Chapter 774 - 738: Turning Official_2

If SpecaX can do it, then other enterprises certainly can, and NACA is also hopeful. Just think about a spaceport with tens of thousands of tons, even taking on just 10% of the share could feed a powerful aerospace company. NACA, of course, is eager to participate.

At least to learn from the Chinese people’s construction experience and lessons, this is an intangible precious treasure.

Thinking about this, Robert felt the temperature of the air rise a bit.

"Well, has the delegation of enterprises going to China been determined? NACA needs to know the details of the plan, and we will also organize a team."

Claire: "There will be many times, according to the custom of international negotiations, first to organize a round of enterprise representatives to seek cooperation, then the official power intervenes, from formal contact to implementation, three months is about right.

I suggest NACA choose to go over in mid to late October, or it is also possible that they come to us, just in time to exchange data on Mars exploration, to see just what our counterparts have achieved."

...

"Lin, you’re being conservative!"

Lin Ju had just walked into the Aerospace Development Committee building when he heard Zhong Cheng’s teasing voice and curiously turned his head:

"Conservative? What’s conservative?"

"The spaceport proposal. We mobilized enterprises to also provide their own suggestions for amendments. Well, each one is more wildly imaginative than the next, and we seem overly conservative in comparison."

Zhong Cheng had just collected the documents from the agency, which were improvement proposals submitted by some enterprises.

He pulled out the concept images and a brief introduction to the parameters from inside. Lin Ju immediately took it and started reading. A few dozen seconds later, he showed a surprised expression:

"A full steel structure spaceport? Wow, Taigang’s ambition is way too obvious."

Zhong Cheng: "Directly using a steel framework as the main body, based on the third proposal, the entire space steel main body is composed of a wheel spoke-like huge cylinder made of high-strength steel; the cabin segments and equipment are all mounted on top. The overall strength can be made very high, it can even withstand several times Earth’s gravity without falling apart."

"That’s incredibly heavy! Based on our largest kilometer-size concept, the steel framework alone would need hundreds of thousands of tons, no, several hundred thousand tons wouldn’t be enough!

With the production capacity of the Moon project, I’m afraid it would take ten years to gather enough steel."

Lin Ju directly skipped over this exaggerated proposal, then started to look at the other accompanying proposals, which were much more reasonable this time, mainly targeted at a smaller scale.

For example, the life support module, power supply system, heat dissipation system, etc. Since a modular approach as well as a standard bus system had been established from the beginning, it wouldn’t be overwhelming for anyone to participate.

The adaptation speed of non-space enterprises is actually not slow. Some Earth standards are not necessarily lower than those in space, and such results greatly satisfied Lin Ju.

Zhong Cheng: "To get to the point... The involvement of so many enterprises has made us much clearer about the difficulty of constructing the spaceport. Currently, most in the aerospace community are in favor of the second proposal, with the industrial and research zones in zero gravity and the residential zone with a gravity above 0.5G.

The overall mass unladen would be around 45,000 tons, with the maximum operational mass not exceeding 70,000 tons."

Lin Ju: "0.5G gravity, what about the radius?"

Zhong Cheng: "About 200 meters, reducing the rotational speed from March’s 2 revolutions per minute to 1.5, which is much more friendly for the average person.

The structure of the living area should not be much different from that of March, with a mass controlled under 20,000 tons, needing to accommodate at least 600 people at once, capable of separation from the industrial/scientific research zones, with the spaceport operating in a modular fashion."

This is essentially about separating production from living, minimizing the risk to personnel. In case of an emergency, it facilitates evacuations and also serves a validation purpose.

0.5G of gravity is quite adequate, as long as the time does not exceed one or two years, a healthy natural person would not need exercise and would not become frail due to bone calcium loss.

Based on the assumption of the living group working 8 hours in a weightless zone, as long as they spend the remaining time in the living area, there’s no need to worry about health issues caused by gravity.

The 25,000-ton industrial module’s mass wouldn’t be considered large on Earth, but considering certain special advantages of space, and the fact that these pieces of equipment will be carefully selected and highly automated, there might be pleasant surprises as well.

"Has it been named yet?"

The spaceport plan is a completely official project, so the naming process won’t be whimsical like New Yuan; even Lin Ju couldn’t be sure of it.

Zhong Cheng: "Soon, the current plan is to have several names as options, and you need to vote as well."

"Is there a ’Heavenly Court’?"

"...There really isn’t."

Lin Ju immediately felt a great disappointment; Heavenly Court sounded so good, and it seemed naturally connected to Tiangong, or even South Heaven Gate would have been nice.

"Don’t worry about these trivial details, we have important tasks at hand, and you need to shoulder the responsibility," Director Zhong said, patting his shoulder and advising earnestly:

"The new agency’s preparation will take some time. Currently, everything is managed by the Aerospace Development Committee, and you, as the deputy director, need to play your role. All matters concerning the Space Force and other private aerospace businesses will be handed over to you in the future."

Lin Ju took a step back, suddenly realizing that his being summoned this time was different.

Director Zhong continued:

"We’ve cleared a space next to your office; the few people who used to liaise with these sectors are now your secretaries. You have a lot of talents at New Yuan; they can all be transferred here."

"Director Zhong, this doesn’t seem right," Lin Ju said.

"Not right? At this time, still worrying about what’s not right? Besides, everyone says President Ye and Mr. Xie of your company are incredibly capable. Their technical and managerial skills are such that being a president is an underuse of their talents. If they weren’t so busy, I would love to borrow them," Director Zhong replied.

Following the previous month, there had been increased attention on New Yuan from higher-up. As acquaintances grew, Ye Changsi and Xie Liaofu also became increasingly prominent.

Joking aside, one of them had once led the Union’s space program, a formidable figure, and the other was deeply experienced in the ways of the world, with coordination skills that sometimes even surpassed their technical capabilities.

It was thanks to them that New Yuan had not experienced any internal issues and had maintained efficient operation. Their contributions were indispensable.

Lin Ju had not expected to be targeted like this. Was this considered a promotion?

It seemed not, but it was also not far off. Besides, New Yuan had already been playing a similar role; now, it was just formalized.

...

"What, they opened it up?"

Long Jiacheng nearly spat out his tea in surprise, choking and coughing for a good while before he could recover, unable to believe the news from his visitor.

This was his distant relative, a year-round importer and exporter and quite a renowned agent with access to an extensive network of information.

"Uncle Hai, is the rumor true?" Long Jiacheng asked.

Though Long Hai had been equally shocked before, now he seemed much calmer as he replied:

"What rumor? It’s no rumor when mainstream media like CBS and ABC are reporting it. America is serious about this, and so is the government.

I have even more recent news: the American Senate has approved the request for the national purchase of patents for over a dozen anti-cancer drugs, and Pfizer is already negotiating the specifics and pricing with them.

Moreover, the American commercial sector has already organized the first visiting delegation to seek business opportunities in our country, and we will soon do something similar."

Long Hai sighed before continuing with what he knew:

"Soon, our mainland will be filled with imported goods too. I hear most bilateral tariffs will be reduced almost to the level of export tariffs; we agents are becoming outdated!"

The import-export business that Long Hai ran was not complicated. Due to existing tariff barriers and certain sanctions, many goods could not be directly exported and required agents like him to create shell companies, turning products into "Luzon goods," "Annan goods," or "Indian goods."

He could also manage foreign brands needing local contract manufacturing preferring to keep things confidential.

He dabbled in importing business too, like importing cars, milk powder, meats, etc., all profitable ventures.

He even trafficked in cars or electronics to third-world countries without dealerships, where business was also booming.

If the two largest economies in the world start reducing tariffs and initiating free trade, the profit margins for agents like him will be significantly reduced. Wouldn’t direct exchanges between manufacturers be much more convenient?