269: Chapter 269 Aircraft Engines

The shock from the previous two engines had not yet subsided when Su Chen began to introduce the third.

The third exhibit did not have a glass cover; it was left exposed directly on the stage.

It was a true behemoth—4.8 meters long, 2.6 meters high, and weighing 9.8 tons.

Sixteen cylinders were arranged in a V-shape, with exhaust pipes extending outward like the tentacles of an octopus.

Star Poseidon-2400 Marine Medium-Speed Diesel Engine

Displacement: 24.9 liters

Power: 2200kW (3000 hp)

Emission Standard: IMO Tier III (the strictest in the world)

Applicable vessel types: inland cargo ships, coastal tugboats, ocean-going fishing vessels

Price: $4.8 million

Comparison Data:

Japanese Yanmar 6EY22

Power: 2000kW

Emission: IMO Tier II

Price: $6.5 million

Germany MAN L21/31

Power: 2100kW

Emission: IMO Tier III (requires additional SCR after-treatment)

Price: $7.8 million

Star Poseidon-2400: Higher power, compliant emissions, priced at 61% of the Germany model, and 27% cheaper than the Japanese one.

There are 100,000 inland vessels globally, Su Chen said. 60,000 on the Yangtze, 15,000 on the Mississippi, 5,000 on the Danube, and 8,000 on the Mekong.

The demand here is massive, and the market prospects are vast.

The big screen switched images: an old tugboat belching black smoke on the Yangtze; a rusted pusher boat on the Mississippi; a small cargo ship with a roaring diesel engine on the Mekong.

It is not that shipowners do not want to replace them, Su Chen said in a low voice.

It is that European brands are too expensive—the cost of replacing one engine is enough to buy two new ships.

It is that Japanese brands will not sell—they always keep their most advanced technology for themselves.

But we at Star are different. We are willing to put our most advanced technology up for sale, which is also to help everyone develop together and achieve common prosperity.

He paused.

The Poseidon-2400 is here to solve this problem.

Offstage, the procurement director of China Ocean Shipping Group stood up.

He was not alone. Behind him stood delegations from COSCO Shipping, China Merchants Group, and the China Classification Society—two full rows of people.

Mr. Su, the procurement director said in a deep voice, COSCO Shipping's inland shipping subsidiaries will need at least 300 new engines over the next three years to replace old diesel engines.

He paused, and in front of three thousand people, he said, We will not go through the bidding process. We are going with Star.

The big screen flashed the numbers: 300 units × $4.8 million = $1.44 billion, approximately 10.08 billion rmb.

Applause erupted again, and subsequently, representatives from numerous shipping and shipbuilding companies ordered their assistants to head to the business area to sign contracts after the press conference.

This was no ordinary commercial procurement—this was the national team stepping onto the field.

The stage rotated for the final time.

What rose this time was not the actual engine—it was too small, less than 1 meter in diameter and 1.8 meters high, looking like an exquisite piece of art next to the previous three behemoths.

Because the actual object was too large, only a miniature model was suitable for this stage.

But the significance it carried far exceeded the sum of the previous three.

Star Xuanming Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Hydrogen Rocket Engine

Vacuum Thrust: 15 tons

Vacuum Specific Impulse: 450 seconds

Mixture Ratio: 5.5:1

Thrust Modulation Range: 30%-110%

Reusability: ≥10 times

Price: $4.5 million

Comparison Data:

SpaceX Merlin 1D (Liquid Oxygen/Kerosene)

Vacuum Specific Impulse: 310 seconds

Price: Approximately $2 million (estimated)

Blue Origin BE-7 (Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Hydrogen, Lunar Landing Engine)

Vacuum Specific Impulse: 445 seconds

Price: Estimated $7.5 million or more

Star Xuanming: Specific impulse is on par with the BE-7, and the price is 60% of the BE-7.

What is the concept of a 450-second specific impulse? Su Chen asked and answered himself.

It means that with the same weight of fuel, our rocket can fly 45% further than SpaceX's.

The big screen played a CG animation: an upper-stage rocket igniting from low Earth orbit, with four Xuanming engines working simultaneously, blue flames carving an arc in the pitch-black universe.

Target: Lunar Transfer Orbit.

This is not science fiction, Su Chen said.

This is the next-generation manned lunar landing upper stage we are developing in cooperation with the Aerospace Science and Technology Group.

First flight in 2025, first mission in 2027.

He looked toward the VIP area offstage.

Zhang Hongjun, Chief Engineer of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Group, 55 years old, with graying hair and a calm expression.

But he did not look away.

He was saying with his eyes: Yes, we are already cooperating.

This engine is currently prioritized for national major projects, Su Chen changed the subject.

But after 2020, we will open it up for global commercial procurement.

Offstage, the founders of several Chinese private aerospace companies—LandSpace, i-Space, and Galactic Energy—straightened their backs simultaneously.

Su Chen stood in the middle of the four engines.

On the left was the NE2.0T, the heart of an automobile.

To the left-center was the WS-500, the heart of an aircraft.

To the right-center was the Poseidon-2400, the heart of a ship.

On the right was the Xuanming, the heart of space.

Land, ocean, sky, space—the four scales of human civilization, he paused.

Today, Star has mastered the autonomous heart for all of them.

I believe that in the near future, Star's power hearts will hold over 40% of the global market share.

They will appear in cars in Europe, in the skies over South America, on the rivers of Asia, and even in space.

Our goal is the sea of stars, the deep cosmos.

He walked to the edge of the stage, closer to the audience.

This is not the end.

This is the beginning of power equality.

Applause erupted for the first time.

It was not polite; it was an outpouring after being suppressed for too long.

Offstage, the old engineers in work clothes were applauding, the multinational corporate executives in suits were applauding, and the young reporters holding cameras were applauding.

This was a tribute to a civilization returning to the peak of technology.