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The successful launch of the "Wentian" experimental module means that the three astronauts in the space station finally have their own dedicated scientific experimental module, and no longer need to conduct simple experiments in the "Tianhe" core module.

The name "Tianhe" for this core module refers to the core of the Tiangong space station, which includes the node cabin, the life control cabin, and the resource cabin.

It has a total of 3 docking ports and 2 berthing ports. The docking ports are used for manned spacecraft, cargo spacecraft, and other spacecraft to visit the space station. The berthing ports are used for the two experimental modules to assemble with the core module to form the space station complex. There is also an exit hatch for astronauts to perform extravehicular activities.

It has an axial length of 16.6 meters, a large cylinder section diameter of 4.2 meters, and a small cylinder section diameter of 2.8 meters. It is mainly used for the unified control and management of the space station, as well as the astronauts' living quarters. It has long-term autonomous flight capabilities, can support long-term astronaut stays, and support the carrying out of aerospace medicine and space science experiments.

It is not a space laboratory like Tiangong-1 or Tiangong-2. The first and second were for testing purposes, so their functions were complete but simple.

The core module is a part of the overall space station, and the space station has dedicated experimental modules, so it doesn't need to be so comprehensive. It has the ability to conduct experiments, but that's just to avoid wasting space.

Now that the dedicated "Wentian" experimental module has arrived, the space station can finally conduct higher-level experiments.

The "Wentian" experimental module has an axial length of about 15 meters and a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters, the same weight class as the core module, both exceeding 20 tons.

By the way, this "Wentian" experimental module is not the "Tianwen" series of planetary exploration missions, nor is it the "Tianwen-1" Mars exploration mission. Don't get them confused.

After the successful launch, the aerospace center immediately held a routine press conference. After summarizing the gains and losses of this mission, they began to release some plans to be implemented later.

Such as the launch time of the "Mengtian" experimental module, the construction status of the second Long March 9 rocket, the manned lunar landing next year, and so on.

This information has attracted considerable attention from the media, but what the media is most concerned about is the information about the "New Long March 9" super-heavy carrier rocket mentioned at the end.

After a rocket comes out, it will definitely not be finalized. There will definitely be various revisions, adding suffixes like "ABCD".

Many reporters did their homework and knew that the original Long March 9 also had "A" and "B" models, which were to remove the corresponding number of boosters to achieve the effect of changing the carrying capacity.

For example, remove two boosters to reduce the carrying capacity to 100 tons.

Remove all the boosters to reduce the carrying capacity to 50 tons.

In this way, the use of the Long March 9 is more flexible, because some goods are large in size, but not heavy in weight. It is a waste to use the complete Long March 9, but the Long March 5 cannot transport it, which is troublesome.

The "A" and "B" models of the Long March 9 are for this purpose.

But this press conference was different. It didn't mention these two new models, but directly said "New Long March 9", which is strange.

Immediately afterwards, another message was thrown out. The Long March 5, which has been executed many times, also added a "New" character, and its engine was also replaced with a new material engine.

Most importantly, it is also going to be recovered.

According to the reporters' understanding, this rocket was not originally intended to be recovered!

Moreover, its recovery is very exciting. The core stage and four boosters are recovered together. In order to achieve this goal, the length of the core stage has to be adjusted.

If the first stage is adjusted, the second stage must also be adjusted.

So the recovery version of the Long March 5 looks almost the same as the original one except for the landing gear at the bottom, but in fact, many things have been replaced inside.

Seeing the subsequent transformation plan of the Long March 5, the reporters suddenly associated it with the situation of the Long March 9 in front.

"The Long March 9 is also going to be recovered?!"

Thinking of this possibility, the reporters couldn't hold back their thoughts and immediately started asking questions, but they didn't get accurate information, which made them feel anxious.

But they were already sure in their hearts that the Long March 9 would definitely be recovered.

But why should this super-heavy rocket be recovered?

Currently, the only one in the international community that is developing super-heavy rocket recovery seems to be the Starship launch system of Space X in the commercial aerospace field.

The purpose of recovering the Starship launch system is to save launch costs.

If it cannot be recovered, it will go bankrupt if it launches too many times.

This can be compared to the former Saturn V. A one-time super-heavy rocket would cost as much as an aircraft carrier to launch. Even a superpower like America could not afford it, let alone a private company.

But after it can be recovered, the more times it is launched, the cheaper it is, which is very much in line with the needs of Space X, because they plan to use the Starship launch system as an airplane in the future, so you can imagine its number of launches.

By the way, America announced some time ago that it would only build one more SLS rocket and then stop, because it was too expensive, and instead fully support private super-heavy rockets, that is, the Starship launch system.

New Glenn rocket... barely counts, after all, its diameter is large enough and its height is high enough.

So that means that Tianxia will have a large number of launch missions in the future, so many that it is impossible not to save costs?

Many reporters were excited. It doesn't matter if they didn't say it clearly, they have already imagined a lot.

They even thought of many report titles!

"Tianxia will have a large number of launch missions in the future, and a new space race has begun!"

"Tianxia and America are developing recoverable super-heavy rockets, and a new space race is inevitable!"

"International space launch missions are surging, and recoverable rockets will dominate the next era!"

"The space race is on again, where is the future of mankind?"

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It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, anyway, you don't say it clearly, so we can only make it up...呸, news, how can it be called making it up, this is called reasonable speculation!

In fact, these are all within Tianxia's expectations. They are waiting for America to react first.

Under normal circumstances, Tianxia will plan before acting, occupy the moral high ground, and make itself famous, but this time the fishing line and hook were thrown out, and America did not take the bait.

After various information was sent out, America was silent.

It's not silence. America is still promoting the return to the moon, as well as the progress of the Mars sample return plan, and the conceptual promotion of manned landing on Mars after that.

Then there are the commercial plans of private companies, such as commercial space stations, space tourism, and so on.

Although it has been exporting influence, it is no longer targeting Tianxia, ​​but simply promoting itself.

Even the private space tourism plan has problems. Space X's "Crew Dragon" and Boeing's "Starliner" have begun to take orders, but no one buys tickets.

The rich are waiting for "Dart X".

This is strange.

When Tang Chao had a secret meeting with the bosses of those aerospace companies before, they said that America was going to attack Navigator Company recently.

Tang Chao also asked them to actively fuel the fire after they went back, so that America would attack them and then provoke a more intense space race.

But after waiting and waiting, there was no movement from America.

In order to deal with the possible "attack", Navigator Company has been on edge and prepared, but the nerves cannot be tense all the time, and it will become mentally ill after a long time.

Even if Navigator test-flies "Dart X" every two days, and seeing it getting closer and closer to success, and the international rich people are looking at it with more and more enthusiasm, and no one is buying tickets for the space tourism that American private aerospace companies have already started operating, they are still able to hold their breath and have no reaction at all.

So after a while, he couldn't help but relax, he could handle it himself, but the whole company couldn't do that.

As the saying goes, "There are only thieves for a thousand days, but no one can guard against thieves for a thousand days", it definitely won't work to continue like this.

So Tang Chao was thinking about how to take the initiative to "lure the snake out of its hole"...

Soon, the opportunity came.

"The 72nd International Astronautical Congress will be held in the capital of Sakura Country!"

Chapter 2 11 o'clock