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

Just then, Mr. Qian gently placed the teacup in his hand on the table.

A soft "thud" sounded, not loud, but it made the air in the entire conference room suddenly become solemn.

Comrade Zhijian sees things clearly.

Mr. Qian glanced at the crowd, his tone low but authoritative.

"Core technologies cannot be begged for, bought, or exchanged."

The old man leaned back in his chair, looking around at the assembled senior experts:

"When we were developing the atomic and hydrogen bombs and satellites, the Soviet experts left overnight, taking the blueprints with them."

"Didn't we get through it?"

"Stop having those unrealistic fantasies and get ready to do it yourself."

After he finished speaking, he looked to his left.

"Old Gao, please continue with your proposal."

With Mr. Qian's words as a safety net, the restlessness in the meeting room was instantly calmed down.

Chief Engineer Gao stubbed out his cigarette and stood up.

"Since we can't get it from them, let's draw it ourselves!"

He is a senior structural expert at the Fifth Academy, and has participated in the finalization of multiple Dongfanghong series satellites throughout his life.

Chief Engineer Gao slowly pushed a large hand-drawn structural diagram onto the table, his fingers tapping heavily on the paper.

"Without blueprints, we'll completely replicate the Soviet Union's 'Soyuz' configuration based on publicly available photos and launch videos from abroad, combined with the limited peripheral intelligence we have!"

Lin Xi leaned forward slightly, her gaze falling on the hand-drawn picture.

The picture shows a typical "candied hawthorn" structure.

At the very top is a spherical section.

In the middle is a return capsule that looks like a large clock.

At the very bottom is the cylindrical propulsion compartment.

"Comrades, we are poor and have nothing, so seeking stability is our first principle."

Chief Engineer Gao pointed to the sphere,

"This is the Soyuz orbital module."

"A spherical structure distributes stress most evenly, allowing for a thinner outer shell and squeezing out more load-bearing capacity."

"The bell-shaped return capsule in the middle is aerodynamically stable."

"They've been flying for almost twenty years, from 1967 to now, and their technology is very advanced."

Chief Engineer Gao looked at Elder Qin, then at Lin Xi, his tone earnest:

"We don't need to start with innovation."

"First, let's solve the problem of whether we have it or not."

"As long as we can safely send our astronauts into space and bring them back unharmed, this replication plan will be the greatest victory!"

Several senior experts nodded in agreement.

When it comes to human lives, the most persuasive tactics are borrowing and seeking stability.

Live stream chat messages:

Good heavens, the Soyuz configuration is safe, but it's truly a design disaster for space exploration.

"Absolutely. That spherical orbital module looks quite large, but once the equipment is installed, the remaining space is basically just a space public toilet and aisle."

The most heartbreaking thing is that this thing is disposable. Astronauts stay in space for a few days, and upon return, the orbital module is jettisoned and thrown into the atmosphere to burn up. Every launch involves burning up a delicate module weighing several tons.

[Don't talk like that, it's easy for you to say. In the 80s, China's transportation capacity was limited. The older generation's primary concern was survival, so their safety net strategy was perfectly reasonable.]

[Answerer, it's your turn. Tell them we don't need a public restroom, we need a two-bedroom apartment!]

Lin Xi glanced at the rapidly scrolling comments in her mind and stood up.

He first bowed slightly to Chief Engineer Gao across the table.

"Mr. Gao, I completely agree with your initial intention to seek stability."

"Safety is the bottom line of Project 851."

Chief Engineer Gao's expression softened slightly, and he nodded, about to sit down.

"but,"

Lin Xi changed the subject, placing her finger on the sphere at the very top of the drawing.

"We cannot simply copy the Soyuz."

All eyes in the conference room immediately turned to Lin Xi.

"The Soyuz's spherical orbital module is too small."

"When astronauts go inside, they can't even straighten their backs; they can only do the most basic scientific experiments and take care of their personal hygiene."

Lin Xi's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

"More importantly, this expensive, several-ton section is a purely consumable item."

"Mission complete, astronauts return to the return capsule."

"After the orbital module separates, it will lose power and burn up directly in the dense atmosphere within a few hours."

Lin Xi scanned the entire room:

"President Gao, with the help of the rocket's thrust, we finally managed to launch the precision module, weighing several tons, into the sky, hundreds of kilometers away."

"We used it for three to five days, and then just treated it like fireworks."

"This kind of wasteful spending is not worth it."

Chief Engineer Gao frowned and retorted:

"What if we don't throw it away?"

"With such a large and bulky reentry capsule, it simply couldn't withstand the thousands of degrees of heat when re-entering the atmosphere."

"That's playing with astronauts' lives!"

"Then disconnect the connection, but don't let it drop."

As Lin Xi spoke, she walked toward the blackboard in the corner of the conference room.

He grabbed a piece of white chalk, and with a flick of his wrist, sketched a completely new shape on the blackboard.

That wasn't a candied hawthorn, but a sharp blade.

At the very bottom, there is still the cylindrical propulsion compartment that provides power.

In the center is an enlarged bell-shaped return capsule.

At the very top, the original spherical cabin was completely erased.

Instead, it was replaced by a thick, slender cylinder.

"This is called a three-section configuration."

Lin Xi struck the cylinder heavily with chalk.

"By changing the sphere into a cylinder, the internal usable volume can be more than doubled."

"With the carbon fiber load-bearing frame from Hongxing New Materials Company, the weight increase is less than 10%."

"Although the aerodynamic shape becomes more elongated, this can be completely overcome within the fairing."

Chief Engineer Gao stared at the blackboard, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper:

"A larger volume is indeed better."

"But you just said not to let it fall?"

"It's just a metal can, without electricity or fuel. If it stays in the sky for a few weeks, its orbit will decay and it'll just burn out sooner or later."

Lin Xi threw away the chalk, dusted off her hands, and turned to face all the experts.

His eyes were frighteningly bright, as if they had traveled through forty years of time, directly reflecting that enormous celestial palace.

"Mr. Gao."

Lin Xi walked back to the table and placed her hands on the surface.

"All we need to do is add two separate solar panels to the outside of this cylindrical orbital module."

"Then install a separate attitude control engine and fuel tank at its bottom!"

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

Old Qin's hand, which was holding a Daqianmen cigarette, froze in mid-air, and ashes fell onto his trouser leg, but he was completely unaware.

As the chief engineer, his intuition was far sharper than that of the average engineer.

He immediately understood the underlying meaning of Lin Xi's plan.

To equip a section that should have been abandoned with an independent energy source and power means...

It is no longer a derelict cabin.

It has become a complete and powerful super artificial satellite!

"Lin Xi..."

Old Qin's voice trembled slightly with disbelief.

"What exactly are you trying to do, kid?"

Lin Xi straightened her back, her voice resounding.

"The spacecraft docking mechanism is unlocked, and the return capsule carrying the astronauts plunges into the atmosphere to return home."

"But this cylindrical orbital module remains in low Earth orbit!"

"Relying on its own solar panels and attitude control engines, it can continue to fly independently around the Earth for six months, or even a whole year!"

Lin Xi turned to look at the sketch of the Alliance, her gaze resolute.

"The Soviets' spaceships were used as transportation; after transporting passengers, they were dismantled and scrapped. But we can't do that."

"During the past six months, this orbital module has been able to continue performing automated space remote sensing and materials science experiments."

"After it has orbited in the sky for six months, when we launch the next manned spacecraft..."

Lin Xi suddenly clasped her hands together in the air.

"The next spacecraft can fly directly there and attempt a space rendezvous and docking with this orbital module!"

(Model of the three-cabin scheme. This image is from a publicly published source and the information is not classified.)