In the pitch-black starry sky, a blue-white arc of light swayed at the tail of the Hanhai space shuttle, steadily propelling it towards another silver-gray planet.
At this moment, inside the passenger compartment, Kou Guangwu of Wanhua Chemical Group was leaning next to the porthole, curiously looking at the scenery outside through the thick porthole.
The person who shared the same room with him was a rich second-generation heir of another real estate company.
After looking at the distant deep space, Kou Guangwu asked curiously: "Speaking of which, how did you buy a ticket to the moon? Is it possible that your family wants to build a hotel plaza on the moon?"
The rich second-generation young master, who was floating on his bed and playing with his mobile phone, turned to look over and said with a smile: "Does Mr. Kou think this is realistic?"
Kou Guangwu shrugged and said with a smile: "Who knows? If we cooperate with Xinghai Research Institute, this is not impossible."
"Besides, aren't those tycoons in the Middle East planning to build resort hotels and mosques on the moon?"
The rich second generation laughed, skipped the topic and said, "I'm just interested in traveling to the moon."
After a slight pause, he dropped the phone, propped it up on the edge of the bed with his hands, floated down, flew to the porthole, looked at the deep sky outside, and sighed.
"I thought traveling to the moon would be fun at first, but now it seems like that's it."
"Except for the scenery and the weightless environment that I flew away from the earth before, which are interesting, the rest are quite boring, and you have to share a room with others. Fortunately, you can still access the Internet. If you can't even connect to the Internet, it will be really boring.
It’s so boring.”
.......
At the same time, in another room next door, Guo Chi, who was lucky enough to receive an invitation to travel to the moon, was also standing next to the porthole, curiously looking at the scenery outside through the thick porthole.
Maybe it was because the number of people who got the travel tickets was an odd number, or maybe it was the blessing of his idol, but in short, he was lucky enough to get a single room.
Of course, it is said to be a single room, but it is actually a double room with two beds, but he lives alone.
The other two passengers traveling with him were not so lucky.
No matter how luxurious the house they stayed in was in reality, on this space shuttle, there could only be two people together.
At this moment, the door to the crew compartment suddenly opened automatically, and Jiang Xinlin, wearing dark blue cabin work clothes, walked in.
"Leader Jiang."
Seeing Jiang Xinlin walking in, he was a little clumsy when crossing the pond. He supported the wall with his hands, turned around and said hello to his floating body.
Jiang Xinlin flew over with skillful movements and said with a smile: "You don't have to be so polite. You are a tourist. Just call me Captain Jiang. Just treat it as a flight."
After saying this with a smile, he then asked: "How have you been these past two days? Are you still adaptable to the weightless environment? How is your physical condition?"
This kind of inquiry is routine. After all, for people who go to space for the first time, especially the three passengers this time, they are not astronauts or scientific researchers and staff traveling to the moon. The situation is a bit special.
After all, this is the first time that the lunar travel business has been opened to the outside world, and ensuring the health and safety of tourists is a must.
But as for his attitude, compared to the lucky man in front of him, his attitude is much kinder.
On the one hand, I really admire it. Currently, the price of a ticket to travel to the moon on the official website of Xinghai Research Institute is 49.99 million (metal gold), which is close to 200 million RMB.
The ability to resist the temptation of nearly 200 million RMB without selling transfer tickets is indeed admirable.
Not to mention other people, it was himself. If he thought about it in his shoes, he would most likely choose to sell the tickets in his hand.
After all, this is an income of close to 200 million, maybe even higher.
Because this is the first time that Xinghai Research Institute has launched a lunar travel business, there may be a premium.
In addition to admiration for this attitude, there is another point that is the greeting from Academician Xu Chuan.
If he hadn't read Guo Chi's information a long time ago and knew that he had no relationship with Academician Xu, he might have thought that he was a relative of Academician Xu.
After all, there is only one person who is qualified to say hello to him and ask him to take care of him on the space shuttle before leaving. So far, this is the only one.
Although it is not clear why Academician Xu attaches so much importance to him, it does not prevent him from accepting personal favors and doing well.
Therefore, his attitude towards Guochi must be different from the other two wealthy travelers traveling with him.
Guo Chi smiled and nodded, saying, "Fortunately, we have conducted weightlessness simulation training in a pool and microgravity machine training at the space base before."
Jiang Xinlin nodded and said with a smile: "That's good. If you feel any other discomfort, just tell the crew in time."
After a slight pause, he continued: "We will reach the moon in about three hours. Now we need to put on the spacesuit in advance. Do you need my help?"
Although it is different from the previous generation of space shuttles that required a lunar module to land on the moon, the second generation of space shuttles, with the support of miniaturized aerospace engines, can take off and land just like civil aviation aircraft on the earth.
But currently, astronauts and space shuttle members still need to wear spacesuits during takeoff and landing.
On the one hand, it is for safety. If something unexpected happens, wearing a spacesuit can last at least several hours on the lunar surface, waiting for rescue from the lunar surface base.
On the other hand, although the landing site of the space shuttle is inside the Yuehuatai Scientific Research Station, it is still some distance away from the main base, and this journey requires wearing a spacesuit and riding a lunar rover.
However, the Yuehuatai Outpost Scientific Research Base is currently building an automatic linking device similar to the corridor bridge in the airport on Earth.
In the future, when landing on the moon, they can go directly from the space shuttle into the completely airtight corridor bridge like boarding and disembarking from a civil airliner, and then directly enter the lunar base.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Perhaps after this construction facility is completed, the lunar travel business can be opened to the outside world.
As for now, there is still some trouble after all.
...
Just when the three travelers were about to arrive on the moon for a three-day trip, they were hundreds of thousands of kilometers away on the other side.
Earth, United States on the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
At the headquarters of NASA in Washington, at nine o'clock in the morning, a press conference was being prepared in an orderly manner with the busy staff.
In the lounge on the upper floor of the building, Director Bill Nelson was arranging his suit in front of his mirror. At today's press conference, NASA will officially announce the start of the 'first phase' of the 'Artemis Project'.
As the director of NASA, he is naturally the host.
Sitting on a chair not far from the lounge, Bill Gerstenmaier, deputy administrator of NASA, looked at Bill Nelson, who was arranging his clothes in front of the mirror and preparing to go on stage.
sad.
"My old man, what are you worried about?"
Bill Nelson turned around and asked with a smile when he saw Gerstenmaier's worried look.
After coming back to his senses, Bill Gerstenmaier didn't hesitate much and said directly: "Of course it's work related to the lunar space elevator project."
After hearing this, Bill Nelson smiled and said, "Any questions?"
Gerstenmaier thought for a while and said in a deep voice: "To be honest, I don't think this is a good project unless we can invite China to participate in this project."
Hearing this, Bill Nelson smiled and said: "It is impossible to involve China..."
"They have seriously squeezed us out in the lunar biosphere project, which has caused NASA and the United States to lose a lot of face internationally."
"If we go back to invite them for the current lunar space elevator project, what will our people and taxpayers think of us?"
Gerstenmaier shook his head and said worriedly: "But from the perspective of technological development, without China, it would be difficult for us and our allies to support such a huge project."
"Whether it is considered from the technical level of the lunar space elevator project or from various aspects such as space transportation capacity."
"Especially now, we have to admit that China has already surpassed us in the development of space development and aerospace technology and is far, far ahead."
"They're even now able to take off and land the space shuttle vertically on the moon like our F35 fighter jets."
After hearing these words, Bill Nelson smiled and said: "What you said does make some sense."
"but....."
After a slight pause, he continued: "Our space shuttle is also developing rapidly. Although the Endurance is not as powerful as the previous Endeavors, it is enough to support us in completing the transfer of a large amount of materials from the earth to the moon."
"What's more, we also have a large number of outstanding aerospace companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing."
"Don't worry, we have already discussed these related matters in meetings."
"The things you are worried about can be solved as long as we unite our allies from all over the world and have sufficient funds."
Speaking of this, Bill Nelson paused for a moment, and there was a sharp look in his eyes.
He looked at his deputy and continued: "Moreover, once the lunar space elevator project is completed, we will maximize the development of lunar resources."
"Whether it is building scientific research stations and bases on the moon or mining rare resources on the moon, it is inseparable from the transportation of space elevators."
"Do you think the gentlemen in Congress will share this kind of project with great strategic status, strategic value and strategic significance to our competitors?"
"This is impossible!"
Hearing these words, Bill Gerstenmaier fell silent.
Indeed, Bill Nelson is right to say that on a project of great significance and strategic value such as the space elevator, it is impossible for the gentlemen in Congress to share it with their competitors.
The lunar space elevator project will be a capital for NASA and the United States to unite with other allies to fight against that country in the field of space development and aerospace.
Just as China rejected them in the lunar biosphere project, they will return it in the same way in the lunar space elevator project.
If all goes well, they can even regain a new say in the aerospace field and space development.
After all, the moon is the most important transit station for human civilization to go to space and the universe.
Whether the distance between the earth and the moon is less than 400,000 kilometers, or the moon's ultra-low gravity environment, it is an important supply station for humans to go to more distant deep space.
Compared with replenishing supplies directly from the earth, establishing outposts and space stations on the moon will greatly reduce the time and funding for space exploration and development.
Whoever can occupy important positions and related resources on the moon first will be able to occupy an important position and have a say in the subsequent development of space.
The reason why they have been stubbornly unwilling to admit defeat in the field of space development and aerospace is not only that aerospace is the glory of the United States, but also the real interests and future strategic deployment.
But all this is based on the fact that the lunar space elevator project can be successfully completed and play its due role.
And is all this really so smooth?
Regarding these, Gerstenmaier had many worries. He always felt that this project might not be that easy or be completed so smoothly.
Although this project was originally the work of Professor Xu Chuan, for the United States today, this kind of super project is indeed somewhat beyond their capabilities in the aerospace field.
Across the lounge, seeing Gerstenmaier still frowning, Bill Nelson walked up to him with a smile, patted him on the shoulder, and said:
"Take it easy, my old man."
"The lunar space elevator project is not just Professor Xu Chuan's idea, it has been discussed and verified internally for many times."
"Theoretically, it is extremely feasible. The only problem now is that the properties of the material may still be lacking, and we need to invest in some research."
"But it is undeniable that if it succeeds, it will greatly help us control the development of resources on the moon."
"Even in the future, China will rely on our space elevator to transport mineral resources and personnel on the moon!"
After taking a long breath, Bill Gerstenmaier shrugged and said, "I hope so~"
It has to be said that for the United States, being surpassed in the aerospace field is indeed an unacceptable thing.
Coupled with the development of the aerospace field and space resources of the country on the other side of the Pacific, they really need a new project to inspire people and enhance the confidence of the people and the market in them.
It was originally thought that the manned mission to Mars would be this opportunity, but China's rapid pace in detecting Mars far exceeded their imagination.
Now they have to put their chips on the lunar space elevator project.
Opposite, Bill Nelson tightened his tie on his chest, straightened his appearance and said with a smile: "Let's go, it's almost time, the reporters are still waiting for us."