106: Kunpeng Spaceplane!

The Xia Academy of Sciences' tarmac.

The silver-gray fuselage of the white emperor aerospace fighter was parked steadily in the designated spot.

The hatch opened.

Luo Xiaoliang straightened his back and walked down.

His face still held an undiminished excitement.

"Little Luo!"

General Zhang quickly stepped forward and heavily patted his shoulder.

"You did great this time!"

Luo Xiaoliang saluted, his voice ringing out, "Serving the nation is my duty!"

Li Jianguo smiled and nodded, his eyes full of approval: "You've worked hard. Go rest now!"

Watching Luo Xiaoliang leave to rest.

Lin Chen then said to Li Jianguo, "Elder Li, shall we go back to the office and discuss the space plane?"

"That suits me perfectly!" Li Jianguo's eyes lit up. "I've been waiting to hear your plan!"

Seeing this, General Zhang waved his hand and said, "You two talk technology. I'll go arrange the follow-up wrapping-up work. Call me anytime if you need anything!"

The two nodded in agreement and walked side-by-side toward the Xia Academy of Sciences office building.

Inside the office.

Lin Chen opened his computer and pulled up the design blueprints he had prepared long ago.

On the screen, a futuristic silver flying craft suddenly appeared.

The fuselage was several times larger than the white emperor, and the wings were arranged like a Kunpeng spreading its wings... "Elder Li, look." Lin Chen pointed at the screen. "This is the space plane I designed. I named it 'Kunpeng'."

Li Jianguo leaned closer to the screen, his gaze focused: "Kunpeng? A great name! Very imposing! Quickly tell me the parameters."

Lin Chen slid his finger across the keyboard, bringing up the detailed data:

"First, the dimensions: the kunpeng space plane is 95 meters long, with a wingspan of 75 meters, a height of 25 meters, an empty weight of 75 tons, and a maximum payload of over 500 tons!"

"What? A 500-ton payload?" Li Jianguo was completely stunned!

This wasn't a space plane at all.

It was clearly a Space Transport Vessel!

Currently, the world's largest transport aircraft, the An-225, only has a payload of 250 tons.

But it can only fly within the Blue Star atmosphere.

Even Musk's starship, touted as invincible in the universe, has a maximum payload of only 300 tons, and that's for a single use.

If recovery is factored in, the payload is only 100 to 150 tons!

Yet the kunpeng space plane is designed to fly to the Moon and return.

And it can carry a payload of 500 tons.

Terrifying!

"Little Lin, are you sure you didn't add an extra zero?"

"Definitely not!"

"Then these parameters are truly terrifying!" Li Jianguo was deeply shocked by the number.

Lin Chen continued the introduction: "The kunpeng space plane uses three brand-new enhanced Anti-gravity Plasma Engines. Its speed inside the Blue Star atmosphere can reach Mach 20, and after leaving Low Earth Orbit, its maximum speed can reach Mach 60!"

"It can achieve a round trip from the Moon to the Blue Star in a single day!"

After hearing this, Li Jianguo was struck silent.

Mach 60?

Is this a speed that current human technology can achieve?

The fastest Intercontinental Strategic Missile in the world only reaches Mach 35 after terminal acceleration.

Yet the space plane designed by Lin Chen actually reaches a terrifying Mach 60!

This is two to three times faster than the speed of the white emperor aerospace fighter!

Simply outrageous!

"Little Lin, are you sure it's not Mach 6?" Li Jianguo asked weakly.

"Haha!" Lin Chen smiled. "It is Mach 60!"

"Sigh! It seems I really am old!" Li Jianguo sighed wistfully.

He had to admit his age.

Lin Chen's design concepts were increasingly beyond his comprehension.

The white emperor aerospace fighter was still somewhat acceptable.

Now, the kunpeng space plane completely overturned his understanding.

A 500-ton payload and Mach 60 speed!

Achieving just one of these metrics would already be defying the heavens.

Achieving both simultaneously was an epoch-making feat!

It completely overturned traditional spacecraft!

To think that Eagle Country still wanted to engage in a space race?

Simply ridiculous!

How could they possibly compete against the kunpeng space plane?

"Elder Li! You're not old at all!"

"It is precisely because of the solid foundation laid by senior scientists like you in the Great Xia Country..."

"...that our generation can now stand on the shoulders of giants and continue to explore and innovate!"

Lin Chen spoke with heartfelt emotion.

His eyes revealed reverence for Li Jianguo and the other senior scientists.

Without the selfless dedication of the older generation of scientists.

There would be no glory for the Great Xia Country today.

He was merely adding the final flourish, continuing to climb the peak of technology while standing on the shoulders of giants.

In any case, the contributions of the older generation of scientists are indelible.

"Heh heh, you're just trying to comfort me!"

"At my age, seeing the nation step onto the Moon would be enough satisfaction."

Li Jianguo waved his hand, but his face was beaming with a gratified smile.

"Elder Li, don't worry, it will definitely happen!" Lin Chen nodded emphatically. "You won't just see us build the Moon Base; you'll see us leave the Solar System and even conquer the cosmos!"

He wasn't making empty promises.

Because within the Inherited Technology, there was also a biotechnology category.

Inside it was a technology—Gene Agents—that could increase human lifespan.

But it hadn't been unlocked yet.

He needed to raise the overall technological level of the Great Xia Country to Level 1 Civilization before it could be unlocked.

The currently unlocked biotechnology categories were all related to biomedical treatment.

Later, he would also gradually accept the biotechnology inheritance.

To allow ordinary citizens to be free from sickness and suffering.

Because some Black Technologies require powerful military force as a backup.

Otherwise, countries like Eagle Country might frantically start wars just to seize them!

"Heh heh, having that thought is enough!" Li Jianguo was unconvinced.

He took it as Lin Chen merely trying to comfort him!

He was nearly 70 years old now.

How many more years could he live?

He might still live to see the construction of the Moon Base.

But talking about leaving the Solar System and conquering the cosmos.

He wouldn't dare hope for that!

It was too far away.

Seeing Li Jianguo's reaction, Lin Chen became even more determined to let the older generation of scientists witness the moment the nation conquers the cosmos!

He smiled and continued introducing the kunpeng space plane.

"Elder Li, you will naturally know about those things later!"

"Allow me to continue explaining the kunpeng space plane."

"The first kunpeng space plane has a crew cabin designed with six seats."

Lin Chen pulled up the schematic diagram of the crew cabin.

"Besides two pilots, it can carry four scientific researchers."

"The fuselage is equipped with Super Energy Laser Cannon defensive weapons."

"In the future, it can also be directly converted into a space airliner, capable of carrying up to 5,000 passengers!"

Li Jianguo looked at the screen and couldn't help but exclaim: "Little Lin, your design truly accounts for every challenge! With the Kunpeng, landing on the Moon in a month is certainly not an empty boast!"

Lin Chen smiled: "Technologically, there's no issue, but there is one critical problem—insufficient manpower."

Li Jianguo paused: "Manpower? Aren't the Engineers at the Xia Academy of Sciences sufficient?"

"Not insufficient now, but insufficient for the future," Lin Chen said seriously. "The Kunpeng is just the first step. Afterward, we still need to establish the Moon Base, South Heaven Gate Space City, and so on!"

"The current team cannot handle such a huge undertaking."

He intended to use this opportunity.

To have major research institutions step up the recruitment of new talent.

Only this way could they meet the demands of the increasing number of projects later on.

When civilization levels rise, scientists are the most crucial factor.

Only with a sufficiently large talent pool can a vast number of top scientists be cultivated.

Thereby continuously ascending the Civilization Technology Tree and raising the civilization level.

Otherwise, relying solely on him.

Even if he worked himself to death, he couldn't complete the development of so many projects!

Therefore, they must recruit talent in large numbers.

Not only must they recruit talent.

They must also continue to increase the population growth.

However, they needed to proceed step by step.