indianbanksassociation Chapter 184 State Support
Chapter 184 State Support
On the third day after Zuo Cheng returned from Geneva, he received a notification from the space agency.
The call was from the space agency, inviting him to Beijing next week for a symposium on commercial space planning. Zuo Cheng hung up the phone and looked at Yu Ying.
Yu Ying said that the ministry attached great importance to the news about the frequency rail resources. This was the first time a private Chinese company had secured 5,000 frequency rails from the International Telecommunication Union, marking a breakthrough at the national level.
Zuo Cheng said, "Prepare the materials. I need to explain the StarNet plan clearly at the meeting." Yu Ying pushed a folder over, saying it was all prepared. It included a technical report, budget breakdown, timeline, risk assessment, and comparisons with international competitors.
Zuo Cheng opened the document; the first page was a diagram of the StarNet project's architecture. Twelve thousand satellites, deployed in three orbital layers, would cover all parts of the globe.
Zuo Cheng said, "Let's add another item to the budget. In addition to satellites and launches, we also need to build ground stations. At least twenty of them, distributed across continents."
Yu Ying said, "This will add up to four billion." Zuo Cheng said, "Add it."
A week later, Zuo Cheng walked into the conference room of the space agency. A dozen people were seated around the oval conference table: leaders of the space agency, representatives of the National Development and Reform Commission, experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and aerospace technology.
The meeting was chaired by the deputy director of the space agency, surnamed Wang, who was in his early sixties and spoke in a calm and unhurried manner.
Director Wang said, "Comrade Zuo Cheng, we invited you here today to hear 402's thoughts on commercial spaceflight, especially the StarNet project, which the ministry is paying close attention to."
Zuo Cheng stood up and walked to the screen. He hadn't brought any scripts; the content was all in his head.
Zuo Cheng said, "Leaders, the goal of the StarNet project is very simple: to enable every corner of the earth to access the Internet."
A world map appears on the screen, showing the distribution of terrestrial base stations globally. Africa, South America, and the Pacific Ocean are left blank.
Currently, 3.7 billion people worldwide still lack internet access. It's not that they don't want to, but rather that terrestrial base stations cannot be built. Satellite networks are the only solution.
A representative from the National Development and Reform Commission raised their hand, saying that SpaceX's Starlink project is already underway, with over a thousand satellites in orbit. What are the advantages of the 402?
Zuo Cheng stated three advantages. First, cost. The launch cost of the Sky Dome-1 satellite has been reduced to $1,500 per kilogram, one-third of SpaceX's. Second, technology. The experience gained from the Sky Dome project's 480 satellites in orbit, including its AI scheduling system, dynamic spectrum sensing, and beamforming, has been validated. Third, standards. Last week in Geneva, 402 submitted specifications for a spectrum sharing agreement to the International Telecommunication Union. The future rules for low-Earth orbit constellations will be formulated with the participation of Chinese companies.
The meeting room fell silent. Director Wang nodded.
Director Wang said, "Comrade Zuo Cheng, the ministry has already studied what you've said. We invited you here today not to hear your report, but to inform you of a decision."
Zuo Cheng was slightly taken aback. Director Wang said that commercial aerospace has been included in the direction of the country's next five-year plan. As a leading private commercial aerospace enterprise in China, 402 has been listed as a target for support.
He picked up a document from the table and pushed it in front of Zuo Cheng.
This is the plan. The National Industrial Fund will inject 5 billion yuan into 402, specifically for the mass production of satellites and launch sites for the StarNet project. Relevant departments will introduce supporting policies and open up channels in areas such as frequency and orbit applications and launch approvals.
Zuo Cheng took the document, his finger pausing on the paper. Fifty billion. Adding the 402 self-raised funds, half of the first phase's two hundred billion budget had been secured.
Director Wang continued, "Furthermore, at the beginning of next month, the leaders will be going to Hangzhou for an inspection. 402 is one of the stops on the itinerary."
This statement shocked Zuo Cheng even more than the 5 billion yuan figure. A national leader inspecting a private enterprise—this was an endorsement of the national will, elevating 402's business activities to a national strategic level.
Zuo Cheng said, "We will be prepared."
After the symposium, Zuo Cheng stayed in Beijing for an extra day, meeting with several people: a vice president of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Space Center, and a director from an industry fund. It was clear that if the country wanted to achieve success in the commercial aerospace sector, 402 was the best tool.
The day after returning to Hangzhou, Zuo Cheng convened a core meeting. Yu Ying, Li Guodong, Chen Hao, Han Lu, Liu Wei, and several business unit heads were present.
Zuo Cheng said, "Two things. First, the National Industrial Fund will inject 5 billion yuan specifically for the StarNet project. The money will arrive next week."
A murmur arose in the meeting room. Secondly, the leaders will be visiting Hangzhou early next month, and 402 is one of their stops. The murmurs grew louder.
Zuo Cheng said, "This isn't just an ordinary visit. The nation has placed its hopes for commercial spaceflight on us. Starting next week, everyone will be on high alert. The rocket factory, satellite production line, launch site—every link will be inspected. What the leaders see must be at optimal condition."
Li Guodong raised his hand, saying that the launch site was in the northwest and the leaders' schedules might not be able to accommodate it.
Zuo Cheng said, "Then let's move the launch site here. We'll build a complete simulation system, replicating the rocket assembly, fuel loading, and launch control all one-to-one. Let the leaders experience the launch site in Hangzhou."
Li Guodong asked, "Is two weeks enough?" Zuo Cheng replied, "It has to be enough, even if it's not enough."
For the next two weeks, headquarters at 402 was bustling with activity. The rocket factory corridors were renovated, and screens were added to every workstation on the satellite production line. The research institute rushed to produce a simulation system to demonstrate everything from the ignition countdown to the rocket's launch.
Yu Ying works sixteen hours a day, coordinating departments. Han Lu is responsible for liaison, ensuring media arrangements for the day of the inspection. Li Guodong and his team transported the Cangqiong-1 model from the Northwest to Hangzhou and placed it in the exhibition hall.
On the day of the inspection, Zuo Cheng, dressed in a suit, stood at the entrance of Building 402. At 10:00 AM, the motorcade arrived. The leaders got out of the cars and shook hands with Zuo Cheng.
The leader said, "I've reviewed your materials. Twelve thousand satellites—that's quite ambitious."
Zuo Cheng said, "Thank you, leaders." The inspection lasted three hours. The leaders visited the rocket factory, satellite production line, and simulation system, and stopped in front of the Cangqiong-1 model.
The leader asked, "How many times can this rocket be reused?" Zuo Cheng replied, "The design goal is twenty times. Currently, it has been verified up to the fifth reuse, with no performance degradation."
The leader asked, "What about the cost?" Zuo Cheng replied, "The cost of a single launch is 80 million, and the manufacturing cost is 60 million. After recovery, the cost drops to 30 million per launch."
The leader nodded. The aerospace industry is key. You've done a great job. At the end of the inspection, the leader posed for a photo with Zuo Cheng. In the instant the camera flashed, Zuo Cheng knew this picture would appear in major media outlets.
Sure enough, it aired that evening. The leader stood in front of the Cangqiong-1 model, with Zuo Cheng standing beside him; the two were conversing. The press release was formal and clear: the nation supports commercial spaceflight and supports 402.
Zuo Cheng sat in his office, watching television. Yu Ying pushed open the door and came in, carrying a cup of coffee.
Yu Ying said the 5 billion yuan from the industry fund would arrive tomorrow. Zuo Cheng said, "I know. Anything else?" Yu Ying said, "The European Space Agency sent a letter asking for a delegation to Hangzhou for an inspection." Zuo Cheng smiled and said, "Let them come."