Chapter 287: True Damage With Every Strike
Valentin?
A familiar name. After Korolev passed away in the 1960s, their new rocket research and development chief designer seemed to have the same name.
Lin Ran pondered that this name in Russia was probably wholesale, similar to Zi Han domestically.
“Professor, since the war began in February 2022, Starlink, as the low Earth orbit satellite Internet service provided by SpaceX, has fully demonstrated its strategic importance in the conflict.
During the Azovstal siege from April to May 2022, Ukraine troops used Starlink to send photos and videos, maintaining contact with the outside world.
This was especially important in besieged areas like Mariupol, helping the troops maintain communication under extreme conditions.
At the same time, Starlink also supported the Ukraine army’s command and control, including artillery fire coordination and real-time data transmission.
In May 2022, a Starlink-based application became a key component of the new artillery coordination system, connecting commanders with distant observers.
This improved combat efficiency, especially in dynamic battlefield environments.
Over the past six months, Ukraine soldiers have widely used Starlink to control drones for reconnaissance and attacks.
Starlink allows them to use drones at any location, quickly sending data to the control center, analyzing videos, and planning strikes on Russian military equipment, with setup time taking only about 15 minutes, greatly enhancing Ukraine’s tactical flexibility.
From communication support to military coordination to drone operations, Starlink is everywhere.”
Yelena in Russia was absolutely second-generation.
Especially since she stayed in Russia after 1991.
Gagarin as the first person in space had global fame, and as his daughter, Yelena wanting to go to the Western world would be extremely easy.
Work, treatment, social status—these wouldn’t be concerns; as long as she wanted to go, the Western world would gladly help her solve them.
Soviet Union elites going to the free world—is there a better symbol proving their victory?
Therefore, Yelena was not only second-generation, but absolutely loyal! Loyal to Russians.
So because Yelena was bridging in the middle, Valentin was very candid.
Lin Ran listened very seriously. If the White House was sitting with Cold War fossils, then Lin Ran was purely a Cold War orphan.
To put it this way, a young man who had never left the ivory tower, whose first social lesson was in 1960s America, in the 1960s White House and NASA—talking humanitarianism with him would be a bit ridiculous.
Lin Ran had personally seen McNamara unfazed and unmoved when the America Air Force dropped Agent Orange on Vietnam villages, and Vietnam frontline casualties were just a number in Lyndon Johnson’s mouth.
So when Marina talked at the Fields Medal award ceremony about how if Lin Ran cooperated with Russia, it would cause too many Ukraine civilian casualties, it meant nothing to Lin Ran.
A Cold War orphan—would they care about these things and still dare say they mixed in the 1960s White House?
“Professor, under the current situation, we are very interested in your company’s reusable rocket.” Valentin summarized, “We hope to quickly deploy communication and reconnaissance satellites through your company’s reusable rocket to meet battlefield needs, even interference satellites.”
After listening, Lin Ran said seriously: “I have a few points to say. First, we don’t reject doing business with Russia, but the premise is that Russia needs to find a suitable intermediary. We’re not saying we’re afraid of America’s sanctions; it’s just that temporarily, I don’t want us to be sanctioned by the international monetary computing organization.”
This move was quite ruthless. If sanctioned, domestically it was fine—after all, domestically they issued RMB, paid salaries through Kunlun Bank, and handled social security.
Kunlun Bank’s establishment was specifically to cope with such situations.
But it was still inconvenient.
This was the downside of the international financial system being in others’ hands.
“Of course, if America sanctions us more strictly, our cooperation space will be greater.
Temporarily, we still need to find an intermediary.
Anyway, Russia has many companies in China; just pick one, have them sign a contract with us, we help them launch satellites. As for you saying they’re civilian satellites and Americans saying they’re military satellites, that’s Roshomon.
We only handle launching the rocket up there; we have no ability to distinguish.”
Valentin understood; the other side just needed a reason, a reason that could pass on the surface.
“Don’t worry, Professor, this is absolutely no problem.” Valentin said without hesitation.
Lin Ran continued: “The second point is that our single launch price is 200 million RMB; we accept RMB, no need to consume your foreign exchange reserves.”
Valentin looked troubled because the Falcon 9 single launch price was 62 million US dollars, while Burning One Modified’s payload capacity was one-third of the Falcon 9, yet the asking price converted to dollars was half of the Falcon 9.
Of course, even 200 million RMB was definitely cheaper than launching themselves.
“I need to discuss this quotation when I get back,” Valentin said.
Lin Ran added: “Multiple satellites per launch, we can handle.”
Multiple satellites per launch meant launching one rocket that could deploy multiple satellites at once.
Because 8 tons of payload capacity didn’t mean all satellites were that heavy.
Satellites were divided into large, medium, small, etc., by weight.
Early Starlink version 0.9 satellites were only 227 kilograms, belonging to small satellites.
And Falcon 9 launching Starlink satellites could send 20 to 60 satellites to low Earth orbit at once.
At 15:07 on May 13, the Falcon 9 rocket launched the 45th batch of 53 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base; less than 24 hours later, at 16:40 Eastern Time on May 14, the Falcon 9 rocket launched the 46th batch of 53 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
If Burning One Modified could also launch frequently like this, multiple satellites per launch, the significance would be much greater than just a simple rocket.
Multiple satellites per launch required the rocket to have sufficient payload capacity while also having precise enough orbit control to ensure each satellite was deployed in the correct orbit.
“Professor, can you sell us the Burning One Modified technology?” Valentin’s tone was somewhat dry.
He didn’t think the request was excessive, but rather a sense of emotion at the changes over sixty years.
Sixty years ago, in 1961, the Soviet Union sent Yelena’s father beside him into space: first artificial satellite, then first manned spaceflight—it was unequivocally the number one aerospace powerhouse.
NASA? Back then, NASA was mocked in public opinion, not just by Pravda, but by American newspapers too.
China? China didn’t even have a single satellite then, not to mention satellites—China was even an agriculture-based country.
Sixty years later, seas turned to mulberry fields, and Russia actually had to go to China to buy rocket technology.
Valentin felt somewhat ashamed. Like Yelena, he was a Russian who spanned the Soviet Union and Russia eras. As an engineer who experienced the last glory of the Soviet Space Agency, Valentin felt a surge of emotions inside.
“Sorry, technology not for sale. Cooperation price is 200 million RMB per launch.” Lin Ran insisted.
Sell technology? Sell the hen that lays golden eggs once? I’m not that stupid.
If just selling to Russians, it wouldn’t be impossible.
The problem was, the world was divided into two parts: one the Western world, a market Lin Ran didn’t think he could capture.
The other part was countries under Soviet Union shadow, like Central Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe—these places Lin Ran was eyeing too.
If Burning One Modified technology was sold to Russians, then those places’ launch markets would be for Russians to develop, markets that were now open for him to compete in.
Even if Russians offered sky-high prices, he wouldn’t sell.
The Russian experts who came along then discussed specific parameters of Burning One Modified, and how to achieve multiple satellites per launch.
The atmosphere on site was very lively; these Russian experts listened to Lin Ran lecture like students.
But only now; before, in Russia, only Korolev-level scientists could hear Lin Ran’s live lectures.
“Yelena, what kind of person do you think the professor is? After all, you’ve dealt with him for over a year.” Back at the hotel, Valentin asked.
After thinking for a moment, Yelena said: “The professor is the most accomplished expert I’ve seen in the field of aerospace. I think we need to seize the opportunity to cooperate with him.”
The Russian group didn’t leave so quickly. After a simple discussion back, Valentin and Lin Ran reached a preliminary verbal agreement.
They came this time with an even more important purpose: to observe Burning One Modified’s Moon launch mission.
“Professor, I still don’t quite understand why you’re taking such an aggressive strategy, directly choosing fully automatic launch, letting the fuel tank use autonomous driving to complete the entire process from orbit switch to landing.”
After listening to Li Rui’s introduction, Valentin’s face was full of shock.
Because this Burning One Modified launch’s fuel tank, named Wu Gang 0001, was aimed at the edge of Shackleton Crater at the Lunar South Pole.
Never seen 9999 Wu Gangs chopping cassia?
This place was also the best among the 13 best landing sites selected by NASA for the Artemis program.
Because if you want to build a base on the lunar surface and expand it from small to large base.
Then water and sunlight are the two most important factors.
The Lunar South Pole is considered an ideal location for building a permanent, expandable base. It includes permanently shadowed regions containing water ice, which can be electrolyzed into oxygen and hydrogen; meanwhile, water is also an essential resource for modifying moon soil into concrete.
And at the edge of Shackleton Crater, right next to it is shadow, and this place has nearly continuous sunlight.
Simply put, the base needs to be near areas with continuous sunlight to maintain electricity, while near shadowed regions to obtain water ice; both can be had at Shackleton.
This place was selected after over ten years by lunar geologists from Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA’s South Pole site analysis and planning team.
(Specific dollars spent, no data found)
Now the old Chinese were going up first.
No big deal in public opinion, but to professionals, it was even more cuckolding than replicating the Apollo Moon Landing.
After all, Apollo Moon Landing—you at least went up yourself. Shackleton is like you fiddled around, selected for ages, vowed to land on the Moon in 2020, build a small base at Shackleton Crater edge, saying how great this place is.
In the report from NASA’s Moon site selection team to NASA, they selected 13 locations, hyped to the skies, all good, with Shackleton hyped the most.
(Oblique view of Shackleton Crater rim (left side) and the Shackleton-de Gerlache ridge extending from left center to upper right.
South Pole near the small, sharp, bright crater at Shackleton Crater rim on the image left, about 25% from the bottom.
Ridge line about 14 km long, NAC ID M1348682369LR, image source NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University)
Just like you keep telling your bro how pretty the girl in the next class is, must chase her after gaokao, then after gaokao with flowers and handwritten letter, only to find her on your bro’s bike backseat—how not to break defense?
Now the American aerospace enthusiasts felt exactly that; this spacecraft Moon landing was real damage every hit.
“Actually from a technical perspective, I think as long as the autonomous driving rules are set well, autonomous driving is more reliable than our Earth-based control.” Lin Ran said, “Don’t forget, I’m also an artificial intelligence expert, a mathematics-proficient artificial intelligence expert.”
Valentin was silent; the other wasn’t just mathematics-proficient that simply.
“But you don’t know the Shackleton Crater situation yet; are you letting Wu Gang judge itself?” Valentin followed up.
Launching uncrewed spacecraft to soft land at Shackleton Crater in the Lunar South Pole has enormous challenges.
To put it bluntly, no one has succeeded before.
Shackleton Crater is even harder: interior in permanent shadow, outer rim with nearly continuous sunlight, leading to extreme illumination conditions affecting navigation.
Lin Ran explained: “Relying on communication and ground operation is more dangerous; you have to consider the extremely low temperatures in shadowed regions affecting the spacecraft’s electronic equipment.
Better to let the spacecraft judge itself.”
Lin Ran thought to himself that whether the first time succeeds isn’t that important.
Even crashing is fine.
As long as Wu Gang 0001 can reach Shackleton Crater, then I use the door to go up, deploy a set of computing equipment and communication equipment in the wreckage, then through this computing equipment connect to the lunar lander, and have the Moon’s computing center provide computing power for automatic navigation calculations.
Simply put, originally facing the chicken-or-egg dilemma, but the door’s existence directly grabs a chicken from the void—problem solved?
As Apollo Technology’s founder, I can erase all traces of Moon navigation existence.
After automatic navigation stabilizes, then propose we need to transport a set of computing equipment up.
Actually computing equipment first, but in outsiders’ eyes, it’s perfecting lunar landing navigation technology.
So, whether soft landing this time doesn’t matter; hard landing is fine too, closer to Shackleton Crater the better.
Launch still at Wenchang.
“All systems normal,” Li Bin looked up, “Rocket and lander have passed all tests.”
Li Rui nodded: “Good, prepare for launch.”
Countdown to zero, on the control room’s big screen, Burning One Modified rocket ignited, rocket slowly rose, cutting through the night sky.
“Trajectory normal!” an engineer in the control center shouted; telemetry data on the screen showed the rocket ascending as planned.
Minutes later, first stage separation, second stage continued pushing Wu Gang 0001 to low Earth orbit.
First stage began returning to Earth, preparing for vertical landing at Wenchang launch site.
“First stage approaching landing zone,” an engineer reported.
With engine ignition, first stage descended slowly, finally landing precisely at Wenchang launch site.
Polite applause rang in the control room; everyone was used to it—Burning One Modified’s performance was consistently stable.
Li Rui showed a relieved smile, shook hands with Li Bin: “Well done! Now we need to focus on Wu Gang.”
Wu Gang entered low Earth orbit.
After a series of automatic checks, began executing trans-lunar injection burn, sending it to the Moon.
Lander engines ignited, successfully departed Earth orbit, heading to the Moon.
Days later, Wu Gang approached the Moon, needing to execute lunar orbit insertion burn.
The control room atmosphere was tense; everyone was doing fully automated operation for the first time, unsure if it would work.
Engineers in the control center were ready anytime to take over Wu Gang.
Burn completed smoothly; lander entered lunar orbit.
Low cheers rose in the control room; tension eased.
The toughest moment arrived: landing at Shackleton Crater edge. The terrain was rugged, full of rocks, with parts in permanent shadow—navigation extremely challenging.
“Terrain complex, steep slopes varying greatly; our navigation system must be precise.” An engineer sweated for Wu Gang inwardly.
Wu Gang began descent.
Control room fell silent; everyone stared at the screen.
Lander’s camera transmitted lunar surface images, getting closer.
Suddenly, alarm sounded: “Obstacle detected!”
Evasion system activated automatically
Lander’s AI system took over, adjusted trajectory, avoided a boulder.
Finally, screen showed: “Landing confirmed.”
