Live Stream 1980: Netizens Teach Me How to Make a Rocket by Hand

The secure room fell silent.

Only the ventilation fan was humming.

In the field of heavy industry, there is never a myth of leaping out of thin air.

Blueprints are like code in software, but materials must be the roots that grow from real-world industry.

Even if you know the design concept, without metal that can withstand extreme temperature differences and pressure, the drawings are just a stack of waste paper.

Amidst this somber atmosphere, a few comments flashed through Lin Xi's mind in the live stream chat.

[Don't worry, host! We can't help you with the engine blueprints because the design drawings for tens of thousands of parts are too numerous and complex; changing one part affects the whole system.]

But materials are something we can get!

[Yes! You have PID precision temperature control chips, and there are vacuum induction melting furnaces in China. What you lack isn't the furnace, it's the recipe!]

[Quenching temperature, holding time, cooling rate, and trace element ratio—we've laid out the steps clearly for you. Follow these instructions, and you'll be unstoppable, like opening a blind box!]

Seeing Zhang Zhengguo's furrowed brows, Lin Xi felt reassured.

In such situations, the more you talk, the more you sound like a liar.

He simply concealed his sharp edge, revealing a shy smile typical of young people.

"Mr. Zhang, since the drawings are incomplete, let's look at the basic structure first and figure out the transmission and circulation logic."

"As for the materials..."

Lin Xi paused.

"I have previously read several papers on the smelting of special high-temperature alloys in some foreign professional journals and magazines."

"Based on our existing high-precision temperature control equipment, I think some solutions might be worth trying."

Zhang Zhengguo looked up at him.

The light in the confidential room fell down, illuminating the bloodshot eyes clearly.

As a science and technology cadre, he understands the laws of scientific research all too well.

The blueprints can be disassembled.

The program can be modified.

But materials are not something you can just talk about on paper.

Once the furnace is turned on, money, materials, and time are all poured in.

Even a difference of a few tenths of an element can result in drastically different final performance.

In a way, tackling material challenges is like cooking.

The cooking temperature, the proportions, the feel of the ingredients, and the equipment—you can't do without any of them.

"Lin Xi."

Zhang Zhengguo flicked his cigarette ash and softened his tone.

"Materials aren't like computer programs. You can't just type a line of code wrong, fix it, and have it run again."

"The money and materials invested in this thing are bottomless pits."

"It's not even certain that we'll hear a sound."

The words were phrased tactfully.

The meaning is quite clear.

As a young person working in electronics and mechanics, you might not be able to handle this kind of metaphysics.

Lin Xi understood the elder's unspoken message, but he did not back down.

"Mr. Zhang."

Lin Xi met Zhang Zhengguo's gaze, a calm smile curving her lips.

"I've always been very lucky."

"How about I give it a try?"

Zhang Zhengguo looked at the young man in his early twenties in front of him.

Over the past few years, we've gone from making fans in dilapidated workshops to five-axis CNC machine tools, and then to the hard-top beacon of the United States' Section 301.

This kid definitely has a strange kind of luck and an inexplicable confidence.

What's worse is that he treats every time like a gamble.

But every time, he wins the bet.

Zhang Zhengguo remained silent for a few seconds before finally stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray.

"Alright."

"Write down your smelting plan and give it to me."

"I will later distribute your proposal, along with the task of developing this new material, to the unit that has taken on the task."

"Consider it practice."

Lin Xi agreed earnestly:

"Okay, Mr. Zhang."

"I will have the proposal on your desk within three days."

......

A few days later, the conference room of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology was filled with smoke.

The conference table was covered with sketches, foreign language materials, and stacks of well-worn internal briefings.

The Red Star electric fan in the corner was groaning and shaking its head, blowing air, but it couldn't dispel the heavy pressure in the room.

This was the first overall design workshop for the Project 851 spacecraft system.

Those present were all key personnel from the Fifth Academy and veterans in the aerospace industry.

Mr. Qian sat in the main seat, and Mr. Qin sat to his left, holding half a Daqianmen cigarette in his hand, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.

Lin Xi, as the deputy leader of the overall group, sat quietly to Qian Lao's right.

Spaceships and satellites are different.

If a satellite breaks down, at most it's just a few million or tens of millions of dollars worth of metal going down the drain.

The spaceship was filled with living people.

If something goes wrong, it will not only cost several precious lives, but also cause a major setback to the reputation of the entire country.

Human life is at stake; there is no room for error.

"Old Qin, Deputy Team Leader Lin."

A chief designer surnamed Li stubbed out his cigarette, breaking the silence first.

"Since we have little experience and a weak foundation..."

"Didn't the relationship between China and the Soviet Union improve recently, and didn't the two sides reach a series of trade agreements?"

Engineer Li paused for a moment, then tentatively asked:

"Could we try to buy or trade some Soyuz spaceship blueprints from the Soviet Union?"

"Even an early shell structure would be fine."

Upon hearing this, several people in the room looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in their eyes.

"Engineer Li, you should put an end to that idea."

A political cadre sitting at the end of the long table shook his head, his tone unusually serious.

His name is Zhao Zhijian, and he is specifically responsible for liaising with the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense on foreign affairs and classified intelligence assessment.

"Manned spaceflight was a core part of the Soviet Union's national identity."

"That's the political trump card that allows us to stand on equal footing with the people of the United States."

Zhao Zhijian picked up an internal briefing and waved it around.

"The Soviet space system is now highly militarized."

"The blueprints for all the core modules of their Soyuz spacecraft and Salyut space station, the locking logic of their docking mechanisms, and the parameters of their life support systems are classified at a higher level than those of nuclear submarines."

"They're wary of the US, and they're wary of us too."

Zhao Zhijian placed the briefing on the table and gave his conclusion:

"Selling consumer equipment is an option."

"Exchanging light industrial products for resources is also an option."

"But they won't reveal even an inch of the blueprints for something as secret as a manned spacecraft."

That glimmer of hope was quickly extinguished, and the meeting room fell silent once more.