Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 257 Bezos's Wrath!
The main difference is that the parameters are exactly the same.

Anyone can tell from the comparison that this is not Luna 1, but clearly an F-1 rocket engine.

Under the official Weibo account of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, netizens are all posting the "Let me see your true colors" meme.

(This animation is from the American animated series Scooby-Doo. The blond man in the white shirt and orange scarf is named Fred Jones.)
Add the text "Lunar-1" and "F-1" to the left and right sides of the man on the left.

"Lunar-1? Isn't that just an F-1 with a different name? It's such an obvious case of burying one's head in the sand!"

Science bloggers quickly posted: "The F-1 was an engineering marvel of the 1960s, with a single engine thrust equivalent to several times that of modern rockets."

The fact that China can replicate such an engine demonstrates that we have reached the forefront of the world in heavy-lift rocket technology.

"That's amazing! This means we can build our own Saturn V!"

"Why replicate technology from 60 years ago? Can't we develop a completely new engine?"

"The F-1 has a mature design and reliable performance. Replicating it would allow for rapid technology verification, so why not replicate it?"

"The name of this engine is too subtle. It would be better to just call it F-1.5."

"F-1.5? Why not just call it F-1? Also, cooperate with America's company to sell the F-1. Anyway, the American Smiths need to make money, so why not just have NASA spend $50 billion to start a new project called F-1 engine replication?"

Then, buying it from China only costs 5 billion RMB, resulting in a resale profit of over 300%. That's an incredible windfall!

"Holy crap, I have a feeling NASA would actually do that? They're utterly shameless when it comes to making money."

On Zhihu, the question "Why are the parameters of the 'Lunar-1' engine the same as those of the F-1?" has attracted thousands of answers.

A user claiming to be an aerospace professional wrote: "Although the design of the F-1 is public, its manufacturing difficulty is extremely high, involving precision machining, materials science and combustion stability control. The fact that Huaguo can replicate it shows that, with the assistance of the 'Burning God' (a reference to a specific aerospace technology), the Sixth Academy's manufacturing capabilities have reached the top level."

"No, I know that the God of Burning's undergraduate thesis was on the Apollo moon landing, and the specific name seems to be Apollo Moon Landing Project Analysis."

Isn't your analysis a bit too outrageous, completely exposing the Americans' true colors?

Throughout the 10s, the United States tried every means to replicate the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo moon landing, with the F-1 engine being of paramount importance. Public information shows that they spent at least several hundred million dollars on technology replication.

They used all sorts of advanced technologies, even bringing out some old relics, but they still couldn't replicate one.

"The fact that the 'Burning God' (a nickname for a person) solved the F-1 engine problem simply because that was the research topic makes me think the Americans are going crazy, completely insane."

"To be honest, some people might say that what's the point of technology from the 60s? If it's not meaningful, why would America try so hard to replicate the F-1 engine?"
NASA never gave up its efforts to replicate the F-1 until Musk's Falcon 9 was successfully recovered.

NASA failed to replicate it, but CNSA succeeded. Does that mean neither of them is as smart as netizens?

To put it simply, the successful replication means that China has no more bottlenecks in heavy-lift rockets, and the technological reserves of the Long March 9 heavy-lift rocket have been further deepened.

It's even possible that, following the process of replicating the F-1, they could also replicate the Merlin engine used in the Falcon 9, and consequently replicate the Falcon 9 itself.

In short, if anyone in the US is having trouble sleeping, NASA will have to conduct a thorough investigation from top to bottom to see if there's a mole within the organization. It's really hard to explain without a mole.

Burning God returned to China last year, and in just one year he got F-1 sorted out. NASA is about to play a ghost hunt game.

I'm sure the White House will strongly condemn China, and might even directly crack down on Apollo Technology, and extradite Apollo Technology back to America for investigation.

These are all things they are capable of doing.

Of course, whether extradition means investigation or simply disappearing, or being sent to NASA to help replicate the Apollo moon landing, is another matter entirely.

“F-1的喷射器板有2832个喷孔，燃烧室用Inconel-X750管冷却，涡轮泵每秒输送2.7吨RP-1和4.7吨液氧。

If Luna-1 can replicate these features, it would demonstrate that we have achieved a high level of expertise in nickel-based alloy processing and cryogenic fuel systems.

This is not just a technological breakthrough, but also a symbol of a nation's scientific and technological strength.

On Reddit's r/space forum, a post titled "What does it mean that China's 'Lunar-1' engine parameters are exactly the same as those of the F-1?" quickly became a hot topic and attracted a lot of comments.

User SpaceNerd42 wrote: "This is amazing! The F-1 is a legend in space history, with 150 million pounds of thrust and extremely difficult to manufacture. The fact that China was able to build it shows that their engineering capabilities are second to none."

It was 2021, and China's strength in high-end manufacturing had not yet spread to the outside world.

Even within China, many people don't believe that China's "Made in China 2025" initiative has already largely been achieved.

Another user, RocketFanatic, analyzed: "The F-1 design is public knowledge, and detailed drawings are available in NASA archives. However, turning drawings into a physical product requires cutting-edge materials science and manufacturing processes, which cannot be achieved through simple copying."

There were naturally many doubts and criticisms.

Americans' demand for "winning strategies" is, in some ways, no less than that of Indians.

Getting them to admit the truth is incredibly difficult.

A few individuals may awaken, but as a group, getting them to face reality is extremely difficult.

User TechSkeptic commented: "I'm very curious how they did it. Brazing the Inconel-X750 tubes, drilling the injector plates, and controlling combustion stability for the F-1 are all extremely difficult. Isn't China's ability to copy these designs a bit too strong?"

In the replies, someone joked, "Maybe they bought used F-1 parts on eBay, LOL."

"That's quite possible. I've bought quite a few collectible Apollo moon landing souvenirs on eBay."

But many users seriously discussed: "Even if it's a replica, being able to build a single-combustion chamber engine with 150 million pounds of thrust is a remarkable achievement."

On Twitter, space journalist Eric Berger posted: "China's 'Chandrayaan-1' engine parameters are consistent with the F-1: 150 million pounds of thrust and 263 seconds of specific impulse. This is a major breakthrough for their heavy rocket program."

Could this accelerate the space arms race? America's Artemis program needs to step up its efforts!

Another user, “GeoPolAnalyst,” wrote: “Although the F-1 design has been made public, the fact that China built it so quickly suggests there may be a more complex story behind it.”

These posts sparked heated debates, with some arguing that it was a normal phenomenon of technological progress, while others directly stated that it involved technology theft and needed to be taken seriously.

America's Fox News quickly followed up with a program titled "China's Space Ambition: A Threat to America's Leadership?".

Host Laura Ingram opened by saying, "China has announced a new rocket engine with parameters exactly the same as the F-1 engine used in the Apollo program."

Is this a technological breakthrough or a replication of America's technology? We invited former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and defense expert Michael Griffin to discuss it.

Bridenstine stated, "The design of the F-1 is open, and any country can study it. But manufacturing such an engine requires advanced materials, precision machining, and testing capabilities."

China's success demonstrates that their space program is highly mature.

Ingram pressed further: "But is it possible that they obtained the technology through illegitimate means?"

Bridenstine responded cautiously: "There is no evidence to support this speculation. Although Randolph Lin showed unusual interest in the Apollo moon landing during his time at America, this still cannot be considered evidence."

We should focus on how to maintain America's competitiveness.

This refers to an access log published by Fox News, which shows a familiar name appearing on the visitor lists of several facilities storing Apollo moon landing-related technical archives:

Randolph Lin

Griffin, however, spoke with a firm tone: "China's rapid progress in the space field poses a challenge to the United States. The F-1 was the cornerstone of the United States' successful moon landing. Now that they have built a similar engine, we must re-examine our space strategy."

At the end of the program, Ingram concluded: "This is not just a technical issue, but a national security issue, and we must take action!"

To put it bluntly, Fox's programs habitually criticize the Chinese, asking how they could replicate our technology.

Even making the technical information public isn't enough.

On the other hand, it is criticizing the old man, speaking out for the son of the previous White House occupant, Fred.

Old Deng clearly couldn't handle China; it would have to be Fred's son who came!
CNSA then held a press conference to showcase a model of the Luna-1 engine.

The spokesperson stated, "'Lunar-1' is the result of our years of research and development, drawing on historical designs but incorporating modern materials and technological innovations."

This engine will power heavy-lift rockets such as the Long March 9, supporting future lunar and deep space exploration missions.

This statement further fueled the discussion.

On Reddit, user "SpaceEnthusiast" posted: "CNSA says they've improved materials and processes, but I'd like to know exactly what they changed? Did they use a new alloy or optimize the jets? Isn't this model exactly the same as the F-1?"

Twitter users created a meme that placed images of "Lunar-1" and an F-1 fighter jet side by side, with captions such as "Like father and son" or "History repeats itself," which sparked a wave of reposts.

Musk retweeted and added, "If NASA had given the funding to SpaceX, we would have built the F-1 long ago."

Washington reacted even more strongly.

Senator Ted Cruz posted: "China's copying of the F-1 engine is a wake-up call, and we must conduct a thorough investigation into this matter!"

The House Science Committee also announced that it will hold hearings to discuss the impact of this matter on America.

Domestic media continued to report on it, and CCTV broadcast a special program titled "Lunar-1: A Milestone in China's Space Program".

Experts explained in the program: "The successful test of 'Lunar-1' has verified our top capabilities in the field of single-combustion chamber liquid engines. In the future, this engine will support the Long March 9 rocket and help manned lunar landing and Mars exploration."

On Zhihu, the question "What is the significance of 'Lunar-1' for future space missions?" has sparked heated discussion.

"The F-1 has enormous thrust, making it suitable for the first stage of a heavy-lift rocket. The success of Luna 1 means that we can build rockets similar to the Saturn V to support deep space missions."

"Replicating the F-1 is a technology demonstration, and in the future, we may develop engines with higher thrust, such as those weighing 200 million pounds."

It's not just American netizens who create these images; Chinese netizens do too.

They created a lot of memes, such as placing Luna-1 next to an F-1 engine with the caption "Big Brother, New Brother".

A follow-up report by Fox News quoted an anonymous official as saying, "We need to investigate how China obtained such detailed technical data."

This argument resonated with a large number of American media outlets and Washington lawmakers.

Blue Origin's headquarters in Kent, Washington, is bathed in the blazing sun.

The top-floor conference room of the headquarters building is spacious and bright. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, new Glenn rocket components are being assembled. Huge cranes move slowly, and the busy figures of workers can be seen in and out of sight.

The conference room walls are adorned with Blue Origin milestone photos: New Shepard's first suborbital flight and the BE-4 engine ignition test. Tablets and coffee are laid out on the central table, while a large screen on the wall displays screenshots of the latest news from China's space program: the Luna-1 engine test was successful, with parameters identical to the F-1 engine.

Jeff Bezos walked in, his steps light but his eyes focused.

He scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the screen.

Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith and Vice President of Engineering Dan Christiansen are already seated.

The Dan Christiansen here is not an abstract painter, but a loyal veteran who has been working at Blue Origin since 2007.

Bezos sat down in the head seat, his tone filled with curiosity: "So, China has replicated the F-1 engine? That's big news. What do you think?"

Of course, he wasn't curious about the matter itself, but about Randolph Lin.

He vaguely remembered the name.

Before a fundraising dinner last March, a senator from New York called him and asked to be introduced to Randolph Lin.

The other party indicated that this young man might be of great use to his Blue Origin project.

He didn't think much of it at the time, especially since the virus was prevalent then, and the subsequent fundraising dinner was held online.

This meant that the young man named Randolph Lin was just a passing memory for him, gone as quickly as he came.

The name came up again when the Burning-1 rocket was successfully launched in China. During an internal company discussion about industry developments, Bezos specifically looked up information and confirmed that the chief designer of Burning-1 was the young man he had met in a Zoom meeting.

Furthermore, it was learned that this young Chinese-American named Randolph Lin has also made a great name for himself in the mathematics community in the past six months.

At the time, Bezos only felt a little disappointed, not expecting the other party to be such a talented person.

Unexpectedly, I heard the name again in a replica of the F-1 engine.

Bezos knows the F-1 engine very, very well.

Bezos himself recovered two F-1 engines that had been on missions and crashed to Earth, which were then repaired by Blue Origin and eventually donated to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Bezos's team recovered the two engines in March 2013.

They recovered from Cape Canaveral the thrust chamber, gas generator, injectors, heat exchangers, turbines, fuel manifolds, and dozens of other artifacts.

Bezos later wrote a personal letter to the Museum of Flight: "All of these are very magnificent and powerful evidence of the Apollo program. There is a secret that the ocean will not easily give up: mission identification."

The severe corrosion at the end of the component and underwater for 43 years had removed or obscured most of the original serial number. We knew the conservation team had their work to do when we left Florida, and we've been praying ever since.

Today, I am delighted to share some exciting news with you. One of the restorers who scanned these objects using black light and special lens filters made a groundbreaking discovery—"2044"—printed in black paint on the side of a massive thrust chamber.

2044 is the Rocketdyne serial number associated with NASA number 6044, which was the serial number of the F-1 engine #5 on Apollo 11. The intrepid conservationist continued digging for more evidence, and after removing more corrosion from the bottom of the same thrust chamber, he discovered "Unit No. 2044" imprinted on the metal surface.

(Traces of 2044 on the surface of the F-1 engine recovered by Bezos)

(A clearer image after restoration, mainly showing the F-1 engine serial numbers)
(The F-1 was just salvaged)

Bezos knows the F-1 engine very well, and he once thought about replicating the F-1, but Blue Origin couldn't do it.

Smith adjusted his posture, his tone cautious: "Jeff, this is indeed a milestone. The F-1 is a legend in space history, with a single engine thrust of 150 million pounds, and it was extremely difficult to manufacture."

China's success demonstrates that their engineering capabilities are already very strong.

Dan Christiansen adjusted his glasses and added, "From a technical standpoint, replicating the F-1 requires solving challenges such as the machining of the jet plate, the brazing of the Inconel-X750 alloy, and combustion stability."

Their ability to do this demonstrates that they have reached the pinnacle of materials science and precision manufacturing.

Bezos leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, his gaze shifting between the two men.

He recalled a deep-sea expedition he funded in 2013, in which the wreckage of the F-1 engine from Apollo 11 was salvaged from the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean. Those rusty parts are still on display in a museum in Seattle.

He smiled slightly: "I still remember the scene when we salvaged those F-1 engines. They were like living fossils of history. Now that China has built a brand new F-1, I wonder if we can do the same?"

Smith frowned slightly, his tone hesitant: "Theoretically, we are absolutely capable of replicating the F-1."

The engine we recovered provided valuable physical references, and the team also conducted a detailed analysis of its structure.

But this would require significant resources and could distract us from 'New Glenn' and BE-4.

Dan Christiansen opened his tablet and pulled up a technical report on the F-1 engine, the screen displaying the complex structure of the injector plate.

She pointed to the data and said, "The F-1's gas generator cycle is completely different from our BE-4 staged combustion cycle."

The F-1 uses RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen, with 2832 nozzles on the injector plate and a combustion chamber pressure of 70 bar.

Our BE-4 uses methane fuel and is designed with reusability in mind. Replicating the F-1 would require reconfiguring the production line and might even necessitate new testing facilities to accommodate its scale; the F-1's nozzle diameter exceeds 3.7 meters.

Bezos nodded, his eyes scrutinizing: "But we have modern technology, CNC machining, 3D printing, and advanced simulation software. These should make replication easier, right?"

Dan Christiansen replied, “Indeed, modern technology can improve efficiency.”

For example, we can use laser drilling to process injector plates with higher precision than the drilling machines of the 1960s.

Brazing of Inconel-X750 alloy can also be done using more advanced vacuum furnaces to reduce defects. However, the F-1's design has its unique features, such as copper baffles used to suppress combustion vibrations, which need to be accurately reproduced.

However, replicating the F-1 remains a huge engineering challenge.

Smith cleared his throat and interrupted, "Jeff, I understand the appeal of replicating the F-1, but we have to consider the cost-effectiveness."

The development of BE-4 has already consumed a lot of resources, and the maiden flight of 'New Glenn' is imminent.

Replicating the F-1 could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take years, and its single-use engine doesn't align well with our reusable philosophy.

Bezos's gaze sharpened: "Bob, I understand your concerns."

But think about it: the F-1 was the cornerstone of humanity's moon landing.

If we can replicate it, it will not only be a technological victory, but also a symbolic demonstration that Blue Origin can stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest engineering achievements in history.

Bezos was actually thinking, "If we can replicate the F-1, I'm confident I can get back ten times the money from NASA."

Dan Christiansen thought for a moment: "From an engineering perspective, replicating the F-1 can give us a deeper understanding of the design of high-thrust single-chamber engines."

For example, the F-1's turbopump delivers 2.7 tons of RP-1 and 4.7 tons of liquid oxygen per second, a capability that could inspire our future heavy-duty engine designs.

But from a cost perspective, it's actually unnecessary.

Smith frowned, his tone revealing concern: "Yes, we need to make sure it doesn't affect the main project. If we're going to replicate it, I suggest we do a feasibility study first to assess the resources and time required."

Bezos finally lost his temper and said angrily, "I remember when we pulled the F-1 out of the sea, I asked you if you could replicate it."

Your response to me was that NASA is doing this, and we don't need to.

After NASA's failure, I asked you again whether we should replicate the F-1. You said it was unnecessary, the cost was too high, and the benefits were too small.

NASA wants to replicate it, CNSA wants to replicate it. Historically, the F-1 played a crucial role in the moon landing, but you always find various excuses to shirk your responsibilities.

To put it bluntly, it's not that this matter is meaningless, or that the cost is too high and the return is too low, but rather that you lack the capability.

Randolph could do it, and I've been investing $10 billion every year since 2017, but you can't and keep making excuses!

If Randolph were at Blue Origin, I would kick them out the moment they were fired!
You are all useless!

Bezos launched into a tirade, banging on the table and cursing.

He was filled with regret at that moment, regretting that he hadn't given that young Chinese student a chance back then, which led to the F-1 not being born at Blue Origin.

This is not only about interests, but also about sentiments and emotional value.

For a billionaire like Bezos, the emotional value of replicating the F-1 far outweighs any monetary gain.

In addition, it can also help him have the capital to challenge SpaceX in the aerospace field.

To clarify, Bezos and Musk have a very bad relationship, so bad that they publicly exchange insults on Twitter.

Bezos's Blue Origin was ridiculed by Musk, who mocked Bezos's incompetence and Blue Origin's worthless snacks.

Bezos has never regretted it so much; now it's all ruined.

"Randolph?" Dan Christiansen and Bob Smith exchanged bewildered glances. How could Randolph Lin possibly be at Blue Origin?

The other party has never even been to Washington, D.C., let alone done an internship.

The two were a little confused.

Bezos continued, "Three years. I'm giving you three years. I want to see the F-1 engine at Blue Origin!"

Bezos reacted strongly, and Dan Christiansen and Bob Smith felt it was an undeserved disaster.

If they could have managed to get it done in three years, Blue Origin wouldn't be in this state today.

A gust of wind from China stirred up a hurricane in America.

On the campus of Stony Brook University, State University of New York, Nilanjan Balasubramaniam, who had just received the Board of Trustees Special Award and been promoted to professor, felt like he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

He secured a professorship, had a student who was a math whiz, and even received a large bonus from the board of trustees.

Is there anything more wonderful than this?

As a result, he was taken away by someone from BI in class that morning.

(End of this chapter)