Chapter 1054: New missiles, new machine tools, & many new things (2)
’Tap, tap, tap,’ a sound of footsteps rang out.
’’Your majesty, they are ready for your arrival.’’
"Right."
Vijay stepped out of the car and began walking toward the parliament grounds. From the road near the back gate, the view was completely obscured by tall trees lined on both sides, forming a green curtain that hid everything beyond. But the moment he set foot inside the parliament grounds, the scene that unfolded before him was nothing short of awe-inspiring. A vast sea of people stretched endlessly, their presence filling the entire expanse as far as the eye could see, even blending into the distant horizon. The sight was enough to take anyone’s breath away. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, someone not used to such grand scenes, they might have frozen in astonishment, but for Vijay, it was just another day.
"Hey, look, it’s his majesty!"
"Your majesty!!"
Vijay’s arrival sent a ripple through the crowd that quickly turned into a roaring wave. Even the usually composed elites representing the major companies couldn’t contain themselves anymore. They joined the masses, shouting the Emperor’s name with unrestrained fervour, as if possessed by a spirit.
Vijay stepped onto the stage and offered a warm namaskar to the crowd; his gesture was met with thunderous applause. With that, the exhibition was officially underway. The ceremony opened with a traditional prayer to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, followed by vibrant dance performances from local school and college students. Finally, with a single cut of the ribbon by Vijay, the grand event came to life. But Vijay didn’t get down from the stage because he was waiting for something. Oddly enough, he was looking up at the sky at the hot air balloon that was vaguely visible hundreds of metres above.
Noticing the peculiarity, people also stared above. Some of them were startled when they saw a large flying object in the distant sky, since a lot of people had yet to see what a hot air balloon looked like, while the others were simply curious why the emperor was paying so much attention to the balloon.
The people in the front looked up after seeing the emperor, while the people in the back looked up after seeing the people in the front, in a similar fashion, like a group of sheep where all did what one sheep did, in only a few minutes, all the thousands of people were looking up at the sky, wondering why everyone was looking up.
"Oh my god!"
"Noooo!"
"Quick, bring a net!"
Exclamations rang out throughout the parliament grounds, and the sound of panic gripped the hearts of the people, because just now a person had actually jumped out from the hot air balloon. Looking at this scene, Vijay, who was still sitting on the stage and looking up, had his lips upturned.
The police and the other people who were there to maintain order tried to calm the people down, but their efforts were for nought.
However, thankfully, the next instant, there was pin-drop silence in the whole parliament ground. It was as if the event was not attended by several tens of thousands of people, but by a class of school kids, because in the air, the man who was falling headfirst into the crowd like a human meteor about to make contact with the ground and splatter like a watermelon actually hung in the air with something tied to his back. It looked like a large kite attached to the back. This kite completely slowed down the fall of the person and, from the looks of it, even controlled the movement of the kite.
"What the **** is happening!"
"Am I hallucinating?"
The exclamations finally broke out once again when the truth about reality set in.
Vijay, on the other hand, smiled cheerfully and shook his head in amusement. Getting welcomed this way was a first for him, but he was extremely happy, not only because it was a spectacle, but also because the Bharatiya Empire had one more dimension to attack the enemy in, one they could not predict.
Naturally, he knew what was happening. Ghosh Aeronautics, founded by Rishabh Ghosh, the same person who invented the BCG hot air balloon, developed the parachute after cooperating with Gagana Aerospace, a research institute under the Bharatiya Space Research Organisation within the Takshashila Institute of Human Exploration.
Vijay had actually thought the invention would be made earlier, but apparently, the material required for a parachute needed to be stronger before it could be practically used, so many years were spent trying to research a new material based on the one the hot air balloon was made of.
Remembering Gagana Aerospace, he suddenly recalled the report he had seen a few days ago. It was about the development of the Bhagat missile, which had come to an end. The second-generation model had been tested and was ready to be mass-produced. He had actually received an invitation to inspect the missile, but for him, it was either inspect the missile or attend the exhibition, so he had the Minister of Defence check out the missile while he attended the exhibition.
Although he was not personally visiting the BSRO office in Sindhu, he knew the overall improvements made in the second generation, so he didn’t feel like he was missing out on much. It was simply a pity that he could not see it in action himself at its launch. The newer model is 6% shorter in length, 5% smaller in diameter, and has a 12% smaller fin span. Even the launch weight has been reduced from 230 kilograms to 185 kilograms, a drop of 19.6%. As for the propellant, it now uses a more efficient fuel: where it once needed to carry 171.4 kilograms, it now requires only 140 kilograms. The range has increased by 67%. Previously, the range was about five to nine kilometres; now it exceeds 12 and can even reach 15 kilometres.
Top speed has increased drastically as well. Where it once reached 500 to 550 kilometres per hour, it can now attain up to 800 km/h in ideal conditions, an increase of about 45% over the previous model. The maximum altitude is the biggest improvement in the new generation, rising by roughly 88%. The old ceiling was only about 800 metres; now it can reach 1.5 kilometres. Most importantly, its destructive capability has not diminished; it has grown. Previously, it could carry a warhead of 21 kilograms; now, with a 33% increase, it can carry a warhead of 28 kilograms.
All the improvements came after constant breakthroughs across multiple aspects of the missile. For example, in fuel and propulsion systems, the KNO3 oxidiser was replaced with high test peroxide, and in the fuel, kerosene was replaced by hydroxyl polybutane, a new laboratory-manufactured fuel especially suited for missiles. Other changes include an optimised oxidiser ratio, an enhanced ignition system, an improved burn profile, optimised propellant volume, better aerodynamics, and many other refinements.
Structurally, there had been major improvements as well. Iron was replaced with a high-strength steel alloy that was lighter yet far more durable. The new monocoque stressed-skin design featured internal stringers, riveted seams, and a friction-resistant coating on the surface. Several upgrades were also made for reliability, guidance and navigation systems, and overall operational efficiency.
Coming back to his senses and looking at the parachute descending to his eye level, Vijay let out a sigh of relief.
The person flying the parachute landed safely on the parliament grounds, greeted by a wave of deafening applause. Before stepping down from the stage, Vijay called him up to learn more about him. Apparently, his name was Dhruv Rati, which drew an amusing connection in Vijay’s mind to someone from his past life with a similar name, a man from another country who was known for constantly criticising his nation. The contrast between that man and this young daredevil, who preferred jumping off balloons, made him chuckle inwardly.
Vijay praised Dhruv Rati in front of everyone, then finally got down from the stage, his first stop, the booth of his own industries. He wanted to see what they had set up for display, and what he saw left him satisfied. Raya Mobility put the frame of the Imperial R1, without an engine, on display. Raya Iron and Steel showcased all the New Alloys they had developed. Venkatapathy Scientific displayed the new medical devices, like the earlier model of stethoscope and blood pressure tester they had developed.
Thirumala Printers brought forward their new generation of two-revolution printing press, a machine that is now to be powered by the steam engine and has more density of details per inch, which is not only more durable but also much more affordable. And Yadav Labs, a subsidiary laboratory under Thirumala Printers, founded by Govardhan Yadav, the inventor of the typewriter, has come up with the 4th iteration of the typewriter since the typewriter was invented, the Mark 4.
And finally, coming to the Sriranga Industrial Tools, Vijay was left extremely satisfied, because apart from the new production technology the company has mastered and other industrial equipment that had been either newly developed or improved based on the older model, the company also showcased the newest generation 6 machine tools.
Research for the newer machine tools has never stopped. After the 5th generation that came out over a decade ago, it looked like the 6th generation was right around the corner, but everyone was wrong. The steam engine was not just a productivity maximiser for humans; it was also a cheat code for the machines. So the new machine tools had to be completely built around utilising the power of steam. It had to be custom-made, ground up, to work closely with the steam engine, as if the two parts were the same body.
So now we are here, so many years later, fulfilling the goals set up all those years ago. The gear cutting machine, grinding machine, heavy screw pressing machine, turning lathe, drill press, milling machine, and hammering machine all received massive improvements in almost all aspects, including durability, precision, efficiency, cost to run, and other things.
Not only that, the company even showcased its new line of machines, each one more impressive than the last.
First was the rail profile rolling machine, which shapes hot steel billets into rail profiles through sequential rolling passes. This allows rails to be manufactured at a much faster speed.
Next was the wheel lathe, designed to precision-machine train wheel profiles, threads, and flanges.
Then came the slotting machine, used to cut internal slots, keyways, and splines with precise reciprocating motion.
The plate bending roller was another highlight; it forms flat steel plates into cylindrical or conical shapes for boilers and tanks.
Following that was the beam drill press, capable of simultaneously drilling multiple holes in I-beams, channels, and structural steel.
The horizontal boring machine is used for precision boring of large-diameter holes in cylinders and castings.
The pipe threading machine, similar to a rifling machine, cuts external threads on pipes for various hydraulic systems and plumbing works.
The shearing machine handles precision cutting of steel plates and sheets.
The rail saw cuts rails to exact lengths.
The spring coiling machine, a specialised device, is used to manufacture springs.
And finally, the riveting machine, powered by steam pressure, can produce rivets with an output force of up to 50 tonnes of hydraulic pressure.
If the Kesari and Balwaan steam engines were the strong metal hearts powering the industrial lifeline of the Bharatiya Empire, then its arms, limbs, and everything else were the outdated, rusting 5th Gen machine tools that struggled to keep up. But now, with this new generation of machines, designed from birth to be compatible with steam engines, the long-standing issues of compatibility, inefficiency, and constant repairs could finally be eliminated. A new age of manufacturing was on the horizon, and A new round of economic explosion could finally be ushered in.