Chapter 764 - 733 Help

In all proposals, the modular cluster approach is the simplest. The technology path is very close to that of Tiangong and the International Space Station, which involves docking and assembling different functional components together. This also makes maintenance and repairs in the later stages quite convenient.

However, the drawbacks are also evident. The strength of this assembly method is too low for spaceports over ten thousand tons, with poor orbit change capability, and the size of each module limits the maximum capacity of the spaceport’s dock. But for a small, experimental port, this can be acceptable.

The second approach goes a step further and greatly enhances the potential of the spaceport. But it requires on-orbit processing and assembly capabilities, and it also requires the participation of a significant amount of manpower.

The third approach of integral rotational gravity is quite advanced, with the same configuration as the future giant spaceports. It offers huge volume, strong expansion potential, and the ability to provide different gravity environments. However, it brings with it a steep rise in both cost and construction difficulty, presenting a considerable challenge for designers.

The current rotational gravity space station, March, when empty, weighs only 1,500 tons. To increase it by 10 or even 20 times would necessitate a completely new structural design, otherwise, the centrifugal force generated by rotation could tear the spaceport itself apart.

When an object weighing tens of thousands of tons and spanning over 200 meters begins to rotate, every second is a huge test for the load-bearing structure. The design team must focus most of their energy on this.

In terms of workload, the first two proposals are the most reliable, but there are also many supporters of the radical approach. In the end, all three proposals were presented for comprehensive decision-making.

...

Perhaps aware that the representatives who hastily joined the meeting were unprepared, work staff entered the auditorium distributing technical manuals, and Long Jiacheng, sitting in the front row, was almost the first to get one.

Flipping through it, he found this not-so-thin technical manual devoid of any superfluous decoration. It was filled with either data or diagrams, detailing the basic structures and some specifics of the three argumentation proposals.

The descriptions of the proposals were very detailed, such that even those not from the aerospace industry could basically understand.

Following the proposal introductions were pages dense with specialized fields, which corresponds to the parts that the participating companies in the industry need to solve.

It’s not that the existing aerospace enterprises haven’t done this kind of work before, but the magnitude of the spaceport project is so great that it induces both quantitative and qualitative changes while raising new demands on both quantity and quality.

Take, for instance, the simplest systems, like air exchange and air conditioning. New Yuan and the space agency aren’t incapable, but with a project as large as the spaceport, which involves many components, they don’t have enough energy to focus on everything, so it’s more appropriate to assign it to specialized enterprises.

In the past, whether it was various spacecraft or space stations, they were ultimately facilities weighing hundreds or thousands of tons, with very little demand. Aerospace companies could easily handle the production.

However, the spaceport project is a different story. Each subsystem may require a dedicated supplier, and the maintenance costs after completion could sustain a large number of component suppliers.

Long Jiacheng’s gaze swiftly scanned over lines of text before he pulled out a signing pen he’d prepared in advance and started to check off items.

This was an unprecedented opportunity. Even if he chose an area that was completely unfamiliar, conquering it could bring unimaginable profit. He needed to identify all the areas his company might be involved in.

Individuals like him who had more contact with New Yuan were the quickest to respond, but the others were not slow either. Those who had been whispering quickly quieted down, focusing intently on the booklets in their hands and tentatively selecting the subsystems their companies could undertake.

This silence lasted for about a few minutes, when suddenly someone near the front raised their hand.

Zhong Cheng immediately nodded to give the signal and had someone pass over a microphone. Other people’s gazes also quickly converged on the person standing up, recognizing the "Lunar Steel" logo on his chest.

Still in work clothes, about 45 to 50 years old, he must have been of chief engineer status.

"Director Zhong, hello. I noticed that there’s no mention of steel requirements here. For a spaceport with an empty weight of 40,000 tons, at least 10,000 tons belong to the skeletal structure. How can such a demand for steel be met?"

Zhong Cheng, "Of course there’s a need in this area. We plan to meet it through the future Lunar Steel Consortium, which is more convenient and easier; supply from Earth is just too expensive."

Upon hearing this explanation, some people let out light laughter. Even though the spaceport was huge, for the steel industry, it was at most about developing a few new materials, and they couldn’t compare with other suppliers in terms of share or technical strength.

However, the chief engineer did not show any disappointment. He nodded and sat down, and then Zhong Cheng’s voice rang out:

"United Mining has invited Lunar Steel because the Lunar Steel Consortium has selected it as a partner to jointly set up the Yushu Base. We hope your company will cooperate actively."

It was then that the chief engineer of Lunar Steel finally allowed a timely smile to spread across his face, instantly shifting the mindset of the others from jealousy.

Lunar joint venture steel enterprise!

They thought they were too late, but in fact, the company was already in the game.

With Lunar Steel taking the lead, it wasn’t long before another person stood up, but this time they just had a question:

"I’ve noticed that the spaceport plan is just a part of ’South Heaven Gate.’ Does this mean there will be more and bigger space construction projects in the future?"

Zhong Cheng, "The naming of the first spaceport is still being solicited, but I can reveal that the first one is of an experimental nature. The second will be formal, with a mass possibly exceeding 150,000 tons."