Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 264 Lin Ran's Grand Plan (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"It's beautiful, Professor. It's a masterpiece of human engineering. It's truly stunning."

Humans are insignificant in the face of the Saturn V.

This is awe-inspiring from human creation, a testament to human wisdom.

After hearing Lin Ran's answer, Tim looked at the Saturn V, his mind filled with admiration for the thing.

"So, Professor, aren't you worried about attacks from the outside world?" Tim asked after regaining his composure.

Lin Ran replied, "I think these attacks are all pretty boring."

However, Americans do have a lot of imagination.

Finding Aldrin's son and accusing me of being a liar, an ambitious man, and a thief is quite creative, I think.

I asked Aldrin to help me accomplish the great feat of landing on the moon, while America brought out her son to accuse and denounce me in the media every day.

This is the most important reason why we can replicate the Saturn V while America can only argue online.

They only know how to talk, while I'm a doer.

His children started making a fuss as soon as Aldrin started selling the house.

They used all sorts of creative media outlets to accuse the Chinese of swindling them out of their fathers' life savings.

For Aldrin's children, even if they lost the lawsuit, Aldrin had no other children and was already ninety years old. After his death, the property would eventually be divided among them.

As a result, Aldrin not only sold the house, but also went to China, and even gave all the money to a Chinese company called Apollo Technology.

His children's first reaction was that their father had been scammed.

They even considered coming to China to demand their money back, saying, "How could you spend our money!"

The future is my money, and that's my money too.

It's almost a done deal that $3000 million will be split among everyone. Wouldn't it be great if everyone got six million?
And now it has simply vanished without a trace.

Aldrin's children were utterly devastated.

It's just that China didn't issue them visas, otherwise they really would have come to China to cause trouble.

Since they can't come to China to cause trouble, they'll vent their grievances from across the Pacific Ocean in America.

Accusations against Randolph Lin.

Initially, only a few local tabloids reported on it, and it didn't get much coverage at all.

Later, as Lin Ran and Apollo Technology gradually came into the public eye, Aldrin's children got the opportunity to appear on television as guests, constantly accusing Lin Ran of being despicable and eyeing the money of retired old Deng.

They also pinned labels like liar, thief, and ambitious man on Lin Ran.

Lin Ran was unimpressed by Aldrin's apology; his children were his children, and the two had long since severed ties.

Lin Ran knew very well that letting Aldrin leave his inheritance to him was the biggest blow to these people.

Lin Ran continued, "As for theft, to be honest, why don't other countries and organizations steal?"

Don't you want to?

Doesn't India want to replicate the Saturn V?
Doesn't NASA want to replicate the Saturn V?
If they have a Saturn V, will their Artesius program have to wait until 2024?

If technology is so easy to steal, why don't they have it themselves?
In my opinion, America's accusations are a complete lack of options.

Tim asked, "So do you feel stressed?"
Because Washington keeps sending messages accusing you and Apollo Technologies, attempting to portray you and Apollo Technologies as villains through public opinion.

Lin Ran laughed and said, "I think it's quite amazing. In the past, only Huawei could enjoy this kind of experience, but now we can too."

I think it's great.

Lin Ran found this strange not only. In the 60th timeline, he was America's hero and a professor at NASA, but now he was America's villain and NASA's enemy.

I'm just doing the same thing, even using the same methods, but because of my different position, I get completely opposite evaluations.

This feeling made Lin Ran feel even more amazed.

"Professor, what is your opinion on the moon landing?"
"Because there have been a lot of voices online recently that believe the moon landing was a one-off project with no other significance besides the huge cost, what's your opinion on this?" Tim then asked.

Lin Ran didn't need to guess where such a voice came from: "I think it's very meaningful. Before we go to Mars, we need to accumulate experience by managing the moon."

If we can't even manage the moon, how can we even begin to talk about governing Mars?

Tim immediately became interested. "Oh, you mean we can terraform the moon?"

Lin Ran explained, "Yes and no."

I agree with Musk's point that the essence of spaceflight is still a cost issue.

If the cost of a trip to the moon could be reduced to 100 million RMB, how many people do you think would be willing to go? Does it have any real-world value?
Of course, 1 million RMB is an extreme case. We might first reach 100 million, then 1000 million, and then reduce it to 100 million.

First, there are reusable rockets, such as the Starship that Musk is currently working on. If Starship is successfully developed, with its complete reusability, low launch cost, and high payload capacity, they can reduce the cost per person to between $5000 million and $1 million.

We will build launch vehicles of the same class in the future, and in my opinion, we will even be faster than SpaceX.

Lin Ran pointed to the engines beneath the Saturn V's massive body:
"Tim, do you see the Lunar 1 engine? Its thrust is more than twice that of the Raptor engines used on Starships."

Why does the first stage of Starship use 33 Raptors in parallel? Isn't it because the Raptors don't have enough thrust?
Our Luna 1 has sufficient thrust and does not require so many engines in parallel. Developing a reusable heavy-lift rocket is also much easier for us than for Starship.

On the other hand, China has a natural cost advantage.

The most common saying online is that America spends $10 on a meal, while China spends 10 RMB on a meal.

In terms of production, this translates into a truly unparalleled cost advantage.

The cost advantage here is not just about labor costs, but about the cost advantage across the entire industry chain.

To put it simply, now that we've secured the mission to the moon, the next step is to make moon visits a regular occurrence, turning them into a tourist attraction, and building a small base on the moon.

It gradually expands around the small base.

The most important task here is actually building an electromagnetic launch tower on the moon.

Tim countered, "An electromagnetic transmission tower?"

Lin Ran nodded and said, "That's right. Think about it, we're going to the moon now. We'll use the Saturn V to launch it and then it will enter Earth orbit, change orbit, and go to lunar orbit. The command module will stay in lunar orbit, and the lunar lander will go to the moon."

After reaching the moon, the lunar module will return to lunar orbit, dock with the command module, change its orbit from lunar orbit back to Earth orbit, and finally return to Earth.

Have you noticed that the whole process is very complicated and tedious?
In fact, we could launch it directly back to Earth from the moon.

Launch a rocket directly from Earth, then use a single lunar lander and perform a single orbital maneuver to reach the Moon; there's no need to separate the command module and the lunar lander.

The command module was saved.

Then, the lunar module was launched directly from the moon using an electromagnetic launch tower back to Earth. The electromagnetic launch tower gave it initial velocity, and Hall thrusters were used to change its trajectory midway.

Building an electromagnetic launch tower on the moon has natural advantages.

First, its gravity is only one-sixth that of Earth, and its escape velocity is only 2.38 km/s, while Earth's escape velocity is 11.2 km/s.

In addition, Earth has a thick atmosphere, so air resistance and heating need to be considered. The Moon has no atmosphere, so there are no issues with air resistance or heating.

In the long run, the moon has water, basalt, and more rare metals than Earth.

The basalt on the moon is rich in iron and titanium, while the anorthosite is rich in potassium, rare earth elements and phosphorus. There is no need to worry about pollution when extracting rare earth elements on the moon.

The electromagnetic transmission tower will be built using locally sourced metals. As for the source of electricity, solar energy will be used in the early stages, and nuclear power plants will be built in the long term.

From my perspective, we don't need to rush to Mars at all. What we need to do is first make the moon a forward outpost for humanity's foray into space.

Therefore, I think that humans were already capable of going to the moon 53 years ago, but after entering the 21st century, human footprints have not been set on the moon again. Humans have wasted far too long a time.

Our Apollo Technology's mission to the moon this time has both a romantic element, because we want to go and see the moon, and a long-term plan.

We must make full use of the moon.

Once the snowball starts rolling, we can keep pushing this forward.

Funding comes from space tourism, lunar experiments, and the sale of lunar soil, and we can also do the business that SpaceX is currently doing. In the short term, our goal is to build an electromagnetic launch tower on the bright side of the moon. Once the entire Earth-Moon cycle is sufficiently developed, we will then consider building a launch tower on the far side of the moon.

Since the bright side of the moon faces Earth, while the dark side faces away from Earth, it would be better to launch from the dark side of the moon if we wanted to go to the solar system.

In short, my plan is to complete the overall renovation within ten years.

Tim was completely engrossed in listening.

Ultimately, it comes down to who said it.

Behind it is China's "self-developed" Saturn V, which is scheduled to launch the day after tomorrow.

The incredible feat of building the Saturn V rocket by hand in just one year is right before our eyes. In addition to the Saturn V, we have also independently developed the Burning One rocket, which no domestic private institution can currently handle. The achievements speak for themselves.

Tim thought Lin Ran's grand vision was very feasible.

"Professor, can we really do it within ten years?"

Because I am also familiar with China's space program's plans for a lunar base, their plan is to have a small base by 2035.

"And your idea of ​​a lunar base seems to suggest utilizing the entire moon. Isn't ten years a bit too short a timeframe?"

Lin Ran explained, "Because as a private enterprise, we have less burden and we can focus on our own goals."

China's aerospace industry has many things to consider.

There is a difference between these.

Of course, more importantly, it's because of my existence. I was born to create miracles and lead humanity into the universe. Ever since I realized my talent one day, I've been striving towards this goal.

Tim thought Lin Ran was referring to IQ. "Professor, that's true. From the perspective of the pinnacle of human intelligence, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Newton helped humanity understand, utilize, and master force.

Einstein enabled us to focus our perspective on the atom and even the more microscopic world, shaping the nuclear bomb, a product that has formed the foundation of the international situation over the past few decades.

From an intelligence standpoint, in my opinion, you are absolutely comparable to these two geniuses, so you naturally have your own mission: to lead humanity into the universe, which seems quite reasonable.

Tim had prepared this carefully, and he put it very well.

"And Tim, you know what? Actually, our move outwards was a last resort. It's human nature that forces us to expand; we have no choice but to go outwards to develop," Lin Ran said.

Tim asked curiously, "Why do you say that?"

Lin Ran said, "There are actually a lot of resources on Earth that have not been exploited, and a lot of land that has not been fully developed. However, because there are national distinctions between different regions, and different people have their own interests, it is very difficult to develop these places and utilize these resources."

Instead of confining ourselves to Earth and unnecessarily increasing friction costs, we should go outwards.

America bought Alaska from Russia for $720 million and later annexed Hawaii, making both of these places their overseas enclaves.

Hawaii is 3700 kilometers from the American mainland, and Alaska is 1000 kilometers from the American mainland.

Is it unreasonable for us to want an exclave 32 kilometers away from mainland China?

"It's just that this enclave is perhaps a little bit larger," Lin Ran joked.

Tim was a little dazed, and it took him 3 seconds to react: "Not excessive, of course not excessive!"

The idea of ​​expanding territory really hits a man's sweet spot.

Tim couldn't help but let his imagination run wild as he listened.

"So you're saying this to give us a broader vision?" Tim asked.

Lin Ran smiled and said, "Of course, I know that Bilibili is a platform mainly for young people, and Apollo Technology welcomes all kinds of talents to join us."

The goal I mentioned is ambitious, and the work we need to do is enormous. Right now, we only have about a thousand people, which is far from enough for the work we will be doing in the future.

After completing the lunar landing at the end of this year, we will begin a large-scale expansion, growing at a rate of 10,000 people per year. So, here's a small advertisement: we welcome recent graduates, experienced engineers, and R&D personnel to join Apollo Technology.

The only thing you might worry about is that joining Apollo Technologies means you'll never be able to travel to America again.

Lin Ran smiled wryly when he talked about this.

Tim followed up by asking, "So, Professor, are you worried about the potential influence America might have on Apollo technology?"

Lin Ran said, "I'm not worried because aerospace is different from other fields. We haven't cooperated with America since the Wolf Clause in 2011."

Joint research activities of any kind are prohibited, and all NASA facilities are prohibited from receiving visitors from China.

Tim asked curiously, "This might be a bit sensitive."

Lin Ran gestured for him to speak frankly.

Tim continued, "You just mentioned the Wolf Clause, and recently, major American television stations have presented a great deal of evidence proving that you frequented archives related to the Apollo moon landing."

Lin Ran laughed and said, "The Wolf Clause is for government officials, and I don't work for the Chinese government."

Secondly, I always went to the archives related to the Apollo moon landing through proper procedures. I never broke into any of them, otherwise they would have visitor records with my name on them.

In the end, it comes down to the same question: we made a replica, and if NASA can, they should make one too.

Why are NASA and Musk opting to use 33 Raptor engines in parallel to build the first stage of the F-1? Is it because they don't want to, or because they can't, build the F-1?
If you're willing to pay, I think we could sell you F-1 engines.

After all, the Chinese aren't as stingy as America; if the moon only had Chinese people, I feel it would be a bit too monotonous.

Tim couldn't tell whether Lin Ran's words were sincere or sarcastic.

He asked cautiously, "Professor, is it true that you can sell F-1s to them?"

Lin Ran nodded and said, "Of course it's true, that's what you call vision."

I think it's true that the game on the moon shouldn't be a game where China is the only country involved.

I think the space program during the US-Soviet rivalry was very successful and healthy; it was a result of competition.

With NASA and SpaceX ahead of us, we have the motivation to catch up.

I think it would be a bit boring if they couldn't catch up at all.

There's a saying that goes, "How empty and lonely it is to be invincible."

The 60s left a deep imprint on Lin Ran's way of thinking, and he sincerely hoped that the places he had worked in were not so useless.

How did NASA fall so low so quickly!

Little did he know that NASA was just as incompetent before he joined the company.

"So, Professor, there are rumors circulating that you want to unify the entire private aerospace market. What do you think of this claim?" Tim continued.

This was his own doing; Tim's identity is well-known—his father is a senior executive under Alibaba.

The private aerospace companies invested in by Alibaba include LandSpace, iSpace, and Arrow Technology.

This was a question his father had made him ask. If Lin Ran was going to do that, then Ali would have to run away as soon as possible.

Lin Ran nodded and said, "Of course, we have the capability and I also have the desire. For Apollo Technology to achieve my goal, it naturally needs revenue and profit. Isn't the most mature business model on the market right now helping with launches?"
Next year, a reusable rocket based on the Burning 1 should be launched, and we will sweep the entire commercial launch market, swallowing up all the market share.

When Lin Ran brought this up, he revealed a cold and ruthless side to Tim.

“Professor, none of these companies will survive,” Tim said.

Lin Ran said expressionlessly, "With Apollo Technology, they no longer have any reason to exist. As for their employees, those who are capable can naturally come to Apollo Technology."

Tim sensed the presence of a strong person in the other person.

After Tim's interview, Lin Ran was making final preparations in his office in Wenchang that evening when someone knocked on the door. Lin Ran knew who it was and said:
"Please come in."

A young man who looked remarkably like John Morgan walked in and said in fluent Chinese, "Professor, what do you want? A price of 10 billion US dollars a year is indeed too high."

Lin Ran was somewhat dazed. "The NASA administrator, I guess."

　It's not too much to ask for monthly votes for these two chapters, right?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)