Chapter 264: Lin Ran’s Grand Blueprint
“It’s really beautiful, Professor. This is a work that represents the pinnacle of human engineering. It’s truly too beautiful.”
Man is insignificant in front of Saturn V.
This is the shock brought by human creation, the embodiment of human wisdom.
After hearing Lin Ran’s answer, Tim looked toward Saturn V, his mind filled only with appreciation for the thing.
“So, Professor, aren’t you worried about the attacks against you from the outside world?” Tim asked after coming back to his senses.
Lin Ran replied: “I think these attacks are quite boring.
But Americans really do have a lot of imagination.
They dug up Buzz Aldrin’s son and said I’m a liar, an opportunist, a thief. I think that’s still quite creative.
I brought in Buzz Aldrin to accomplish the great cause of moon landing together, while America got his son to accuse and denounce nonstop on the media every day.
This is the most important reason why we can replicate Saturn V, while America can only argue online.
They only know how to talk, while I’m a doer.”
Starting from when Buzz Aldrin sold his house, his children began making a fuss.
They went on various media in all sorts of ways, accusing the Chinese guy of swindling away all the savings their dad had accumulated over his lifetime.
For Buzz Aldrin’s children, even if they didn’t win the lawsuit, Buzz Aldrin had no other children, and he was already ninety years old. After he passed away, these assets would ultimately be divided among them.
But now, not only did Buzz Aldrin sell the house, he also went to China, and even gave all the money to a Chinese company called Apollo Technology.
His children’s first reaction was that their dad had been deceived by someone.
They even wanted to come to China to demand it back: how could you spend our money!
The money in the future is my money, and that is also my money.
30 million US Dollars, almost a sure thing to be divided among everyone at that time, each getting six million—isn’t that nice?
But now it’s just gone without a trace.
Buzz Aldrin’s children were simply utterly collapsed.
It’s just that China didn’t give them visas, otherwise they really could have come to China to make a scene.
Since they couldn’t come to China to make a scene, they accused from America across the Pacific Ocean.
Accusing Randolph Lin.
At first, only some local small papers reported on it, with hardly any space.
Later, as Lin Ran and Apollo Technology gradually entered the public eye, Buzz Aldrin’s children got chances to go on television stations as guests nonstop, accusing how despicable Lin Ran was, coveting the money of retired old timers.
Titles like liar, thief, opportunist were also pinned on Lin Ran by them.
After hearing Buzz Aldrin’s apology, Lin Ran didn’t take it to heart. His children were his children, and the two sides had long had no relationship.
Lin Ran was very clear that having Buzz Aldrin leave his legacy to him was the biggest blow to these people.
Lin Ran continued: “As for theft, to be honest, why don’t other countries and institutions steal it?
Is it because they don’t want to?
Doesn’t India want to replicate Saturn V?
Doesn’t NASA itself want to replicate Saturn V?
If they had Saturn V, would their Artemis program have to wait until 2024?
If the technology was so easy to steal, why don’t they have it themselves?
In my view, America’s accusations are completely running out of tricks like a cornered donkey.”
Tim asked: “So do you feel pressured?
Because messages keep coming from Washington, accusing you and Apollo Technology, trying to portray you and Apollo Technology as villains from the public opinion level.”
Lin Ran smiled: “I think it’s quite wonderful. This kind of experience was probably only enjoyed by Huawei in the past, and now we’ve joined the ranks.
I think it’s pretty good.”
What Lin Ran found wonderful wasn’t just this. In the 60 spacetime, he was America’s hero, NASA’s professor, but now he was America’s villain, NASA’s enemy.
He was just doing the same thing, even using the same methods, but because of his different position, he received completely opposite evaluations.
This feeling made Lin Ran feel even more wondrous.
“Professor, what do you think of the moon landing?
Because recently online there are many, many voices saying that moon landing is a one-time engineering, with no significance other than huge expense. What do you think of this?” Tim continued to ask.
Lin Ran didn’t need to guess where such voices came from: “I think it has great significance. Before we haven’t gone to Mars, we need to accumulate experience through governing the Moon.
If we can’t even handle the Moon, then how can we talk about governing Mars.”
Tim immediately became interested, “Oh, do you mean we can modify the Moon?”
Lin Ran explained: “Yes and no.
I very much agree with Musk’s viewpoint, that the essence of aerospace is still the cost problem.
If the cost of a trip to the Moon can be reduced to 100,000 RMB, how many people do you think would be willing to go? Would it have practical significance and value?
Of course, 100,000 RMB is an extreme case. We might first achieve 100 million, then 10 million, then reduce to 1 million.
First is reusable rockets, like the Starship that Musk is doing now. If Starship’s R&D succeeds, relying on full reusability, lower launch cost, and high payload capacity, they can completely reduce the per-person cost to between 50 million US Dollars and 100 million US Dollars.
We will also build transport rockets of the same level in the future, and in my view, we will be faster than SpaceX.”
Lin Ran pointed to the engines under the huge body of Saturn V:
“Tim, do you see the Moon No. 1 engine? Its thrust is more than twice that of the Raptor engine used in Starship.
Why does Starship’s first stage use 33 Raptors in parallel? Isn’t it because the Raptor’s thrust is insufficient?
While our Moon No. 1 has sufficient thrust, doesn’t need so many engines in parallel, and our difficulty in developing reusable heavy rockets is much lower than Starship.
On the other hand, China has a natural cost advantage.
The most common saying online is that Americans spend 10 US Dollars for a meal, while China spends 10 RMB for a meal.
Reflected on the production end, it’s a truly unmatched cost advantage.
This cost advantage here is not just simply labor cost, it’s the cost advantage of the entire industrial chain.
To put it this way, after we accomplish going to the Moon this time, the next step is to normalize going to the Moon, turn going to the Moon into a tourism project, and at the same time build small bases on the Moon.
Slowly expand around the small bases.
The most important thing here is actually to build an electromagnetic launch tower on the Moon.”
Tim asked back: “Electromagnetic launch tower?”
Lin Ran nodded: “That’s right. Think about it, we now go to the Moon using Saturn V, launch and enter Earth Orbit, orbit change, go to Lunar Orbit, Command Module stays in Lunar Orbit, Lunar Module goes to the Moon.
After going to the Moon, the Lunar Module returns to Lunar Orbit, docks with the Command Module, then orbit changes from Lunar Orbit back to Earth Orbit, and finally returns to Earth.
Haven’t you noticed how complex and tedious the whole process is?
Actually, we can launch directly back to Earth from the Moon.
Launch rocket directly from Earth, then just one Lunar Module, just one orbit change, from Earth to Moon, no need to split into Command Module and Lunar Module.
Command Module is saved.
Then from the Moon, directly use electromagnetic launch tower to launch the Lunar Module back to Earth, give it initial velocity through the electromagnetic launch tower, and use Hall Thruster for orbit change midway.
Building an electromagnetic launch tower on the Moon has natural advantages.
First, its gravity is only one-sixth of Earth’s, escape velocity is only 2.38 km per second, while Earth’s escape velocity is 11.2 km per second.
Additionally, Earth has a thick atmosphere, needing to consider air resistance and heating, but the Moon has no atmosphere, no resistance and heating problems.
In the long term, the Moon has water, has basalt, and the storage of rare metals on the Moon is even more than on Earth.
Basalt on the Moon is rich in iron and titanium, anorthosite is rich in potassium, rare earth, and phosphorus, and extracting rare earth on the Moon doesn’t need to consider pollution problems.
Use local materials to refine metal and build electromagnetic launch tower. As for electricity, early on use solar power, long-term build nuclear power plants.
From my perspective, we don’t need to rush to Mars at all. What we need to do is first turn the Moon into humanity’s outpost for advancing into the universe.
So, I think humanity was already able to go to the Moon 53 years ago, but after entering the 21st century, humanity’s footsteps never stepped on the Moon again. Humanity has wasted too much, too much time.
Our Apollo Technology’s trip to the Moon this time has both romantic colors, because the Moon is there and we want to see it, and long-term planning.
We want to fully utilize the Moon.
As long as the whole snowball rolls up, we can keep pushing this forward.
Funds come from space tourism, Moon experiments, moon soil sales, etc., and then the businesses that SpaceX is doing now, we can also do.
In the short term, we are going to build an electromagnetic launch tower on the near side of the Moon. After the entire Earth-Moon cycle is sufficiently perfected, we then consider building a launch tower on the far side of the Moon.
Because the side facing Earth is the near side of the Moon, and the side facing away from Earth is the far side of the Moon. If we are going to the Solar System, launching from the far side of the Moon is better.
In short, my plan is to complete the overall modification within ten years.”
Tim was already listening entranced.
After all, it comes down to who is saying it.
Behind it is China’s “self-developed” Saturn V, which is launching the day after tomorrow.
The miracle of handcrafting Saturn V in one year is right in front of us. Besides Saturn V, it also self-developed Burning No. 1 Rocket, which no domestic private institution can handle currently. The achievements are there.
The grand blueprint depicted by Lin Ran seemed very feasible to Tim.
“Professor, can we really achieve it within ten years?
Because I also know about China Aerospace’s plans for Moon Base. Their plan is to have a small base before 2035.
And the Moon Base you mentioned feels like utilizing the entire Moon, isn’t ten years a bit too short.”
Lin Ran explained: “Because as a private enterprise, our burdens are smaller, we can focus on our own goals.
China Aerospace has a lot to consider.
There is a difference between them.
Of course, more importantly, because of my existence. I was born to create miracles, to lead humanity to the universe. After I realized my talent on a certain day in the past, I have been working hard for this goal.”
Tim thought Lin Ran was talking about IQ, “Professor, that’s true. From the perspective of the peak of human wisdom, what you say is very reasonable.
Newton helped humanity understand force, utilize force, master force.
Einstein allowed our perspective to focus on the atomic and even more microscopic world, shaping products like nuclear bombs that formed the foundation of the international situation for the past few decades.
From an IQ perspective, in my view, you can absolutely be mentioned in the same breath as these two great gods, so you naturally have your mission, leading humanity to the universe seems very reasonable.”
Tim had specially prepared, and these words were said very beautifully.
“And Tim, do you know? Actually, going outward is also a helpless move for us, because of human nature, to develop we can only choose to go outward.” Lin Ran said.
Tim asked curiously: “Why do you say that?”
Lin Ran said: “Actually on Earth there are a large number of resources not exploited, a large amount of land not fully developed, but because of distinctions between countries in different regions, and different people have their own interest considerations, developing these places and utilizing these resources is very difficult.
Rather than being restricted on Earth, adding friction costs out of thin air, better to go outward.
America bought Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million US Dollars, later annexed Hawaii, these two places as their overseas enclaves.
Hawaii is 3,700 km from America’s mainland, Alaska is 1,000 km from America’s mainland.
Wanting an enclave 320,000 km from China’s mainland—isn’t that excessive?
It’s just that this enclave’s area might be a tiny bit larger.” Lin Ran joked.
Tim was a bit dazed, reacting 3 seconds later: “Not excessive, of course not excessive!”
Talk of opening up territory too much pokes at men’s excitement points.
Tim couldn’t help but fantasize.
“So you’re saying this to give us a farther vision?” Tim asked.
Lin Ran smiled: “Of course. I know Bilibili is a platform mainly for young people. Apollo Technology welcomes talents of all kinds to join.
The goals I mentioned are very grand, and the work we need to do is huge. Now we have just over a thousand people, which is far from enough for the work we need to do in the future.
After completing the moon landing by the end of this year, we will start large-scale expansion, expanding at a rate of 10,000 people per year. So here, a small advertisement: welcome fresh graduates, experienced engineers, R&D personnel to join Apollo Technology.
The only thing to worry about might be that joining Apollo Technology means you can no longer go to America for tourism.”
Lin Ran smiled wryly when saying this.
Tim followed up: “So Professor, are you worried about the restrictions America might impose on Apollo Technology?”
Lin Ran said: “Not worried, because aerospace is different from other fields. Since the Wolf Amendment in 2011, we have had no cooperation with America.
Any form of joint scientific research activities is prohibited, and all NASA facilities prohibit receiving Chinese visitors.”
Tim asked curiously: “This question might be a bit sensitive.”
Lin Ran gestured for him to speak freely.
Tim continued: “It’s that you just mentioned the Wolf Amendment, and recently major American television stations have brought out a lot of evidence proving you appeared in archives related to Apollo Moon Landing.”
Lin Ran smiled: “The Wolf Amendment targets official personnel, and I don’t work for Chinese official.
Secondly, for the archives storing Apollo Moon Landing related materials, I always went through formal procedures. There’s no place where I pried open the lock to enter, otherwise would they have visitor records with my name?
Finally, it’s still that problem. We replicated it. If NASA is capable, NASA replicate one too.
NASA and Musk don’t use F-1 engines but use 33 Raptor engines in parallel to build first-stage propulsion—is it because they don’t want to or can’t make F-1 anymore?
If willing to pay, I think we wouldn’t mind selling F-1 engines to you.
After all, Chinese aren’t as stingy as America. If there’s only Chinese people’s figures on the Moon, I feel it’s a bit too monotonous.”
For a moment, Tim couldn’t tell if Lin Ran’s words were sincere or sarcastic.
He cautiously said: “Professor, is what you said about being able to sell F-1 to them real?”
Lin Ran nodded: “Of course it’s real. That’s vision.
I really think the Moon shouldn’t be China’s solo game.
I think the aerospace development during the US-Soviet rivalry period was very good, very healthy. That’s the result brought by competition.
Now with NASA and SpaceX ahead, that’s what gives us the motivation to chase.
If they can’t be caught up at all, I think it would be a bit boring.
Isn’t there a saying: how empty is invincibility, how lonely.”
The 60s imprinted a deep mark on Lin Ran’s thinking mode. He sincerely hoped the place he once worked wouldn’t be so useless.
How did NASA decline so quickly!
Little did he know, before he joined NASA, NASA’s uselessness was about the same.
“So, Professor, there are rumors that you want to unify the entire private aerospace market. What do you think of this?” Tim continued to ask.
This was his own added question. Tim’s identity is well-known; his dad is an executive under Alibaba.
And Alibaba’s invested private aerospace companies include LandSpace, i-Space, and Galactic Energy.
This question was also asked on behalf of his dad. If Lin Ran wants to do that, Alibaba needs to run away quickly.
Lin Ran nodded: “Of course, we have this ability, and I have this will. For Apollo Technology to achieve my goals, it naturally needs revenue and profit. The most mature business model on the market now isn’t it helping with launches?
Next year, the modified reusable rocket based on Burning No. 1 should be launched, and we will sweep the entire commercial launch market, swallowing all market share.”
When saying this, Lin Ran made Tim feel a cold and ruthless side.
“Then Professor, these current companies won’t survive.” Tim said.
Lin Ran said expressionlessly: “After Apollo Technology exists, they themselves have no need to exist. As for their employees, the capable ones can naturally come to Apollo Technology.”
Tim felt the shadow of a strongman from the other party.
After Tim’s interview ended, that night Lin Ran was in the office in Wenchang doing final preparations. Someone knocked on the door. Lin Ran knew who it was and said:
“Please come in.”
A young man who looked strikingly like John Morgan walked in and said in fluent Chinese: “Professor, what do you want? An opening price of 100 billion US Dollars per year is indeed too high.”
Lin Ran was a bit dazed, “NASA Director, right.”
