Chapter 1108 Unintentionally promoted history
While Chang Haonan was thinking about how to overcome the problem of processing large-size wide-chord blades.
France, Paris.
Jean Jacques Dordan was looking at two reports with similar content but completely different conclusions in front of him with a frown.
It’s all about China’s aerospace engineering.
In fact, China's successful first manned space flight has become the biggest topic of the European Space Agency (ESA) in the past half month.
But on this topic, ESA is divided into two completely different factions.
One group believes that there are never too many escape routes. In the case of insufficient resources, we should try to open cooperation with any other countries and organizations with space capabilities.
After all, just a few months ago, they even signed an agreement with Roscosmos, with the latter specifically developing a Soyuz series rocket suitable for the Guyana Space Center to ease the European The problem of tight space transportation capacity.
From this point of view, having a few more partners is not a problem at all.
The other group believes that although China's aerospace level is in a promising situation, its foundation is still weak and the ground is shaking. Its own areas of expertise overlap closely with those of the European Union. The introduction of cooperation is simply intensifying competition, and it must also take into account the United States. human risk.
As an organization established with the support of the European Union and multiple countries, even though Dordan is the director, he does not have the unequivocal influence within ESA like his counterparts in other countries.
More often, his job seems to be more like a coordinator.
Not only must the interests of various member states, especially the initial member states, be balanced, but the impact of the external environment must also be taken into consideration.
For example, NASA is keen on long-arm jurisdiction...
In short, the oil and water are rich and generous, but the money earned is definitely useless money...
At this moment, a sudden knock on the door interrupted Director Dordan's sigh.
After looking up at the person coming, he performed a face-changing art at the speed of light, and quickly stood up to invite the person in:
"Bernard, long time no see..."
Speaking, he picked up two cups and placed them in front of the two of them:
"Would you like something to drink?"
Bernard Kandel, ESA policy development consultant, is also an honorary professor at the Université de France.
“No need.”
Kander waved his hand, obviously not accepting this idea.
He is a veteran within ESA, but his current title is only nominal.
He has neither real power nor much control.
If I hadn’t had a good personal relationship with Dordan, I probably wouldn’t have made this special trip:
“You made a special trip to call me here, presumably not just to reminisce about old times…”< br>
Dordan, whose purpose was directly exposed, only showed a moment of embarrassment:
“The Chinese side... this time it is a problem for me.”
Kandel was stunned by this sentence:
"You mean... they sent their first astronaut into space?"
"Otherwise... "
Dordan sighed:
"What else could it be?"
Kandel almost laughed out loud when he heard this:
"But we...no, it's you. Didn't you give up long ago on independently completing the manned spaceflight project?"
There was a strong tone in his tone. of schadenfreude.
But Dordan just shrank his head and glanced at the other party——
In the mid-1980s, ESA once had a manned mission that was expected to cost more than 100 billion West German Marks. space program.
Kandel himself is an enthusiastic supporter and promoter of this plan.
However, if Europeans are asked to implement such a complex project, the result will not be surprising -
ESA finally proposed a stifling three-stage development route.
The first is to develop a spacecraft similar to the Soyuz, and develop an improved version based on the Ariane 3 rocket to send the spacecraft and astronauts into space.
The second is the "Mr. Space Shuttle", which is slightly smaller than the American space shuttle. It is expected to be launched by the Ariane 5 rocket that was still in the plan at the time.
The third is to develop the "Columbus" space capsule, which is actually a small space station that allows astronauts to stay in orbit uninterrupted.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the problem is already huge at this point -
Spaceship - space shuttle - small space station.
The relationship between the three is not so much a succession, but a parallel relationship.
Especially the first two items.
Indeed, even though the Soviets already had spacecraft, they still began to develop the new Buran space shuttle in the 1980s.
But after all, the Soyuz has been used for almost 30 years, and iterating new products is a smooth process.
What about your ESA?
Resources are not enough to begin with, so we have to build two delivery vehicles at the same time.
It’s unreasonable no matter how you look at it.
In short, despite the mutual refusal, we finally came up with such a plan full of compromises.
The whole plan had to be abandoned.
Only the name "Columbus" has been used on a module of the International Space Station.
Kander was also stimulated by this incident and left ESA's business line.
Looking at the Chinese people catching up from behind, it is inevitable to have the thought "You really deserve this".
Dordan, who had also experienced the whole process that year, could not easily refute, had to change the topic: "It's not entirely related to manned spaceflight..."
As he spoke, he put down the things on the table. Two reports were brought over:
“Anyway, take a look at this first.”
Although Kandel was still holding his breath in his heart, after all, he had a good personal relationship with Dordan, so it was impossible Directly brushing the opponent's face.
After all, it’s here.
So, I finally took it into my hands and quickly turned it over to the end at the speed of one glance and ten lines.
After a while of silence, he slowly said:
“I think...in the field of aerospace, international cooperation is the general trend after all, and even Americans and Russians can work together. Space Station, it’s not unreasonable for someone to want us to be open-minded on this matter..."
Dordan’s eyes moved slightly.
It seems that the other party supports the first opinion.
But before he could speak, he heard Kandel change his subject:
“But we must also consider that our aerospace project has been deeply tied to NASA. This second document The risks mentioned in the report do exist..."
"At present, it seems that what the Chinese are good at is developing functional space payloads, such as satellites and spacecrafts, but their shortcoming is the lack of large-scale vehicles with strong carrying capacity. Rockets, this is completely consistent with our ecological niche in international aerospace... We cannot simply judge it by the situation in the EASA aviation industry..."
These words are of a very high level.
It's like saying something.
Humphrey is possessed by Yes.
Dordan also showed a look that he couldn't bear to look at:
"I invited you here today, not to carry me water..."
Kander Shrugging, he put down the two reports in his hands:
"I don't even need to look at the name of the person who submitted the report to know that this is an internal struggle between the ELDO faction and the ESRO faction... You, the director, can't do anything to them. What can I, a professor who left ESA long ago, do?"
ELDO, European Launch Vehicle Development Organization.
ESRO, European Space Research Organization.
These are two organizations established simultaneously in 1962 on the basis of the European Community in the early days of space exploration.
Although in 1975, the two merged to form today's European Space Agency, the entanglement of interests between them does not disappear so easily.
On the contrary, it is intensified due to resource sharing.
The previously extremely abstract manned space program is also related to the infighting between these two factions.
The positions of the two sides have differed at different times, but in general, the former prefers open cooperation, while the latter prefers to bind NASA.
As for why the previous cooperation with the Russians was able to pass...
That was also because NASA took the lead.
Now that the partner has been changed to China, the ESRO faction is naturally not so easy to talk to.
Before Dordan spoke again, Kandel continued to ask:
“Speaking of it... I remember at the beginning of this year, weren’t we going to use the Galileo satellite navigation system and Did China cooperate? Why did it end with nothing?"
"Don't mention it..."
The former loosened the tie around his neck:
"We have just begun to discuss the feasibility of cooperation internally. We have not even decided on the candidates for the inspection team sent to China, and the news leaked out... The Americans put very strong pressure, and many people who were initially inclined to cooperate soon also I changed my attitude and finally had to put it on hold..."
Kander spread his hands and showed an expression of "I knew it":
"So you see, even a global satellite navigation system Any cooperation will be leaked so quickly. If you want to cooperate with China in the more sensitive field of manned spaceflight or even deep space exploration, what is the difference between that and dreaming? "
"..."
< br>Dordan was speechless.
After a long while, he said with some sadness:
"The bond between us and NASA... is indeed a bit too deep..."
Unexpectedly, this speech, which was originally a bit self-defeating, But Kandel changed his mind:
“Actually...it’s not impossible.”
“Ah?”
Dordan became energetic instantly.
"Your ESA has been penetrated almost like a sieve... there is definitely no hope."
Kander said very bluntly.
"Uh..."
Dordan scratched his head in embarrassment.
Kandel completely ignored him:
“If you really want to break the situation, you can only consider letting private capital enter the aerospace industry, and then find a white glove to complete the matter...”
(End of Chapter)