Chapter 210 - 204 We Need It_1

"World’s Largest Space Shuttle Appears in New Yuan City"

"Back to Old Paths? The Space Shuttle Rises Again"

"Could Nuclear-Powered Space Shuttles Become Reality?"

"Factory Manager Lin is No Joking Matter, Perhaps Really Using the Space Shuttle to Land on the Moon!"

"NACA: Research and Development Underway for the Next Generation of Large, Reusable Orbital Spacecraft."

When the H2 aerodynamic test model appeared on the internet, the reaction from the aerospace community was like throwing a red-hot iron block into the water.

It wasn’t that the H2 was too advanced; instead, it was too "outdated."

Unlike the H1, which made extensive use of blended wing and lifting body technology, the H2 resembled more a traditional space shuttle. It had some blended wing elements, but used them sparsely, and its overall layout was very conventional—similar to the Columbia and the Blizzard, only larger.

Although the reputation of the space shuttle had slowly been reversing, the outside world still believed that while small space shuttles had much potential, large ones were fundamentally flawed.

Was the nuclear thermal propulsion space shuttle that New Yuan publicized last year for real? A nuclear-powered space shuttle going to the moon?

Apart from the Aerospace Development Committee insiders, who knew that the A100 nuclear engine was nowhere in sight and that the H2 produced first would be conventionally powered, other aerospace organizations, including NACA, believed that the H2 was purely nuclear-powered.

Last year’s plan for a nuclear thermal propulsion space shuttle to go to the moon wasn’t taken seriously by many—a space shuttle and a nuclear fission engine, two things that were phased out after the Cold War, teaming up for a moon landing? That would be really bizarre.

But once the full-size H2 aerodynamic test model flew from New Yuan all the way to Ulanha Mountain and garnered tremendous attention, NACA, receiving continuous updates, began to grasp the seriousness of the matter.

Director Claire, along with several members from NACA, was currently in the special intelligence center at the Pentagon.

Why would NACA be at the Pentagon? That truly was a good question.

Inside the intelligence room, Michael Kelly, with stars on his shoulders, sat opposite Claire. His assistant was pinning stacks of information onto the wall while briefing them:

"Last October, China Power Investment Corporation, Guangnuc, and New Yuan signed an agreement to build a base, which clearly could only be for nuclear use.

At the same time, the scientist Nankai Cheng, who returned from France, was employed by New Yuan and then disappeared from the public eye. Considering their close ties with the military, the research on nuclear engines must have started from that time.

If H2 were to undergo testing for a year and then begin construction of the official H2, the progress of the nuclear engine would actually not be too far behind."

"Wait a second," Michael Kelly knocked on the table:

"I know this Cheng; he’s a sensitive person, but I remember his evaluation being very low, Bordeaux University even wanted to get rid of this guy as soon as possible, thinking he was incapable of research beyond teaching students."

Kelly expressed his doubts pointedly. They kept tabs on every Chinese scientist going abroad; Cheng Nankai was one of those at the bottom of the list, always inconspicuous. What made them think he could lead the development of the advanced A100 engine?

Claire: "I’m aware of this."

The others turned their gaze to the NACA director, and his expression suddenly turned savage as he began to grit his teeth and explain the reason:

"Do you know? Lin Ju’s first recruited overseas scientist, our intermediate Chinese-American engineer Guo, worked nearly ten years with us and could only be considered mediocre.

But as soon as he returned to China, he immediately led the development of the advanced K120 engine. Following that, the M220 Liquid Oxygen Methane Engine, the H240 Liquid Oxygen Liquid Hydrogen Engine, and even now, New Yuan’s newest and world’s most powerful K380 engine, all were under his leadership!"

"Tell me! Why was Guo mediocre at NACA, but when he returned to his homeland, he became so dazzling?"

Kerry frowned, and then a sharp intake of breath was heard throughout the conference room.

An agent who had conducted loyalty investigations on Chinese Americans tentatively said, "Could it be that they always intended to return to their own country and purposefully hid their talents, quietly learning until they had achieved something, and then they were sent back for being less important so that they could serve their motherland?"

Claire nodded grimly, "Exactly, it is so. Return China’s money to make future students wary, so they are likely to hide their talents, making it easier to leave."

Kerry said, "... I find that hard to believe, especially since it’s not just one person. Is it possible they stole our technology?"

Claire shook her head vehemently, her tone very certain, "Absolutely impossible; we don’t have such technology, unless you plan to dig out the UFO from Area 51 for us to study."

Kerry: "..."

"There are no aliens in Area 51, nor are there any UFOs."

"Yes, so it’s also impossible for NACA to deliberately retain advanced technology."

The two were at an impasse for a while, and Kerry decided to temporarily skip this topic and talk about the main issue.

"The Air Force most wants to know if a nuclear thermal propulsion spacecraft can be successful?"

Claire: "It’s possible. We’ve built large spacecraft before; Atlantis, Challenger, and Discovery are still sitting at the Kennedy Space Center. Even the nuclear engines tested in the last century haven’t been decommissioned and still have prototypes preserved.

Sir, if the subsequent plans had not been interrupted, the following Saturn Vs should have been fitted with nuclear engines."

Kerry nodded and continued to ask, "So a spacecraft equipped with a nuclear engine could also provide sufficient electricity for... laser use?"

An image instantly flashed in Claire’s mind: a spacecraft sneaking up on a satellite, its payload bay doors quietly opening to reveal a polished lens.

It wasn’t a camera; it was a megawatt-grade laser cannon. With the powerful electrical supply from three nuclear engines, it took only 0.05 seconds to reduce the satellite to ashes...

He understood why Kerry had approached him, why the Pentagon was willing to deploy resources to gather information.

Whether the H2 spacecraft would do such a thing was not certain, but Kerry definitely wanted it, and the Pentagon definitely wanted it.

What’s more, in theory, the H2 could actually achieve this!

Three nuclear reactors, along with an array of capacitors, could solve the energy problem of space-based laser weapons.

Claire: "Yes, if the A100 engine used by H2 has performance that isn’t too far off, the laser weapons it carries have the potential to reach megawatt-class power."

Kerry automatically ignored Claire’s "potential." The lasers currently being tested by the Navy only had a few tens of kilowatts of power, and the envisioned large lasers were 300 kilowatts. If the Air Force could have megawatt-class lasers...

Kerry: "Director Claire, the mission of NACA is not only to explore space but also to take on the responsibility of defending freedom."

"But..."

Kerry: "I don’t care how you do it; let America also have nuclear-powered spacecraft, or whatever else, the Air Force needs it."