February 1, 1986, was originally the first time in history that China successfully launched a communications and broadcast satellite, marking the day when China mastered launch vehicle technology. However, due to Qi Yiming's troubles, in October last year, in order to cooperate with communications companies such as China Mobile that appeared in advance, and with the support of technical personnel from the Red Alert Base, the Long March 4C medium-sized carrier rocket produced by the base was launched into the sky at once. Went to 4 communication satellites.
These four communication satellites involve satellite television services, maritime communications, mobile satellite communications and other fields. With the further development of civil aerospace in the future, more and more satellites of this type will be sent into space.
Like the situation in the military industry, the aerospace industry is also subject to certain restrictions, but such restrictions vary depending on the situation. For example, the country is vigorously promoting civilian-use products such as communications and broadcasting satellites, or in the final analysis, aerospace products that can make money. Especially units like the Aviation Industry Corporation of China have spent considerable energy on researching similar things. However, the great manned space project is still delayed indefinitely, and Qi Yiming can roughly understand the reason.
You send a few communication satellites up, other countries will not particularly care, because many countries in the world can do it. But if you send people to heaven, there is a fundamental difference. The third country in the world to succeed in manned spaceflight, in addition to inspiring people's hearts and minds, has definitely set itself up as a target. There will be constant doubts that you are using space with bad intentions.
On February 1st, the second CZ-4 C rocket produced by the base was once again established at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Base. Qi Yiming still took time out of his busy schedule to go to Jiuquan to watch the satellite launch. Because the thing carried on the launch vehicle this time is directly related to the military industry he is mainly responsible for-the Beidou series navigation satellites.
The Beidou project is listed in the Ninth Five-Year Development Plan. The project code is "Beidou No. 1" and was first planned in 1983. The specific development is still a classic Chinese three-step process: the first step is the experimental stage, that is, launching a small number of geosynchronous orbit satellites to complete the test mission. The main purpose is to accumulate technical experience, cultivate talents, and make technical reserves for system construction; The second step is to launch more than 10 satellites by 2012, so that the Beidou satellite navigation and positioning system (Beidou-2) will initially cover the Asia-Pacific region; the third step is to complete the construction of 5 geostationary orbits and 30 earth satellites by 2020. A global satellite navigation system formed by a network of non-geostationary satellites.
The first Beidou-1 satellite was launched in 2000, followed by a total of 4 satellites launched within a few years, which were basically experimental in nature. The performance of the four satellites in Beidou 1.0 is far from meeting ordinary military and civilian requirements, but it marks the beginning of China's entry into global navigation. First of all, the coverage of the 1.0 system is only in the Tianchao area. Secondly, the positioning accuracy can only reach 20 meters. Compared with the 10 meters of GPS, there is still some gap. Because it uses a radio communication protocol, the signal is extremely easy to detect by others and has no military value. In addition, the terminal of this system cannot be used in high-speed aircraft, so the market for use is restricted.
Most of the equipment currently provided by China relies heavily on satellite positioning systems. Now we can barely use GPS to cope with it, but after all, it is not a long-term solution. It is widely circulated that China is determined to develop the Beidou system because during the Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1996, the US military suspended all missile satellite positioning authorized to China in order to contain Chinese missiles. In an instant, TG found that most of the weapons had declined from high precision. Became a cannon. This feeling of being controlled by others is absolutely intolerable to China, which lacks a sense of security. Therefore, developing its own satellite positioning system has become an even more important project in the aerospace industry than manned spaceflight.
Qi Yiming doesn¡¯t know much about aerospace. At this moment, a Red Alert engineer stands next to him, specifically introducing to him the situation of the Beidou system that appeared more than ten years in advance.
"We directly skipped the level of Beidou 1. Basically, the technical indicators are close to Beidou 2.0. This satellite launch is also a double satellite at a time. Two satellites will be launched into the geostationary orbit. After the system construction is completed, these two satellites will serve as backup satellites, and now they mainly provide us with short message communication, precision timing and positioning services.¡±
Seemingly knowing what the base boss is most concerned about, the engineer added: "The application of Beidou system will fill the last gap in the army's comprehensive data link system. With Beidou, building a digital army will no longer be a problem. Beidou and Other communication satellites and spy reconnaissance satellites will provide our military with the greatest degree of intelligence information support and the most timely communication assistance and positioning services.¡±
Of course Qi Yiming understood the significance, and he also asked eagerly: "About when will the level of digital force requirements be initially achieved."
This person looks likeThe engineer without much emotional intelligence answered simply: "We need at least 202 more satellites."
Qi Yiming was almost defeated, but he thought that this was not surprising. Even in 2015, the PLA did not dare to say that it had completed the construction of an entire digital army. Some centimeter-level reconnaissance satellites were not up to standard, and the global Not all of the positioned Beidou satellites are in the sky, and coupled with some software and hardware problems on the ground terminal system, this road to digitalization is definitely a long way to go.
He is not too sad. The current leaders of military innovation, the Yingjiang family, have just begun to explore this model. Qi Yiming at least knows how to go in the future. This is an advantage in itself. If you click on the wrong technology tree The punishment is absolutely terrible, with him at least you won't click on the wrong technology tree.
In the "elegant room" specially set up to watch the satellite launch, the launch commander's countdown began to sound. Qi Yiming had seen many such scenes on later TVs, and he was not too excited. Instead, he looked at the huge Long March 4C rocket outside through the display screen, and said secretly: "The CZ-4C was definitely not top-notch in the 1980s. The American devils destroyed Delta and Mao Xiong. The Soyuz and the Shenma are all better than the CZ-4. In the aerospace field, the gap is actually wider than in some ordinary military fields. "
With the blazing tail flame soaring into the sky, the launch vehicle rose up from the ground, slowly breaking away from the shackles of gravity, and then rushed towards the vast universe without hesitation. Qi Yiming in the elegant room was particularly calm, but outside The astronauts in the command hall hugged each other excitedly and applauded endlessly.
Qi Yiming could generally feel their mood. What he brought to these sincere astronauts was not actually those huge rockets and advanced satellites, but a road that could see the light of day. There is no doubt that in this era, many people engaged in scientific research are extremely confused. After the turmoil subsided, people regained their senses and re-entered the track of development. They suddenly found that the distance between their opponents was getting wider and wider, so big that They were originally enthusiastic and fearful.
Just like the article "How Long Can the Red Flag Can Fly" written by a certain usurper Lin in the Soviet area, today's scientific researchers are worried and even extremely pessimistic in the face of a huge technological gap. Just as there was a man with a big ambition on his chin, who wrote a few words in order to refute revolutionary defeatism with the courage to fight against the world and the earth - a single spark can start a prairie fire.
Qi Yiming was indulging his thoughts, but the engineer next to him interrupted him without a long look and said: "Boss, to be honest, the Beidou system still has many problems that need to be improved, especially high-resolution reconnaissance, For subjects such as anti-jamming, we are only using it to solve problems. Only when it is completed in the combat laboratory and you unlock the Red Alert spy satellite system and integrate its main technologies can it play a greater role. "
Qi Yiming shook his big head and said: "You think I don't want to, but the speed of upgrading is too slow. It has been a year, and the experience bar has only run through half of it. I don't know when I can upgrade." Let¡¯s go to the second level unlock combat laboratory.¡±
The engineer answered naturally: "The Red Alert Base exists for war. It has not been mainly used for combat since you took possession of it. It is like a hamster-like reserve of supplies. The base's large output of equipment is not just for you to manufacture." Weapons are stored to quickly replenish the required war weapons. Only by participating in the war can you continuously upgrade and unlock more advanced technologies and equipment.¡±
Qi Yiming was stunned. He didn't react to such a simple truth for so long. He patted the back of his head and secretly thought that since he had the Red Alert Base, he was not thinking about dragging China into any war, but thinking about how to build China better and the PLA stronger, so Subconsciously he avoided the question of the war. The little experience he gained in this year basically came from the battlefield in southern Xinjiang, aiding Iranian pilots, and dealing with the Korean rebellion. These small-scale conflicts can only bring him a considerable amount of experience. limited.
"Are we really going to fight a big war?" Qi Yiming immediately dismissed this idea. He was not afraid of trouble, but the objective conditions absolutely did not allow him to incite the senior officials to launch a large-scale war, and This time at the end of the Cold War was also relatively sensitive, and it was difficult to deal with the serious consequences of a possible outbreak. What's more, Qi Yiming is not a warmonger. It is difficult for him to have the decisiveness of the time traveler, because after all, when he sees each and every living life being taken away like this, there is no more noble or hypocritical excuse. Really It's hard to make a decision.
"How should we deal with this?" Qi Yiming had a headache.