3 cabins of the Yushu base. Since then, all 6 cabins of the Yushu base have been in place, with a total weight of more than 150 tons, becoming the largest inhabited base on the moon.
The expansion of the "Utu" space station has been completed, and the operating mass exceeds 300 tons. The remaining launch missions are to deliver equipment and supplies to prepare for the third explosion plan in September.
The third explosion plan will use 15 million tons of hydrogen bombs, all of which are old models of domestic second-generation warheads, so the deployment and explosion processes are very simple, and the time is set on September 9.
On September 1, NACA launched the second "Origin" lander to the Gateway space station and announced the manned lunar landing plan in mid-to-late September:
The next mission will be Artemis VII and Artemis VIII, and all 6 members will carry out the lunar landing operation.
Among them, Artemis VII will be launched at the Kennedy Space Center, and Artemis VIII will be launched at the Starship launch pad in Boca Chica, with a launch interval of less than 12 hours.
The reason why so many people were sent there was due to two technological breakthroughs:
NACA produced the first passive slim-fitting exoskeleton space suit similar to "Kaituo I", replacing the previous "potato";
Bigelow announced that it had manufactured a practical permanent inflatable cabin, and also produced versions for use in the space station and on the lunar surface.
This type of inflatable cabin has a fixed shape after inflation, and the gas supporting the cabin will react with other reactants to solidify into a foam-like substance, forming a permanent support around the cabin wall.
It is not too large when compressed, and the "Origin" lander can just fit it. The first lunar inflatable cabin can provide 12 square meters of space and is the first practical cabin of the Columbus Camp.
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On September 4, the conference passed the exhaust environmental protection standards for nuclear-powered space shuttles. On the same day, the NPAE "Everest" joint engine obtained an atmospheric flight license.
"For this little card, we waited for almost two months!"
Shelev received the approval document airlifted and was quite satisfied with the "A" on it.
In the formulation of the exhaust standards for nuclear-powered atmospheric aircraft, five levels from A to E were set based on the content of radioactive residues in the exhaust gas and the half-life. Only at least level C can fly freely in the atmosphere and apply for routes according to the standards for ordinary aircraft.
The approval of this standard proposal in one month is already very fast, because unlike other proposals, it is not easy for the public to accept a nuclear reactor flying overhead, let alone a group of reactors.
This standard was formulated by inviting well-known people from all walks of life to work together. Its requirements can definitely be described as strict. It was only with the efforts of the public opinion machine that the majority of representatives were barely convinced to pass it.
The Enterprise's transition flight in July was actually a "black flight". After that, it was tested at the Second Experimental Base in the northwest. It only conducted flight tests below 6,000 meters and did not break through the atmosphere.
Since they were mainly cooperating with the military, both Serev and Androv took turns to supervise the scene. During this period, they had already thought of many improvement plans, but they still looked forward to a flight through the atmosphere.
When the Beijing standard proposal had just been passed, he couldn't wait to start preparations for takeoff - in fact, according to the design standards of the Enterprise, if the computer self-test passed and the fuel was sufficient, it could take off, and only one detailed inspection was required after 10 cross-atmospheric takeoffs and landings. .
The ground crew opened the door of the bunker-style hangar. Serev had already walked to the door before the flight crew. When he approached, the AI completed the identity authentication and automatically opened the door.
Under the stunned gazes of the flight crew and ground staff, Serev took off his baggy jacket and trousers, directly revealing the brown-green jumpsuit underneath. Only then did the others realize that the boots he was wearing were also one piece, and they instantly understood what he was going to do.
"Chief Commander, you can't thank Chief Commander!"
Meng Senlin, a former astronaut and current Space Force shuttle pilot, immediately rushed forward. However, Serev had already thrown away his clothes and jumped into the Enterprise. By the time Meng Senlin entered, he had already fixed his helmet around his neck. The AI was conducting system self-test under his command, and the colorful indicator lights turned on and off regularly.
Serev fixed the headset and the voice came out through the speaker:
"I know this shuttle better than you do. Even the boss of Xinyuan will get on the shuttle to test it. This is my responsibility.
Enterprise, confirm Commander Meng Senlin’s driving authority! "
The Enterprise's computer responded immediately, controlling the seat in front of the console to slide and rotate on the floor in a very user-friendly manner, accurately stopping next to Meng Senlin, and even thoughtfully lighting up the warning light in the helmet storage area to remind the other person not to forget it.