Military Technology

"Let's go and take a look!" Wu Hao waved after hearing this.

After hearing Wu Hao's words, Yu Chengwu and Zhou Xiangming looked at each other, and then led Wu Hao and Zhang Jun through a long and narrow glass corridor. After passing through several security doors, they finally arrived at a new development workshop.

This development workshop is about the same size as the one where the Lunar Express Earth-to-Moon transfer spacecraft is located. Surrounded by many iron working platforms in the middle is the lunar landing ascender.

I don't agree with the horizontal position of the Moon Express Earth-lunar transfer spacecraft, but the lunar landing ascender is placed horizontally.

So as soon as you walk in, you can feel how tall it is.

Seeing Wu Hao and Zhang Jun stopping in front of the lunar landing ascender to look at it, Yu Chengwu immediately introduced: "Mr. Wu, Mr. Zhang, what we have in front of us now is the lunar landing ascender we have developed. It is called a lunar landing transfer spacecraft, a manned lunar landing module, etc.

The prototype of our lunar landing ascender is based on the manned lunar module of Laomi's Apollo series lunar landing spacecraft.

After all, this is the only manned lunar module system that has ever implemented a manned lunar landing, so it has a lot of reference value.

Of course, because this is a product of the 1960s, it is almost half a century away from today's reality, and there has been a very big breakthrough in technology. Therefore, we are only making a reference for design ideas and will not follow it. Imitation. In addition to the backward technology, it is also because it can no longer meet our needs.

The lunar module of the Apollo series of manned lunar landing spacecraft is divided into two parts, namely the lunar module and the ascender.

The lunar module and the ascender share a manned compartment, but have two independent propulsion systems. The larger one on the outside is the lunar landing module's lunar landing deceleration engine, and the one inside that is close to the manned module is the ascender part of the engine.

The lunar module needs to transport and land the ascender on the moon together. After the astronauts leave the cabin to complete the lunar landing scientific research mission, they return to the lunar module. Then the ascender part separates from the lunar module, carrying the When the astronaut's manned module ascends to the lunar orbit and docks with the spacecraft flying in the lunar orbit, the astronauts transfer from the ascender to the spacecraft, and the ascender is of no value.

So the spacecraft will abandon the ascender and return to Earth alone.

Based on this design, we designed and developed our lunar landing ascender.

Compared with the structure of the lunar module of the Apollo series of manned lunar landing spacecraft and the way of landing and ascent on the moon. Our lunar landing ascender has a simpler structure. It organically integrates the lunar lander and the ascender into a whole.

In other words, this lunar landing ascender is both a lunar lander and a manned ascender, combined into one.

The reason why the overall structure was simplified was mainly because the technology at that time was relatively backward, so those more cumbersome methods were used to carry out the entire moon landing and return ascent process.

In addition, it is also because the Apollo series of manned lunar landing spacecraft are disposable from the beginning and only need to meet the needs of one mission, so the design is particularly economical.

As for our lunar landing ascender, it needs to make multiple trips between the lunar surface and the lunar orbit for a long time. It is a reusable lunar landing ascender.

It is also based on this design, so it is obviously inappropriate to continue to use the separate design of the lunar module and ascender of the Apollo series of manned lunar landing spacecrafts.

So we merged it together, the lunar module and the ascender are both one, so that we can achieve this reusability requirement.

Therefore, this lunar landing ascender can actually be called a lunar surface transfer spacecraft, or a lunar surface transporter.

That’s what I call our lunar surface transfer spacecraft. "

Yu Chengwu said to the two of them, and when Wu Hao and Zhang Jun nodded, he continued: "This lunar surface transfer spacecraft is mainly divided into two parts, namely the core crew cabin and the propulsion support system surrounding the crew cabin.

To put it simply, it can also be regarded as a manned spacecraft, which also has a resource propulsion module, manned cabin, docking device and other parts.

However, this lunar surface transfer spacecraft is not arranged in series like the manned spacecraft. Instead, the resource propulsion module is placed outside the manned module and docking device. The biggest advantage of this is that it can control the height, and it can also make the entire lunar surface transfer spacecraft more stable and balanced when landing, without being tilted due to being too high, and can adapt to more terrain environments.

As you can see, the cantilevers extending out from the periphery are its propulsion engines. Unlike other landers that put the thrusters underneath, our lunar surface transfer spacecraft puts it on the side and uses cantilevers to extend it. The length and outer sides are like a person’s open hands.

Why is it designed like this? This is also based on the design ideas of multi-axis propeller drones. The biggest advantage is of course stability.

Secondly, the bottom space is freed up, which can be used to mount some additional supplies and equipment.

In addition, we have also set up an elevator below, which can be used for the transfer of cargo in the cabin and the entry and exit of astronauts.

Of course, design is one of the biggest reasons for this external cantilever engine structure, and it is also convenient for maintenance and replacement.

In the past, it was difficult to install the engine into the entire lander, which was difficult to repair and maintain, and there was no need for it because it was disposable.

As for our lunar surface transfer spacecraft, it travels between the moon surface and the lunar orbit for a long time, so it is inevitable that there will be some failures, so these engines need to be maintained from time to time. The replaced engine can also be easily replaced.

And these engines adopt a modular design, which is very convenient for repair and replacement.

In addition, another major advantage of this arrangement is that more propulsion engines can be arranged around the periphery, which can provide more powerful thrust for the entire lunar surface transfer spacecraft. Yes, it can transport more people and heavier materials to and from the lunar surface and lunar orbit.

And more engines mean higher redundancy, which is a very advanced safety design. Whether it is landing on the moon or ascending from the lunar surface to the lunar orbit, it is only less than 20,000 meters.

But the whole process is very dangerous and there is no room for any mistakes. Otherwise, it may have to smash holes in the moon like the lunar probe of a certain big country in the southern subcontinent.

So there are more engines, which means that even if one or two engines fail during the entire landing and ascent process, it will not affect the flight of the lunar surface transfer spacecraft. "