Chapter 266 - 259: Emperor Xizong_1

H2M, as well as the entire H2 family series, follows the Soviet-style approach, different from the American system where the space shuttle and rocket boosters function as a complete system for orbit insertion. The H2 series is fully launched as a payload.

The conventional methane version replaced three A100 nuclear engines with three 50-ton liquid oxygen and methane engines, with nozzles especially optimized for vacuum and thus immensely huge.

The empty weight of the spacecraft is 78 tons, lighter than the nuclear-powered version. It carries about 14 tons of oxidizer and fuel, with a launch mass of about 95 tons, and a maximum takeoff weight of 132 tons. The cargo bay can accommodate up to 37 tons of cargo.

What does that mean? The C919 has an empty weight of 42 tons and its maximum takeoff weight is just over 70 tons.

When the leadership from the Space Agency visited the base with Lin Ju for the rollout ceremony in the hangar, everyone was awestruck by the colossal structure.

Unlike all previous space shuttles, the H2M, to achieve a 100-mission life span without changing heat-resistant tiles, does not use individual tiles pieced together like America and the Union. It is an integral whole from the inside. On the outside, apart from the gaps left for equipment maintenance and hatch, it is almost a perfect smooth transition, just like a passenger plane.

Except for using some black enhanced heat-resistant tiles on the nosecone, which bears nearly twice the temperature of the rest of the body, the rest are dark gray, appearing exceptionally clean in the bright hangar.

The wingspan is 38 meters, about seven times the width of an H1, which provides a very strong visual impact.

Academician She, who arrived a day later, felt almost dizzy looking at the H2M, with nearly 10 meters of width and height just in the fuselage.

"This... we built such a huge space shuttle? Although I’ve seen your plans before, this is still too big, too frightening," he said.

Next to him was the veteran space industry worker Ji Xiuhua, who had semi-retired just two years ago and had participated in a program discussing why the Space Agency in the 80s did not follow the trend of developing space shuttles due to the belief that they were outdated, not because of technological factors.

After the H1 broke this impression, he believed the failure of space shuttles was due to their large size and safety issues; smaller meant more reliable.

However, upon witnessing the largest space shuttle in history, the H2M, Ji Xiuhua became a firm advocate for space shuttles.

Ji Xiuhua said, "With such a large space shuttle, the upper limit for the Tiangong Space Station is not 280 tons, but over 500 tons."

The others were slightly startled, then came to understand.

This year’s phase two of the Tiangong project has been completed, with the main two science modules successfully launched and operational. The phase three will soon come to an end next year.

In the current planning of the Space Agency, the Tiangong Space Station will only have these three phases, partly because they are sufficient, and partly because the structure of the Tiangong Space Station can’t withstand any more mass.

The current Tiangong Space Station uses third-generation technology. Its strength relies solely on the docking ports of the modules. It’s fine under normal circumstances, but in case of orbit change, such as to avoid collision with debris, if the overall mass is too large, the docking ports might not be able to bear the strain and could become damaged.

The Tiangong Space Station currently relies on several large modules based on the XS-62 to act as "substitute trusses," with their larger docking ports that can withstand more force. But after phase three is completed, the mass of over 280 tons will be at the safe upper limit.

Although the Tiangong Space Station is certainly adequate for domestic needs for a decade, considering international cooperation, expansion is a necessary consideration.

H2 clearly provides a solution, customizing trusses for the current station installed by space shuttles. The potential of the combined steel truss structure immediately soared to more than a thousand tons, shifting the pressure from the modules to the trusses.

The truss renovation plan can also extend the life of the space station. With repairs and refurbishments, the planned 10-year lifespan can be easily extended to around 20 years.

Big Shot also looked over H2M with a sense of amazement. That two 100-ton class space shuttles were assembled at the same time, with a third also nearing completion, such manufacturing capability was simply unimaginable.

However, he always felt there was a bit of a mismatch, as if something was not quite right. It took him a while to see a group of people hurriedly running over, climbing on scaffolds to place two big red flowers on the noses of the two space shuttles before he finally nodded in satisfaction.

By his side, Lin Ju and Xie Liaofu stood shoulder to shoulder, both with smiles they could not suppress, the latter muttering "Ura" in a voice so low only he could hear it.

Lin Ju said, "Old Ke, H2M has completed assembly 41 days ahead of the ’Mountain and Sea’ plan, you’re fantastic. We are moving into space at a speed unprecedented before."

Xie Liaofu replied, "H2M is very important, such a large maneuvering platform is capable of so much. Next month we will initiate astronaut training. The assembly of the March is extremely complex and it requires the most skilled astronauts."

More than ten minutes later, all the work on site was ready, and the group of people quickly stood in between the two space shuttles, with 174 staff members from the assembly workshop and key parts manufacturing standing behind them.

The cameraman stood at a distance, wanting the shot to include the full view of both space shuttles, with the immense size of H2M being the focus.

As the flashbulbs went off, 192 smiling faces were captured by the camera lenses.

...

On November 8th, in the early hours of the morning, the Election Committee on the East Coast of America completed a preliminary tally of all votes.

Chris, the official responsible for the tally, couldn’t believe her eyes and rubbed her swollen red eyes vigorously.

"Victor, Victor! Look at this, God has abandoned America."

Chris called over her colleague, and Victor’s heart rate doubled as he looked at the election results.

A candidate who started running at the age of 58, now 60, John, defeated Diana, winning the 2016 election with 304 votes to 232!

John was the scion of a wealthy business family, who spent his youth making movies and holding concerts with Michael Jackson, and took a detour as a state legislator, indistinct from a rank-and-file politician in America.

A man like that, elected as America’s boss?

Chris felt like she was suffocating.

But no matter what, the election result was determined, and no one could change it.

Meanwhile, John was throwing a party in a skyscraper named after his family, boasting about himself while inebriated.

From the moment he was nominated, he knew the next boss had already been decided for Diana, and his candidacy was just a formality, whether it was him or a rap artist made no difference.

But as someone who loved sensationalism, he would later be able to flaunt his candidacy on TV shows; wouldn’t that be quite something?

The advisors who strategized for him had also just been diligently doing their duty, cobbled together, now casually holding their glasses and watching the girls in the pool show off their figures, delighted to have a chance to unwind.

In the midst of such a merry atmosphere, an abrupt figure barged into the scene, and John blinked his blurry eyes, hazily recognizing the girl as Twisi, his campaign team’s assistant, the silly girl who was genuinely working hard for the campaign.

"Twisi, perfect timing. Go change your clothes and dance with the girls."

"Hahaha..."

"Twisi, see who can be more sexy than them!"

A bunch of drunks shamelessly teased the freshly graduated assistant, but she, with her face turning red, excitedly raised her phone:

"Mr. John, the internal tally is in, you’ve won the election, you’re about to be the next boss of America!"

"Oh... uh, please give my best to Diana, she’s of such an age and still working for the United States." John was nearly asleep; he only heard the keyword "election" and didn’t comprehend what Twisi was saying.

His strategist, Mike Pio, however, had a better tolerance for alcohol and was fairly clear-headed, took a few seconds to process the information, then suddenly his eyes widened, and he leaped up from the sofa, his bottle of wine shattering into glass fragments on the ground.

John won the election? Then by tradition, wouldn’t I be the Secretary of State?

"?!"

The others, not yet fully inebriated, also couldn’t believe this news, repeatedly questioning Twisi, and each confirming over the phone until they got a positive confirmation.

Although not yet public, the internal results were out—the next boss was John!

Pio hurriedly rushed to John; the election results would be announced in a few hours, and they couldn’t let the future boss be seen like Boris Nikolaevich, a drunken mess!