Chapter 389: Project Prometheus

"The officers are coming to inspect," Bulaide clapped his hands, "let's present our 'Cutting-edge Sentinel' project in its entirety."

In front of the whiteboard, rocket design lead Shimite pushed up his glasses:

"Our 'Zeus' launch vehicle has completed 90% of its design work. This is a two-and-a-half-stage configuration using liquid oxygen-kerosene engines, with a total height of 68 meters and a liftoff weight of approximately 110 tons, capable of delivering a 200-kilogram payload into a 350-kilometer low Earth orbit."

He pointed to the massive design drawing on the wall: "The first stage provides initial lift and is equipped with four RE-3 engines, with a total thrust reaching 120 tons; the second stage is responsible for acceleration and orbital adjustment, using two improved RE-1 engines; the half-stage consists of two solid boosters providing additional liftoff thrust."

Bulaide nodded with satisfaction: "How is the propellant testing going?"

"Three rounds of static fire tests have been completed," propulsion system lead Thompson replied, "combustion stability has reached expectations, but there is still room for optimization in combustion chamber temperature control. We are testing a new cooling system."

"The guidance system is key," Bulaide turned to another group of scientists, "Doctor Smith, how is the progress?"

Electronic systems lead Smith excitedly opened a metal case, which contained a set of complex circuit boards and gyroscopes:

"This is our pride—the 'Hermes' navigation system. It adopts a three-axis stabilized platform and is equipped with five high-precision gyroscopes and three sets of accelerometers, with error controlled within 0.5 degrees per hour."

"In space, what kind of precision does that mean?" Bulaide asked.

"Theoretically, it can deliver a satellite into its intended orbit with an error of no more than 10 kilometers," Smith replied proudly, "this is a level of precision unprecedented anywhere in the world."

Inside the conference room, the atmosphere became lively. These scientists knew they were participating in a mission that would change history.

Bulaide walked to the display stand in the center of the room and lifted the cover, revealing a silver spherical model: "Gentlemen, this is our protagonist—the 'Sentinel One' satellite."

Everyone crowded around. This silver sphere, about 83 centimeters in diameter, looked unremarkable, but it represented a giant leap that humanity was about to take.

"The total weight of the satellite is about 83 kilograms," satellite systems lead Wilson introduced, "the shell is made of a special aluminum alloy capable of resisting the extreme temperature differences and radiation of the space environment. Inside are four independent scientific instruments."

He pointed to several protruding antennas on the model: "This is the radio transmission system, operating in the 108MHz band with a power of 15 watts, sufficient to transmit signals back to Earth. The satellite's orbital altitude is about 350 kilometers, and it takes 96 minutes to orbit the Earth once."

"Power system?" Bulaide asked.

"Nickel-cadmium battery pack," Wilson replied, "combined with silicon solar panels, it can theoretically maintain at least 21 days of operation. Of course, our goal is to make it work longer."

Bulaide nodded with satisfaction, then turned to the last group of experts: "How is the ground tracking system prepared?"

Communication systems lead Johnson unfolded a world map: "We have established 12 ground receiving stations globally, with the main stations located in Texas and California, and auxiliary stations distributed across European allies, island nations, and several bases in the Southern Hemisphere. No matter where the satellite is in its orbit, we can maintain signal reception at least 30% of the time."

"What about the payload?" Bulaide was most concerned about this question.

Scientific instruments lead Doctor Davis took over: "In addition to the basic radio beacon, the satellite carries four scientific instruments: a Cosmic Ray Detector, a micro-meteorological instrument, an ultraviolet spectrometer, and..." he paused, looking around to ensure there were no unauthorized personnel, "a prototype Earth observation camera."

"A camera?" Bulaide raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Davis lowered his voice, "although the resolution is limited, theoretically it can photograph large landforms and city outlines on the Earth's surface. This part was specifically requested by the intelligence department."

Bulaide nodded in understanding. Everyone knew that while this satellite project operated under the banner of scientific research, its true purpose was military.

At this moment, a communications officer hurried in and whispered a few words in Bulaide's ear.

Bulaide's expression changed, and he immediately announced: "The Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will arrive in ten minutes; everyone prepare to report!"

Half an hour later, Secretary of Defense Johnson and the highest-ranking military generals sat around the conference room, listening to the detailed report from Bulaide's team.

"To summarize," Bulaide stood by the projector, "our 'Cutting-edge Sentinel' project includes three phases: Phase One, launch the 'Sentinel One' technology verification satellite to verify our launch capability and orbital technology; Phase Two, launch the 'Sentinel Two' observation satellite equipped with more advanced cameras and sensors; Phase Three, launch the 'Sentinel Three' communication satellite to establish a global communication network."

"Timeline?" Johnson asked briefly.

"According to the original plan, the first launch requires nine months of preparation," Bulaide replied, "but according to the President's instructions, we are compressing the timeline. If everything goes smoothly, we can achieve the first launch within four months."

"Four months is too long," Johnson stated decisively, "the President demands to see results within three months."

Bulaide looked troubled: "Mr. Secretary, rocket development is not like canning food; some testing and verification procedures cannot be skipped..."

Johnson and Carter exchanged a look, then nodded: "You will get everything you need. National laboratories, military industrial enterprises, and relevant resources from various universities will all be prioritized for your team."

Bulaide walked to the huge rocket blueprint hanging on the wall, lost in thought: "We need to simplify the design, abandon some non-core functions, and concentrate our efforts on ensuring the reliability of the launch vehicle and the basic functions of the satellite."

He turned to face everyone: "'Sentinel One' will be simplified into a purely technical verification satellite, with its weight reduced to 65 kilograms, carrying only a radio beacon and the most basic scientific instruments. This can reduce risk and shorten the development cycle."

"The first sound to ring out in space must be the sound of the Star-Spangled Country," Johnson stood up and looked at everyone in the room, "Gentlemen, this is not just a technological race; it concerns national dignity and future status. Failure is not an option."

Bulaide nodded solemnly: "We will not let the country down. Three months from now, the flag of the Star-Spangled Country will fly in space."

After the meeting ended, Bulaide kept the core team members behind.

"The situation is urgent," he said straightforwardly, "from now on, everyone's leave is canceled, and we will work in 24-hour shifts. We need to reschedule the entire project timeline."