Chapter 238: Core Players
The air inside the large briefing room at NASA headquarters in Washington was thick with tension.
Key figures such as Leina Bentley, Assistant Secretary of NASA’s Technology Directorate, Roy McCall from DARPA’s Space Applications Agency, and Marcia Allen, Director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), already held Dojin Frontier’s technological capabilities in high regard.
However, there was also significant opposition to Korean corporate involvement from the likes of Albert Barrow, a member of the Senate Budget and Settlement Special Committee, who cited political and diplomatic risks.
Against this backdrop, Mikhail Brady, Deputy Director of NASA’s Budget Office, insisted that the contractor selection would be based solely on the results of the technical presentation, excluding all external factors.
Ironically, Spade Z’s political offensive had set the stage for a competition based purely on technical merit, which favored Dojin Frontier.
Matthew Holligan, representing Spade Z, began his presentation with an air of confidence.
His talk highlighted their overwhelming experience while downplaying Dojin Frontier’s capabilities—a classic strategy.
“Spade Z has been NASA’s most trusted partner for years. Dojin’s recent Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mission is just the basics of space industry. In contrast, the Lunar Transfer Orbit (TLI) and Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) required by NASA are entirely different ballgames.”
He pointed out Dojin Frontier’s lack of experience.
In particular, he attacked their lack of history dealing with cryogenic propellant boil-off during long-duration flights or operating settling thrusters for stable fuel supply in zero gravity.
“These are critical issues that could leave a spacecraft stranded. Claiming to solve them in three months is absurd… ahem, I mean, ridiculous.”
After clearing his throat, he continued his presentation.
“In space flight, there’s no room for error. We’ve perfected our technology through countless failures and setbacks. Our extensive real-world data, accumulated over time, can’t be replicated by rushed, imitation technology.”
After concluding, he began taking prepared questions based on the white paper submitted to NASA.
“First question: How did you address cryogenic propellant boil-off during long-duration flights? For the record, we cannot tolerate even trace amounts of fuel loss.”
At Michael Anderson’s question from the AIAA Satellite Division, Matthew replied confidently, as if expecting it.
“Good question. We’ve applied thermal shielding technology, already used on satellites in space for over 400 days, directly to the kick stage. This maintains a propellant boil-off rate of less than 0.3% per hour, maximizing mission stability.”
Heads nodded around the room at his answer.
The next question concerned their history operating settling thrusters.
“For a new company without experience operating settling thrusters in zero gravity, re-ignition reliability could be an issue. What is Spade Z’s re-ignition success rate?”
Matthew Holligan, smiling confidently, began his prepared response.
“Re-ignition for booster return is different from continuous re-ignition in deep space. Our kick stage has successfully achieved three consecutive re-ignitions during Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) entry, proving its reliability. This is thanks to our proprietary technology for perfectly controlling pump cavitation. If this tech were inadequate, our ‘Merlin’ would’ve been lost in space.”
Holligan confidently addressed questions clearly targeting Dojin Frontier, certain of victory on his predetermined path.
After finishing all questions, his expression showed arrogance, convinced NASA would choose the safe, proven option: Spade Z.
Finally, it was Kang Tae-joon’s turn.
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I took the podium after Matthew Holligan but did not follow his approach.
Instead of countering his criticisms or attacking Spade Z, I acknowledged the difficulty of the Polar Orbiter mission and presented a comprehensive solution demonstrating how Dojin Frontier could overcome all these challenges.
I envisioned a single module, the ‘Selene Kick Stage,’ integrating various technologies from the entire Dojin Group.
“Good afternoon, I’m Kang Tae-joon from Dojin Frontier. I don’t just build components; I focus on pushing boundaries. Like this.”
I displayed the detailed blueprint of the Selene Kick Stage on the screen.
Michael Anderson’s eyes widened at the figures.
“A propellant boil-off rate of 0.01%?”
“Is this a joke? Do you expect us to believe this?”
Murmurs erupted throughout the room.
Matthew Holligan let out an incredulous laugh.
“0.01%? It took us years to get to 0.3%. Achieving this in just months is impossible.”
Their skepticism was understandable.
In the space industry, reducing a single figure requires not just astronomical funding but also vast amounts of time.
However, I was prepared to dispel their doubts.
“Instead of lengthy trial and error, we took a completely different approach.”
I pointed to a specific part of the blueprint with the laser pointer and continued my explanation.
“We adapted thermal shielding methods from construction technology. By using ultra-high-strength concrete and layered composite shielding materials as space-grade insulation, we drastically reduced the tank’s heat absorption rate.”
Beep—
I pressed the remote, and a video embedded in the PowerPoint began playing.
It showed a cryogenic tank exposed to extreme heat, with its internal temperature remaining almost unchanged—an astonishing sight in real-time.
“Is… is this real?”
“I guarantee, on my name, that this video is completely unaltered.”
Gasps filled the room.
Matthew Holligan could only move his lips, speechless.
Once the commotion subsided, I moved on to the second topic.
“Regarding the re-ignition reliability Spade Z mentioned, our Leviathan booster has successfully achieved five consecutive re-ignitions in LEO missions.”
The slide changed, displaying a table of figures.
At the bottom, orbital insertion error rates of ±1.1 m/s were highlighted in red.
“Our multi-point settling thrusters control pump cavitation reliably and achieve precision control of ±1.1 m/s, far exceeding the deep-space requirement of ±3 m/s.”
Matthew Holligan’s expression hardened momentarily.
Only someone who truly understood the figures could show such a reaction.
But he quickly regained his composure and raised his voice in disbelief.
“These figures are fabricated! They’re simulation results, impossible to achieve in reality.”
Matthew glared at me and continued.
“How can you prove this data is real? You haven’t even tested it in deep space.”
His words were aggressive but tinged with anxiety.
It was as if he had no more cards to play.
I slowly looked at him and responded.
“You’re right, these figures haven’t been verified in actual deep-space tests. But I do have an answer to that question.”
Another video appeared on the screen.
Instead of a space launch vehicle, it showed a military jeep racing across a vast desert.
Then, a rifle mounted on the jeep autonomously tracked and fired at a target.
“I’m sure everyone here already knows what this is.”
[AGE-01]
I had previously revealed this via direct feed, and even if they hadn’t seen it, the rifle was famous enough that no one in the room was unaware of it.
“Our AGE-01 can hit moving targets hundreds of meters away with an error margin of less than 0.18 meters.”
As the video paused, I stepped forward and continued.
“The core of the AGE-01 rifle is its precision control system, which modifies the ballistic trajectory in real-time using a high-speed computation module. This technology wasn’t developed from decades of space industry data but from countless military simulations and real-world tests. I’ve applied this directly to the micro-thrust control system of the Selene Kick Stage, regulating fuel injection down to the milligram to maintain the target orbit regardless of external factors.”
Even as I paused,
no one spoke.
“Whether it’s a spacecraft or a rifle, precision orbit control is fundamentally the same technology. Why wouldn’t technology proven tens of thousands of times on the ground work in space?”
In fact, the developers and engineers in the room knew the data I presented wasn’t fabricated.
If experts who’ve spent decades in the field couldn’t recognize genuine data, they likely hadn’t put in the effort.
They already knew Matthew Holligan’s claims were weak.
At that moment,
Roy McCall, the operational director of DARPA’s Space Applications Agency, sitting in the back, stood up quietly.
“Today’s presentation from Dojin has convinced me. They didn’t just bring one technology; they demonstrated an extraordinary ability to organically combine proven technologies from different fields. I’m confident this decision will be a major turning point for NASA.”
Then, Mikhail Brady, Deputy Director of NASA’s Budget Office, made the final declaration with a firm voice.
“As stated, the selection for the Polar Orbiter mission will be based solely on the technical presentation results. In terms of technology, track record, and feasibility, I believe Dojin Frontier has presented the most outstanding solution.”
“……”
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A few days later,
NASA officially announced Dojin Frontier as the primary contractor for the Polar Orbiter mission.
This decision signified more than just winning a project; it marked Dojin Frontier’s rise as a core player in the global space industry.