330: Chapter 330 Luck? Luck can't build a rocket engine!

Currently, the rocket engine's combustion efficiency, stability, and turbine pump axial force response have all reached indicators very close to their theoretical optimal values.

He made a list of the improvement directions he was still considering, evaluated the cost-benefit ratio for each, and finally only marked one spot each on the injector structure and flow distribution algorithm for fine-tuning, crossing out all the rest.

The subsequent focus should be on stability verification. The engine is ultimately meant to be installed on a rocket and sent into the sky, not just used to run data on a test stand. Only after passing stability tests under all kinds of extreme operating conditions can one dare to say this thing is flight-ready.

"What are you thinking about?"

Chief Engineer Sun walked over to Zhao Yang's side.

"Thinking about the next step. There isn't much room for optimization left; squeezing out those few tenths of a percentage point has limited significance."

Zhao Yang looked at Chief Engineer Sun in front of him and said earnestly.

"Next, we'll mainly focus on stability verification, running through the high-thrust segments, low-thrust segments, and the transition conditions for start-up and shutdown. If the data is fine, and once the engine's performance under various environments is confirmed, we can consider mounting it on a rocket."

Chief Engineer Sun picked up the list, flipped through a couple of pages, and put it back down.

He looked at Zhao Yang, then out the window; the residual heat from the test stand outside hadn't yet dissipated, and the distant mountains were silhouetted against the sunset.

"This path truly has great potential."

When Chief Engineer Sun said this, his expression was complex, but Zhao Yang could hear the underlying meaning in his words.

For someone who had spent half a lifetime working on rocket engines, seeing a brand-new technical route emerge within his own department—one with test data even better than the original line—he must have felt conflicted.

"To be honest, when you first arrived, I actually anticipated some things. After all, I was aware of your level of genius, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

Chief Engineer Sun looked at Zhao Yang with a bitter smile.

He felt conflicted, wondering if this counted as the apprentice surpassing the master?

After all, when Zhao Yang first joined the research center, he had taught him quite a lot...

"Working on engines isn't like solving a math problem where you get the right result just by following the derivation. It involves materials, manufacturing processes, assembly, and testing—any one of which could hold you up for months.

Yet you, from the scale model to the full-scale test, have been so smooth, as if everything was already designed by you!"

As he spoke, Chief Engineer Sun looked at Zhao Yang with a complex expression.

In his mind, no matter how talented a person was, there had to be a limit.

But the level of Zhao Yang's genius before him was simply terrifying.

"Just good luck. The young people in the group were also willing to work hard," Zhao Yang said with a smile.

Zhou Hao and the others nearby heard Zhao Yang's words and their faces flushed slightly; they didn't dare to speak, as they all felt God Zhao was giving them too much credit!

Because, to be honest, the YC-1 engine was primarily the result of God Zhao's ability—he had created it through his own efforts alone!

They had merely done some insignificant work!

That's right; the code name for the new engine had already been decided when it was manufactured: YC-1.

"Luck?" Chief Engineer Sun shook his head and said no more.

The two sat and chatted for a while longer.

The people nearby were still processing the test data, and most of the people at the base were busy.

The two discussed the subsequent stability verification plan for the YC-1.

"I'd like to add a set of high-frequency vibration sensors to the test stand to specifically monitor the high-frequency response of the turbine pump during the start-up transient," Zhao Yang said, looking at Chief Engineer Sun.

"That's doable. I also thought about adding them when I was working on the YF-77, but funding was tight back then, so we couldn't. Now that the YC-1 has a higher priority, if we submit a report about the sensors, the higher-ups should agree," Chief Engineer Sun nodded and said.

After all, looking at the current situation, the YC-1 engine had infinite potential!

The leaders above surely knew this as well!

After their conversation, the two left the test stand together.

Chief Engineer Sun organized the test data and full-scale simulation report submitted by Zhao Yang and reported them to the Space Agency leadership early the next morning.

The response from above was swift.

The third technical review meeting for the long march 5 rocket engine route was held a week later.

There were even more attendees this time than before; in addition to Deputy Director Liu and several chief engineers, there were also several chief designers transferred from the general design department.

The conference room was packed.

During the meeting, Chief Engineer Sun compared the test data of the two routes item by item, including combustion efficiency, stability, thrust compliance rates, and structural reliability estimates.

He projected the test curves for the YC-1 and the YF-77 onto the same coordinate system, using different colors to highlight the overlapping sections, making the gap clear at a glance.

"Following this route, the rated payload of the long march 5 rocket can be increased by at least thirty percent."

After stating the final set of data, Chief Engineer Sun put down the laser pointer.

This figure caused the conference room to fall silent for several seconds.

Everyone present knew exactly what a thirty percent increase in payload capacity meant.

After Chief Engineer Sun finished speaking, Deputy Director Liu stood up, scanned the people around him, and said with a serious expression, "The YF-77 route will be relegated to a technical reserve. The main engine for the long march 5 rocket will officially switch to the YC-1 configuration. Chief Engineer Sun and Dr. Zhao will jointly draft a plan for the relevant resource allocation and submit it to the bureau for approval."

No one had any objections; after all, everyone had seen the test data.

Unless they were blind, no one would choose the YF-77 route again!

After the meeting, Zhao Yang was stopped by Chief Engineer Sun in the corridor.

Standing next to Chief Engineer Sun was someone Zhao Yang hadn't interacted with much before; the man had graying hair, wore silver-rimmed glasses, and had a slim build but stood with his back straight.

Chief Engineer Sun introduced him as the deputy chief designer of the long march 5 rocket, surnamed Zhou, who was responsible for the overall design.

Deputy Chief Designer Zhou looked at Zhao Yang, smiling, and reached out his hand.

"Dr. Zhao, I've heard much about you. I've seen the data from the engine you built, and it's truly impressive.

The bureau has just decided to appoint you as one of the deputy chief designers for the long march 5 rocket's overall design, primarily responsible for all overall design work related to the engine system.

From now on, the coordination of interface parameters between the engine and the rocket body is in your hands."

Deputy Chief Designer Zhou was very enthusiastic, showing no hint of arrogance despite his seniority, and he spoke to Zhao Yang in a very amiable manner.

Zhao Yang shook his hand.

His expression remained unchanged, but his heart gave a hard thump. This was exactly what he had been waiting for!

To be a chief designer! To lead the development of a spacecraft!

He still had that gold-tier optional task hanging there, waiting to be completed: lead the development of a spacecraft and deliver a thousand-ton payload into low Earth orbit.

Previously, he had always felt that this task would take a long time to complete, as the development cycle for spacecraft is usually measured in five to ten years.

Moreover, to be honest, leading the development of a spacecraft is not a job for someone without experience.

Zhao Yang had come to develop engines simply to accumulate the necessary experience and prestige.

Only then would he be able to proceed with the development of the spacecraft—nothing more!

But the success of the YC-1 test had accelerated the timeline significantly.

A deputy chief designer position should also be a step toward leading development, right? Zhao Yang thought excitedly.

Now that his position was secured, the next issue was the payload!

Once the engine was finalized, the overall design adjustments for the long march 5 rocket wouldn't take too long, and the subsequent launch schedule would follow.

A thousand-ton payload sounded daunting, but if the long march 5 rocket's single-launch capacity was large enough with the YC-1's boost, it could be accumulated over a few launches.