12:30.
Inside the conference room.
Lü Yongchang sat solemnly at the head of the table and briefly outlined the situation on Mars in a grave voice.
"Everyone, this is urgent. We must finalize the design for Black Lady Two tonight!"
As he spoke, Lü Yongchang gave Cao Liangcai a meaningful look.
Cao Liangcai quickly presented the three design proposals to everyone.
An hour later.
Lü Yongchang set down the document in his hand and let out a long breath.
"Cao, let's eliminate the third proposal outright."
Cao Liangcai's expression shifted slightly. "Wh... why?"
"Hmm?"
Noticing something unusual in Cao Liangcai's expression, Lü Yongchang asked, "Cao, don't tell me you designed this third proposal?"
Lü Yongchang lightly waved the document in his hand, looking at Cao Liangcai beside him in surprise.
At Lü Yongchang's question, Cao Liangcai flushed slightly and nodded. "That's right... I did design that proposal."
As he spoke, Cao Liangcai took a deep breath to settle his conflicting emotions.
"Professor Lü, could you tell me why?"
To be honest, he found it hard to accept.
As an academician, he had considered every aspect of Black Lady Two's design in meticulous detail.
Atmospheric takeoff and landing, atmospheric cruising, and spaceflight...
It was no exaggeration to say that, with this design, Black Lady Two would outperform Black Lady One by over 50%, even with the same propulsion system!
Lü Yongchang shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Academician Cao, have you forgotten the mission we assigned to Black Lady Two?"
Cao Liangcai froze.
Lü Yongchang sighed softly and said in a low voice, "The Black Lady Two series of aerospace planes will primarily transport supplies within the Solar System."
"In other words, Earth won't be Black Lady Two's main operating environment."
"The Moon, Mars, and even the distant Kuiper