The booming development of private spaceflight has a background, that is, the failure of the early space shuttle and the end of the space race caused by the end of the Cold War. This turmoil led to the cancellation of a large number of important projects in the United States that began in the 1980s, and the investment of aerospace giants was in vain. , the enthusiasm was greatly affected.
After the disarmament in the 1990s and the great consolidation of the aerospace industry, giants such as Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin are no longer as monopolistic as they were in the 1960s, and they are more sensitive to risks. Therefore, they are half-hearted about commercial launches and only favor the defense business. Not to mention the high price, the RD-180 engine was originally invested by the Americans. Because the manufacturer was unwilling to spend money to build a new factory, it ended up completely relying on Russian production.
This is why Russia can stiffen its neck in the face of sanctions. Threats to terminate cooperation and "run out of food" for the International Space Station have been staged more than once, and have proven successful time and time again. It was not until the rise of private space companies in recent years that this innocuous threat gradually became less effective.
Facts have proved that industries dominated by bureaucrats have no future after all, and this is also vividly reflected in the aerospace industry.
Take the famous private space company as an example.
Its launch price has reached an almost ridiculous level, only a fraction of the market price. No country or company in the world can compete with it. These emerging companies have inherited a lot of research results from the aerospace giants of the old era, but they have not inherited any debt.
Speaking of -X’s boss, Elon Musk, is also a legendary figure, but his popularity in China is far less than that of Steve Jobs. However, many people should have heard of some of the earth-shattering things he has done. For example, he co-founded an online payment mechanism, which is the most successful online payment method to date. Later, it was acquired by eBay, and he made his first pot of gold.
Another example is the most popular car in the past year. No doubt, he is also the boss of Tesla!
Not only that, he invited three well-known entrepreneurs to co-found -X. And it has set the ambitious strategic goal of "taking space tourism as the starting point, opening an era of privatization of space resources, and ultimately realizing the settlement of Mars."
And facts have proven that they are indeed at the forefront of the world in the field of aerospace.
The Falcon Rocket was born. Its push-to-value ratio (ratio of fuel to pushed weight) reaches a terrifying 1:150! It replaced Russia's best score of 1:120 and became the world's most advanced rocket in one fell swoop. What makes people even more envious and jealous is that such a rocket is not only cheap to launch, but can also be reused! The first-stage rocket can hover at an altitude of 200 meters and then fall vertically without damage.
at last. Its engine is also 3D printed.
With so many advantages in one, its market competitiveness is unparalleled. At the same time, its relationship with NASA and the U.S. Air Force can almost be described as iron buddies. The orders that came in like snowflakes made Elon Musk a lot of money.
However, it is precisely because of their terrifying competitiveness that many small private aerospace companies in the United States are in a state of survival.
The most profitable defense orders are almost monopolized by -X, and commercial satellite launch profits have been compressed to the extreme due to various reasons. It is precisely because of this that Jiang Chen was able to buy two aerospace companies for a floor price of US$5 billion to reorganize and enrich the talent team of the aerospace technology center wholly owned by Xinghuan Trading.
Kerwin Burrow, former director and technical director of Mississippi Aerospace Technology Company, holds a PhD from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and participated in the early development of the Falcon rocket. He later resigned and returned to his hometown to establish Mississippi Aerospace Technology Company. But it turns out that not all technicians can become businessmen like Gates and Jobs. After encountering investment failure, his company owed $500 million in debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen extended a "helping hand" in time, and he was able to keep his life's hard work from being sold off.
Of course, capital is ruthless. The first thing Jiang Chen did when he became chairman was to sell off most of his company's assets at a low price, and at the same time, he offered their employees double their original salaries and work visas to new countries.
"Do you know what you did? Those equipment are worth at least 200 million US dollars! And you sold them to my old employer at a 50% discount. Oh, God... If I were Mr. Musk, I might be dreaming Wake up with a smile." Just left the airport on Koro Island. Kerwin grabbed Jiang Chen and complained with frothing at his mouth.
"Mr. Musk won't wake up with a smile. With all due respect, - Company car door.
"What do you mean?" Kerwin, who was outspoken, immediately frowned.
"Literally, trust me, when you get to the destination, you will agree with me." Jiang Chen sat in the passenger seat.
Sitting in the back seat of the car, Kerwin glanced at the expressionless girl driving the car. Then he looked at Jiang Chen and asked nervously.
"Does she have a driver's license?"
Hearing this, Ayesha's mouth twitched. Jiang Chen was stunned and laughed.
"Don't worry, I should be more afraid of death than you."
"Okay, I believe you... but I have to remind you that no matter how rich you are, there are some things you can't buy with money alone. I currently have 5,671 pages of technical drawings on hand, but I can tell you responsibly There is absolutely no way you can find the factory that turns my drawings into real objects in this poor place."
"Really? Then just throw away your drawings." Jiang Chen said nonchalantly.
Kerwin was stunned and frowned slightly.
"Sorry, what did you say?"
"Nothing, I still say the same thing. I can understand that you are full of anxiety about the new working place, but I hope you stay calm, because we are about to see some shocking things... Well, there is the dock ahead. , we have to find another means of transportation.”
Turning it off nonchalantly, Kerwin said "aha" disapprovingly, and then stopped talking.
Although Jiang Chen was dissatisfied with Jiang Chen's attitude towards his company and his technology, there was no reason for him to struggle with his salary. If he had a choice, he would definitely not sell his life's work. But it is a pity that the person who owns the absolute equity of Mississippi Aerospace Technology Company is not the founder, but the profit-seeking capitalists. Faced with the price offered by Jiang Chen, the other shareholders of the company offered their shares without any hesitation.
Parking the car in the garage next to the dock, Ayesha turned her face slightly and said to Jiang Chen in Chinese that Kerwin couldn't understand: "He seems to be very dissatisfied with you."
"Of course, after all, I sold his 6 years of hard work and reduced his research results to worthless." Jiang Chen opened the door and said to Ayesha with a smile.
After a pause, Jiang Chen turned to look at Kerwin, who was looking impatient, and said in English, "Okay, Mr. Kerwin, we can board the ship."
Kerwin opened his arms and walked directly to the ship.
"Is it okay to hire him as the technical director?" Ayesha looked at Jiang Chen in confusion, "Are you planning to teach him something important?"
Ayesha knew more or less about Jiang Chen's secrets, so she was so worried.
"The technical director naturally has to be someone with strong skills, and I am very optimistic about his learning ability and I have always been very tolerant of talents. As for his rudeness, it is more out of his reservation and rigor towards technology and has nothing to do with loyalty. . As long as I can come up with technology that shocks him, help him realize his dream, and give him enough material rewards, there is no reason for him to be stingy with his loyalty."
When he said this, Jiang Chen couldn't help but think of Jiang Lin. His intuition told him that they were the same kind of people.
The confused expression on Aisha's face clearly didn't seem to understand what Jiang Chen said. But based on that unreasonable trust, she still nodded.
"Since you believe what he says."
"Of course, if he rebels by then, it's up to you." Jiang Chen said with a smile.
Ayesha didn't speak, but simply nodded.
Traitors will be dealt with by Ghost agents.
No one can escape their snipers... (.)