Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 281 Burning One Modified (1 views, please vote!)

Since the Apollo moon landing, questions about Apollo technology and Lin Ran have increased exponentially on Zhihu.

Especially in the aerospace sector, many netizens are comparing Apollo Technology with SpaceX.

Both sides have their supporters.

The core argument of SpaceX supporters is that the Falcon 9 made history, and only SpaceX in the world can handle reusable rockets.

While Apollo technology is impressive, it builds upon the work of predecessors and is not entirely original.

Over the past few decades, China has seen far too many examples of this kind of knock-off technology development.

Apollo technology enthusiasts, however, will cling to the moon landing, claiming it was the first of its kind in the 21st century. But if copying were truly that easy, why don't so many other space agencies do it? Why doesn't SpaceX send astronauts to the moon? Is it because they don't want to?
The two sides were arguing fiercely in the aerospace section of Zhihu.

However, both sides agree that Apollo Technologies will eventually be able to develop reusable rockets; it's just a matter of time.

One year, three years, or five years.

SpaceX’s most loyal supporters believe that, under Lin Ran’s leadership, Apollo Technologies could develop a Chinese version of a reusable rocket within five years at most.

As for the aircraft carrier forum on Baidu Tieba, the question of how long it will take for Apollo Technology to develop a reusable rocket has become a hot topic.

Every day, you can see posts about it from various angles.

"You say that once you achieve success and fame, you lose the motivation to strive? I've seen many successful people lose that motivation after achieving unimaginable success. Will the same be true for Ran Shen?"
I feel that given his looks and fame, the temptations he faces must far exceed those of other wealthy individuals of his caliber.

Does anyone know anything about the latest progress of SpaceX's Combustion One retrofit? Why is there no news?

"Where's the documentary team from Bilibili? They're done filming the moon landing, huh? I'd like to know more about Apollo Technologies' progress in developing reusable rockets!"

"Honestly, aren't reusable rockets more difficult to develop than the Saturn V?"

"Actually, everyone only needs to focus on one indicator, which is the withdrawal of investment from the investors behind these domestic commercial aerospace institutions, especially leading state-owned investment funds such as Shenzhen Capital Group, China Development Bank Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, and Yangtze River Aerospace Industry Fund. They have the best access to information and are the main players in the private aerospace sector in recent years."

If Apollo Technologies makes any progress on its reusable rockets, these funds will definitely be the first to run away. They're state-owned enterprises themselves, so they'll definitely be the first to get the news.

The Chinese people also have a need for the study of winning, and everyone hopes that China can continue to win, and winning mahjong would be the best.

Therefore, after the moon landing, everyone was eager to develop reusable rockets as soon as possible, since it wasn't exactly a new concept; the Falcon 9's 1.0 version was successfully developed in 2010.

People have full confidence in Apollo Technology. With its existing technology and successful cases, Apollo Technology can definitely replicate it for you.

However, no one expected that it wouldn't be five years or three years, but one year. This year, Apollo Technologies will have completed the development of reusable rockets.

At Apollo Technologies' temporary office at the rocket test center, the team was organizing the massive amount of information generated by the seven YF-102 engines they had just received.

The entire data collection process is relatively complex. It not only requires measuring the total thrust generated by the rocket engine through force sensors installed on the test stand, but also requires a complete data acquisition system to record the thrust change curve of each engine over time in real time to ensure uniform thrust distribution.

The measurements go far beyond thrust; they also include combustion chamber pressure, propellant dosage, temperature of various components, rocket vibration and noise levels, and more.

On the huge screen, data streams flowed like a waterfall.

The data mentioned above are all structured data, which means data that can be processed by programs.

Modern rocket testing also includes video data. That's right, rocket developers use high-speed cameras to capture visual information about the testing process, including flame jets, engine operating status, and any abnormal phenomena.

These videos are helpful for subsequent analysis and cross-validation of data.

Therefore, compared to the 1960s, the current working mechanism is more complex and more complete.

This reflects both technological advancements and conceptual progress.

The room was filled with whispers and the sound of keyboards clicking.

"Alright, everyone," Lin Ran's calm voice cut through the noise in the room, "Let's begin. Engineer Li, please summarize the test results for us first."

Li Gong is not Li Rui. Li Rui works on orbital calculations. The Li Gong here is named Li Bin, the same name as Li Bin of NIO. He was formerly an engineer at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and later became the chief engineer of a private aerospace institution. He recently approached Apollo Technology and joined the company after three rounds of screening.

After joining the company, he quickly became the chief engineer of the propulsion system due to his extensive experience.

Li Bin, in his early forties, has a keen eye for technology: "From real-time monitoring, all seven engines ignited smoothly and burned stably."

The total thrust met expectations, with no obvious anomalies.

Lin Ran nodded, but his gaze shifted to data analyst Wang Lei.

Wang Lei was engrossed in his computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard, and various charts constantly switching on the screen.

"Engineer Wang, is the thrust data ready?"

“It will be ready soon, Professor,” Wang Lei replied.

The main screen switches to the thrust curve graph, where the seven lines almost perfectly overlap, with the thrust of each engine stabilizing at around 835 kN, and the total thrust reaching 5845 kN.

“Looks good,” Li Bin said softly, but then frowned and examined the curve carefully. “Are there any fluctuations?”

Wang Lei zoomed in on the chart, saying, "The fluctuations are all within the tolerance range, with a maximum deviation of less than 0.5%."

Lin Ran asked, "What about the combustion chamber pressure?"

Wang Lei switched to the pressure data and said, "The pressure of each engine is stable at 12.5 MPa, with no abnormal fluctuations."

Finally switching from imperial units to metric units, Lin Ran didn't feel any difference, but the other members of the team felt much more used to it.

A low murmur of relief rippled through the crowd in the conference room.

Stable pressure means an efficient and safe combustion process, which is one of their most important indicators. Pressure fluctuations may indicate unstable combustion or propellant supply problems, which is one of the most common types of problems encountered by other countries in developing reusable rockets.

"What's the temperature data?" Lin Ran continued to ask, knowing that any overheating could damage the materials and delay the entire plan.

Wang Lei pulled up the temperature curve, "The nozzle temperature reached a maximum of 1200 degrees Celsius, which is far below the material limit. The thermal protection system performed well, and the structural temperature was also within a safe range."

The purpose of confirming that the temperature of critical components is within a safe range is to avoid overheating or material damage. For example, excessively high nozzle temperature may indicate a failure of the cooling system.

"What about the propellant flow rate? Does the mixing ratio meet the design requirements?" Lin Ran asked.

"The liquid oxygen to kerosene mixing ratio is 2.6:1, the flow rate is stable, and there is no blockage or cavitation," Wang Lei replied confidently.

Just then, the young engineer Liu Haibo raised his hand, his voice slightly hesitant, "Professor, I noticed that the thrust of the No. 4 engine dropped slightly around the 60-second mark. It was very brief, but I would like to mention it."

The room fell silent instantly, and all eyes were on him.

Lin Ran made a quick decision: "Engineer Wang, zoom in on that data."

Wang Lei quickly operated the controls, and the screen displayed the thrust curve of the fourth engine.

Sure enough, at 60 seconds, the thrust dropped by about 2%, and returned to normal after two seconds.

Li Bin frowned and approached the screen. "This could be a temporary disturbance in the fuel line. Let's look at the corresponding pressure and flow data."

Wang Lei pulled up the relevant data and found that "there were no abnormalities in pressure and traffic during this period."

Countless possibilities flashed through Lin Ran's mind: sensor malfunction? fuel bubbles? or a design flaw?
In times like these, experience comes in handy. If there is video footage that can quickly pinpoint the problem, then there must be a solution, Lin Ran firmly believes.

"Is there any video recording? Let's see what happened," Lin Ran asked.

Technician Xiao Chen quickly played the video from the high-speed camera. On the screen, the flame of the fourth engine was stable, with no abnormal spray or color change.

“It doesn’t look like a hardware problem.” Li Bin breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s probably a transient fluctuation in fuel flow. This happens occasionally in single-engine testing and is usually harmless.”

Lin Ran decisively said, "Compare it with the simulation model and see if it predicted this phenomenon."

Wang Lei opened the simulation results. "The model shows that there may be brief thrust fluctuations caused by tiny air bubbles in the fuel line, but they are all within a safe range."

Lin Ran nodded and said, "Okay, record it. If it happens again in subsequent tests, we will investigate further."

The team continued to analyze the remaining data, including vibration levels and structural stress.

Vibration data indicate that the rocket structure remained stable during ignition without resonance.

Vibration data can help identify potential structural fatigue or engine instability issues.

Why do starships keep exploding? The resonance caused by too many engines cannot be resolved.

The deployment mechanisms for the landing legs and grid fins also passed testing, although they were not actually used in static ignition.

After more than an hour of analysis, Lin Ran finally spoke, "I believe this test was a complete success. All parameters are within the design range, and we can move on to the next stage."

"Now, everyone, we can begin preparing for the suborbital test," Lin Ran concluded.

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the control room, and the tense atmosphere was replaced by joy.

The engineers high-fived each other, sharing the sense of accomplishment from this milestone. For the engineers who were deeply involved in the modification of the Burning No. 1, another first in China was about to be born in their hands.

From the very first privately-owned medium-sized rocket, Burning-1, to China's first Saturn V, and now to China's first reusable rocket, the adjectives preceding "first" have become fewer and fewer each time.

As April approached, the Burning-4 rocket was scheduled for its first suborbital launch. Lin Ran said to Li Rui in his office, "Engineer Li, this suborbital launch is in your hands. It's impossible for me to personally go to Wenchang for every rocket launch."

Li Rui felt both excited and nervous. He was excited because this was clearly a good opportunity to train.

As Apollo Technology is a rapidly expanding company, Li Rui sees double-digit numbers of new employees joining the company's group chat almost every day.

This is a thriving, hopeful, and promising company.

At the same time, this company has countless vacancies from senior executives to middle managers to grassroots managers.

Because Apollo technology is so technologically advanced, these vacancies cannot be filled by just anyone parachuting in.

Even if you have a powerful background and are parachuted in, you won't be able to stay if you don't understand the job and can't even solve a simple employee's problem. What kind of manager are you?
So everyone was full of enthusiasm, and Li Rui was no exception, wanting to seize this opportunity.

What made him nervous was that this was his first time presiding over a rocket launch. Lin Ran had never failed before; this was not just Lin Ran's slogan, but a fact witnessed by countless people.

Neither Burning 1 nor Saturn V ever failed.

If you go by yourself and fail on your first try, putting aside whether you should take the blame for the failure, just the fact that you fail on your first try and don't get a good start makes it even more difficult for you to get another chance in the future.

Don't say that tech companies aren't superstitious.

Tech companies are just as superstitious. Don't you see that even 4V tech companies put "goodies" on their equipment before large-scale production?

This is a puffed corn snack, and they must also display the green-packaged, creamy coconut flavored one.

For any electronic device, including computers, production instruments, and even laboratory equipment, they will put a bag of protective gear to guard it, claiming, "One bag for you, one bag for me, and the machine will obediently not malfunction."

In 2016, TSMC's Fab 14A in the Southern Science Park was severely damaged by an earthquake, but it quickly restored its production capacity. The plant manager specially made 5000 packs of green baby food and gave them to the employees as encouragement.

(TSMC Limited Edition Cute)
This has become a custom.

Therefore, superstition may be even more prevalent in the technology industry.

If your launch fails on the first try, even if it's not your problem, you might lose all future opportunities to participate.

I can't help but be nervous.

The Wenchang launch site was shrouded in a thin mist, and sunlight shone through the clouds onto the rocket standing on the launch pad, reflecting a metallic luster.

In the control room in Wenchang, the light from the screens illuminated the faces of the engineers, each of them completely absorbed.

This is the first launch without Lin Ran present.

This time, they will conduct the first suborbital test of the Burning-1 modified rocket, with the goal of getting the first stage of the rocket to rise to 10 kilometers and then return safely to verify its reusability.

Bilibili broadcast the entire event live. Despite it being a weekday, the live stream still attracted a large number of viewers. Reusable rockets were still a very rare sight in China at that time.

"Check in!"

"Can things really go on without the God of Burning?"

"No way, there's no commentary without the 'Burning God,' right? It's like SpaceX doesn't have any commentary, is it? You don't actually think I can understand it, do you?"

"Where's the commentary I need? Without commentary, who can tell me whether it was a success or a failure!"

The video only showed rockets, and it was a weekday morning, but even so, the number of viewers in the live stream still exceeded one million, and the viewers themselves were having a great time chatting in the live stream.

"There's only one request: that it not explode like the Starship prototype, and that the recovery process be completed smoothly!"

星舰正式发射是在2023年，但在2020年就开始有原型机发射测试了，2020年12月的SN8亚轨道飞行12.5公里后爆炸，2021年2月的SN9发射后再返回地面的时候发动机故障坠地爆炸。

While the scale of the Burning One modification was naturally smaller than that of a starship, it was still China's first time, and the viewers in the live stream were quite nervous.

Li Rui stood in the center of the control room, his gaze sweeping across the rows of screens. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, even though the air conditioning was running at full power.

He knew that the test results would not affect the company's future development, but they were crucial to him personally.

Success would mean he could take a solid step toward the executive ranks.

"All groups, report your status." Li Rui's voice broke the silence in the control room.

"The propulsion system is normal, and all seven YF-102 engines are on standby," Li Bin said, his tone brimming with confidence.

He stood beside Li Rui, staring at the screen displaying engine parameters.

They recently determined in a static ignition test that the brief fluctuations in the No. 4 engine were within acceptable limits, and he is paying particular attention to the engine's performance today.

"Fueling complete, liquid oxygen and kerosene fully loaded, mixing ratio 2.6:1," the fuel crew engineer responded.

"The grid fins and landing leg system have been inspected and are ready for deployment at any time." The young engineer, Xiao Zhang, pushed up his glasses, his voice slightly tense.

As a recent PhD graduate in aerospace engineering from Jiaotong University, this was his first time being in charge of such an important test. The control algorithm for the grid fins was the result of his and his team working through the night to optimize it under Lin Ran's guidance.

Strictly speaking, he is Lin Ran's senior in the same department as Lin Ran, who studied at the School of Aerospace Engineering at Jiaotong University for his undergraduate degree. However, Lin Ran is now mentoring him.

At first, Xiao Zhang felt uneasy, but now that Lin Ran was no longer there to guide him, he started to panic. In his mind, the professor was like the all-powerful analysis machine from Doraemon.

He was filled with anxiety, worried that any slight deviation would affect the landing accuracy.

Li Rui nodded and turned his gaze to the window.

The rocket stood majestically on the launch pad, the nozzles of its seven YF-102 engines gleaming in the morning light.

He took a deep breath: "Start the countdown."

"Countdown begins, T minus 60 seconds." The announcer's voice echoed through the control room via loudspeakers.

On the screen, live images and data streams of the rocket began to update synchronously.

The team members held their breath, their fingers hovering over the keyboard, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

“T minus 10, 9, 8…” The announcer’s voice was steady and clear.

Xiao Zhang stared intently at the control panel of the grille fins, his heart pounding.

The algorithm for the grid fins was on the screen, but his attention was completely elsewhere; he was mentally reviewing the algorithm and praying for everything to go smoothly.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1—Ignition!" the announcer shouted.

Seven YF-102 engines ignited simultaneously, flames shooting out of the nozzles, and a tremendous roar shook the control room.

The screen showed that the total thrust quickly climbed to 5845 kN, and the rocket slowly left the launch pad, broke through the thin mist, and soared into the sky.

"The rocket has left the tower!" the controller announced loudly.

Li Rui's gaze was fixed on the main screen, where the thrust curve was stable, the seven engines were working together, and the thrust was evenly distributed.

"Thrust vector control is normal, and all engine parameters are within the expected range," Li Bin said in a low voice, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Altitude 2 kilometers, speed 200 meters per second," the controller continued to report.

The rocket continued to climb, passing through the clouds, and its speed gradually increased.

The atmosphere inside the control room was tense yet orderly, with everyone busy at their posts, monitoring every movement of the rocket.

"Altitude 5 kilometers, speed 500 meters per second, approaching maximum dynamic pressure." The controller's voice was slightly urgent.

“Max Q passed.” Li Bin confirmed, letting out a sigh of relief. Maximum dynamic pressure is the greatest test that the rocket structure can withstand, and passing it smoothly means that the design is reliable.

"Altitude 10 kilometers, speed 1.2 kilometers per second, prepare for first stage separation." The controller's voice was loud and clear.

Li Rui clenched his fists, feeling both expectant and nervous.

This is a critical moment; the success or failure of the test will depend on the separation and return of the first stage.

"Execute the separation," he ordered.

"Level 1 shutdown, separation confirmed!" the controller reported.

The screen showed that the first and second stages separated, and the second stage continued to rise. However, the focus of this test was the return of the first stage. The second stage only carried a simulated payload, and the task was to verify the separation mechanism.

"Level 1 has reached its peak, and descent has begun." The controller's voice carried a hint of excitement.

"Expand the grille fins!" Xiao Zhang shouted, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

The screen shows the grille fins unfolding from their folded state, adjusting their angle to cope with crosswinds.

Xiao Zhang kept a close eye on the control data. The response time of the grid fins was in the millisecond range, and the algorithm was adjusting the rocket's attitude in real time.

"The grille fins are responding normally. Adjust the wind shear." Xiao Zhang's voice was focused.

His heart pounded almost in sync with the data updates; he knew that precise control of the grid fins was key to a successful landing.

"Altitude 5 kilometers, speed 800 meters per second," the controller continued to report.

Li Rui's gaze darted between the screens; the thrust, pressure, and temperature data were all within the normal range. He whispered to Li Bin, "Pay special attention to the fourth engine; there were fluctuations in the last static test."

"Understood," Li Bin replied, his eyes fixed on the engine data. The thrust curve of the fourth engine was stable, showing no abnormalities.

"Altitude 1 kilometer, speed 300 meters per second, prepare for landing and sintering." The controller's voice rose in volume.

"Start the landing sintering process, using engines number one and seven, and adjust the throttle valve to 70%," Li Bin ordered.

The YF-102 engine's throttling capability allows for precise thrust control; two engines are sufficient to slow the descent and ensure a soft landing.

"Landing sintering begins!" the controller shouted.

The screen showed that both engines ignited, flames shot out again, and the rocket's speed dropped rapidly.

"Altitude 500 meters, speed 100 meters per second." The controller's voice was almost drowned out by the tense atmosphere in the control room.

"Adjust the grille fins to the maximum control angle," Xiao Zhang reported, sweat dripping from his forehead.

His algorithm was dealing with a sudden crosswind, and the grid fins quickly adjusted to ensure the rocket remained vertical. Fortunately, crosswinds are one of the most common unexpected situations, and their algorithm certainly had to take this into account.

“Height 100 meters, 50 meters, 10 meters…” The controller’s voice became more and more urgent.

Li Rui held his breath, his hands gripping the edge of the control panel tightly.

Countless images flashed through his mind: the team's efforts, the collapse of the private aerospace organization he had previously worked for, and the lunar landing miracles created by Apollo Technologies in the past.

"Land!" the controller shouted.

The screen showed that the first stage landed steadily in the center of the launch pad, with the landing legs firmly supporting the rocket.

There was a moment of silence in the control room, followed by a burst of enthusiastic cheers.

Xiao Zhang slumped into his chair, let out a long sigh, and a barely suppressed smile spread across his face.

"Landing successful! Rocket stable!" the announcer confirmed.

Li Rui smiled and said, "Check the landing accuracy and structural condition."

He remained outwardly calm, attempting to conceal his inner excitement.

"The landing accuracy is within 37 centimeters of the target point!" Wang Lei, a data analyst, reported excitedly.

He pulled up the landing data, which showed that the rocket landed almost perfectly in the designated location.

"What's the engine status?" Li Rui pressed.

"All engines are running normally without any abnormal fluctuations. Engine number four is performing stably," Li Bin replied, his tone filled with pride.

Li Rui nodded and turned to the team: "Well done, but this is just the beginning. Prepare for the on-site inspection. I'll report to the professor right away!"

The launch site was bathed in golden sunlight.

Li Bin led a small team of engineers toward the landing site of the first stage of the rocket.

The rocket stood on the launch pad, with some burn marks on its surface, but its overall structure was intact.

The landing legs firmly supported the rocket, and the grid fins remained deployed, demonstrating their excellent performance during descent.

Xiao Zhang carefully inspected the grille fins and found slight burning on one side, but it was still within the design tolerance.

"The grille fins withstood wind shear and performed better than expected," he said softly, a proud gleam in his eyes.

Li Bin squatted down to inspect the engine nozzles and found that some thermal protective coatings had peeled off, but there was no structural damage.

"The engine is in good condition and can be refurbished and reused," he said with a smile.

When the Burning One, which had returned to Earth with an intact structure and burn marks on its surface, appeared on the screen during the Bilibili live stream, the barrage exploded. Wasn't this the moment everyone had been waiting for in the live stream?

Just like watching a football match, you watch for 90 minutes, which can easily take up to two hours including halftime and extra time, all for those few exciting moments, right?

"66666"

"Witness history!"

"We've done what others couldn't!"

"The companies in Europe and Japan that are developing reusable rockets are probably exhausted."

"Not only are they numb, but I reckon the investors in these domestic civil aviation and aerospace institutions are also numb."

"As expected of Apollo Technology, this progress bar is like it's running at three times the speed."

"Musk should be nervous now. If Starship fails, Apollo technology will catch up in SpaceX's strongest area!"

"Thank you Apollo Technology! We look forward to witnessing more miracles next time and the time after that!"

"Look." Lin Ran handed his phone to Pony. Pony took the phone and looked at the middle-aged man in the photo standing next to the rocket, gazing up at it. He could feel the emotions in the man's heart.

It's a wonderful feeling. Back when they built QQ into the number one social software in the country, the photos taken by the five Tencent executives at SEG Technology Park had this kind of feeling.

Now, the company is getting bigger and bigger, but that feeling is gone forever.

Not only will he never regain that entrepreneurial passion, but Tencent's employees will also find it difficult to rekindle that passion.

The problems associated with large corporations are an inescapable fate for almost every company.

Giant companies that rise amidst the tides of each era cannot escape this.

"Did it work?" Pony asked.

Lin Ran nodded and then added, "The whole process went relatively smoothly. Of course, the success of the suborbital test is just the beginning. Our team in Shenhai still needs to analyze the flight data, such as the thrust curve, grid fin response, and landing leg stress data, and we need to check them one by one to confirm the test was completely successful from a data perspective."

I looked at the report they sent back, which showed that the landing accuracy was 37 centimeters and that the thermal protection system and engine were in good condition.

But the eyes can lie, but the data won't.

We need further data to ensure the success of this test.

Meanwhile, track testing and commercial operation await us, which will be an even greater challenge.

Pony exclaimed, "No, Mr. Lin, for you, both orbital testing and commercial operation are just a piece of cake. I can already see Apollo Technology about to sweep across the six kingdoms like the King of Qin in the aerospace field."

As you said in the interview, there's no need for other companies to exist in the rocket launch industry.

Having fought countless battles and emerged victorious from numerous internet wars, Pony naturally wouldn't find Lin Ran's actions cruel, given that Tencent is the only company that spans both PC and mobile platforms.

On the contrary, he appreciated this approach.

From a businessman's perspective, what business is better than a monopoly?

Whether it's WeChat or QQ, aren't they essentially doing a monopolistic business?

"Fortunately, we invested in some commercial space companies in 2020, but we haven't invested in any since then."

"You've probably heard of one of them, called Moon Express," Pony joked. "All the investors I know who have invested in commercial space rocket companies are looking miserable right now, constantly thinking about how to exit."

Lin Ran asked curiously, "Moon Express?"

Pony nodded: "Yes, we invested some in the Series A round, and then some more in the Series B round in 17. Recently, they were saying they would replicate the Apollo moon landing within five years, so we sold all our shares and transferred them to Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs was looking to take over."

Lin Ran asked, "Goldman Sachs? Does Goldman Sachs really believe they can land on the moon within five years?"

Pony waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Whether it can be completed within five years is not important. What is important is that the game of musical chairs can continue."

Backed by Goldman Sachs and Peter Thiel, regardless of whether the IPO is successful, they will push for it to go public as soon as possible. Moon Express is also a long-established company with a certain level of technological expertise.

During the replication process, news is constantly being released, such as today the F-1 engine is done, tomorrow the lunar module replication is going well, the day after tomorrow some big names in the aerospace field will come to endorse it, and by the way, some contracts will be signed with NASA.

In terms of capital operations alone, the US stock market is the best market in the world, especially for American domestic capital.

The idea that Lunar Express, backed by Goldman Sachs, cannot go public is even more of a joke. Jia Yueting's Faraday Future went public without selling a single car, relying solely on PowerPoint presentations, and can continue to stay on Nasdaq. Lunar Express is even more so.

After listening, Lin Ran understood, "Did Goldman Sachs invest before?"

“No,” Pony replied. “I guess it’s because you guys landed on the moon and sensed the arrival of the commercial space age. Ducks are the first to know when the river warms in spring, and those guys at Goldman Sachs have such a keen sense of smell that they came running as soon as they caught a whiff.”

They thought they'd practice with the Lunar Express first.

Of course, I didn't originally want to sell, but Goldman Sachs offered a reasonable price. Plus, they wanted to go to the moon—or rather, they were just making empty promises—and having Chinese capital behind them wouldn't be appropriate. So I took the opportunity to exit.

Doesn't Pony want to join in this capital game? Of course he does. He doesn't have to play it himself; he has plenty of people under him to do it for him.

The problem is that Tencent is a Chinese company. No matter how much you emphasize the diversification of the capital behind you, you are still a Chinese company.

So Pony chose to make a small profit and leave, even though he knew it was a good deal, he still got off the table and left.

This is just one ripple in the chain reaction brought about by Lin Ran's lunar landing.

The world is a complex system; many things are the same as before, yet different from before.

Pony's main purpose for this trip was to transfer all of his 30% stake in Apollo Technology to Lin Ran, as agreed beforehand.

He took out the equity transfer agreement and handed it to Lin Ran: "Mr. Lin, this is Tencent's 30% stake in Apollo Technology. We will cooperate with you to complete the equity transfer process."

Initially, Apollo Technology's initial shares were held by Shenhai Science & Technology Investment and Aldrin, each holding 49%, with Lin Ran holding 2%.

Aldrin later sold 30% to Tencent for $5000 million.

Currently, with the completion of the suborbital testing of Combustion-1, Apollo Technology's valuation in the capital market is at least 100 billion RMB.

This is based on the premise that Apollo Technology cannot be listed on Nasdaq or the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Pony's actions amounted to casually giving away 300 billion.

Pony appeared calm and collected, but Lin Ran knew all too well that persuading the board representatives at Tencent's board meeting would certainly not be an easy task.

Aldrin's shares were also transferred to Lin Ran.

After Aldrin successfully returned to Earth, his children even went to Hong Kong to try to persuade him in person not to transfer his shares.

Even if it's to be transferred, it has to be bought by a Chinese person.

However, they were unable to come to Shenhai, nor were they able to persuade Aldrin.

With the shares held by Pony and Aldrin, Lin Ran now effectively holds 51% of Apollo Technology's shares. In addition, Shenhai Science & Technology Investment also has an agreement granting voting rights to Lin Ran.

In other words, Lin Ran achieved complete control over Apollo Technology.

Complete control.

Lin Ran took the share transfer agreement from Pony and said with a smile, "Pony, Apollo Technology will definitely raise funds in the future, and I guarantee that Tencent will have priority investment rights."

Is Tencent losing money? From a long-term operational perspective, it definitely is not losing money.

The logic is simple: Pony can completely deny the debt, but the consequence of that is that Lin Ran might also abandon Apollo Technology, since the assets of this shell are limited, and start anew.

This would be a lose-lose situation for both sides.

Now, Tencent has essentially spent $50 million to buy an early ticket to Lin Ran's big ship.

That's right, it's Lin Ran, not Apollo Technology.

Pony smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, don't worry, I will spare no effort in supporting promising young people in this province."

Moreover, you're not even a promising person; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe you as the hope of humanity.

After I built Tencent, I invested in many companies and came to know one thing: investing in a company is investing in people, and you are the best target in this era.

In terms of ability, I believe you far surpass anyone your age.

Lin Ran didn't respond, but instead changed the subject to Apollo Technology's future plans:
“Pony, our next round of financing will be at least 10 billion. There are many things to do, and they are very complicated. I would like to ask you, as an industry veteran, for advice.”

After taking a sip of tea, Pony said, "I'll speak my mind."

"Firstly, there's the office park. Actually, my idea was not to build any buildings, but the problem is that there are many existing commercial properties, but very few that are suitable for our type of business."

I personally hope to build rocket production bases, rocket testing centers, control centers, astronaut training bases, and so on all together.

From this perspective, it is indeed necessary for us to build an industrial park.

Then, of course, Shenhai also hopes that we can drive the development of the entire Baoshan area, so building an industrial park is definitely the fastest way.

The idea is simply to build the most urgent needs first, and then gradually expand outwards from the center.

Secondly, there's our organizational structure. My plan is to expand to 10,000 people this year. With such rapid expansion, streamlining the entire organizational structure becomes especially important.

What management style should I adopt? How should I set up the organization's compensation system? How should I build a promotion system? How should I put the right people in the right positions?

Just thinking about all of this gives me a headache, especially since I don't think we can completely copy SpaceX's model.

Because things are different in China and abroad, and what we're doing is also different from what SpaceX is doing.

Lin Ran certainly wanted to continue using the swarm management model, which has only two layers, allowing him to directly contact each employee and assign tasks one-on-one.

He was confident that even if the number of employees increased to 100,000, he could manage it.

The problem is time. Time is the cruelest thing. Even with a top-notch brain, the problem is that others don't have it. Lin Ran has 30 days in a month, which is a total of 43200 minutes.

In other words, if he gives each employee five minutes, he can only connect with 8640 people one-on-one.

In such situations, a good organizational structure becomes especially important.

Lin Ran continued, "Finally, we need revenue. We can't keep relying on financing. This is just one of the things we need to do this year."

I feel that there is a lack of suitable people in every position, and I need to build the entire management team as soon as possible.

Pony, these are roughly the problems I'm facing right now.

Pony felt a great sense of accomplishment after listening to this. It's human nature to want to teach, and giving Lin Ran guidance made him feel even more accomplished.

Even if this didn't help them improve their relationship, Pony felt she had to use all her skills to make the other person think more highly of her:
"From what I've heard, all your troubles boil down to one thing: the lack of a capable CEO to manage everything for you."

　I released both chapters together today, and I'm a little unsure how to end them.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)