Chapter 724 We Need a Victory

Beijing time at twelve o'clock in the morning.

Converted to Washington time, it was exactly eight o'clock in the morning.

For the vast majority of Americans, the new day is just beginning.

In a residential home in suburban New Jersey, a young couple and their four-year-old child are sitting at the dining table in the living room enjoying breakfast together.

After mixing the salad dressing into the bowl, Julie, who was sitting at the table, glanced at the news on the TV, just in time to see the news about the Ares plan being released on the TV, and couldn't help but complain in a low voice, "I don't Understand, why do we have to spend money to compete with the Chinese people for these things, wouldn't it be better to use the money to do something meaningful?"

Buddy grinned as he watched TV while munching on a bacon sandwich.

"You don't understand, this is a man's romance."

Hearing her husband's words, Julie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I don't understand, I don't understand how a truck driver can worry about the universe. Even if you take ten thousand steps back, they can't let you drive a truck on Mars."

Buddy raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Maybe there will be such a day in the future? It is said that the Ares Project is recruiting volunteers, maybe I will be like Han Solo—"

"I warn you, don't even think about it!"

Looking at his wife with a serious expression, Buddy made a helpless expression, trying to persuade his wife to come.

"Relax, my sweetheart...I'm just talking, and of course I won't actually sign up."

At this moment, a small accident suddenly happened to the news being screened.

"The following is a temporary news break. Just nine minutes ago, NASA's observation satellite discovered that the Xiangrui carrying the lunar module took off from the Huaguo Jinling Launch Center. By the time this station received the news, they had left the stratosphere. Heading to low Earth orbit."

Looking at the picture on the TV, Buddy opened his mouth slightly, and he didn't even notice that the slice of bacon in the sandwich had fallen onto the plate.

"Oh, God...the Chinese are going to the moon."

While fiddling with the salad in the bowl with a fork, Julie glanced at her husband speechlessly.

"so what?"

Buddy didn't answer his wife's question, but just stared at the TV intently, and complained in a low voice in annoyance.

"Damn it, what the hell is our NASA doing! We've been standing still all these years!"

The news on TV continued.

It's just that the original news arrangement has been completely disrupted by this unexpected incident.

After getting the press release and making a brief report, the host immediately connected with Columbia Television's special expert, Professor Slade from Cornell University. At the same time, Professor Slade also served as a consultant for NASA's Ares program, so his professionalism is unquestionable.

"... After receiving this news, we urgently contacted NASA expert Professor Slade, although he couldn't get to the scene... Hello, Professor Slade!"

Professor Slade: "Hello."

On the screen in the studio, a photo of Professor Slade appeared.

Through the telephone connection, the host conducted an on-site interview with him.

"What do you think of Huaguo's moon landing plan this time?"

Facing this question and thinking about it for about five seconds, Professor Slade said in a conservative tone: "Hua Guo has not disclosed the specific technical parameters of the Xiangrui, including our guess that there may be advanced Hall thrusters on it. , a smaller controllable fusion reactor... Of course, some views tend to think that they have adopted an advanced lithium-sulfur battery technology, after all, apart from the aerospace business, Xingkong Technology's main business area is still in the battery field."

Moderator: "I believe that the vast majority of viewers don't care about which technical route they adopt. Can you make a prediction for us in simpler terms?"

"predict?"

The host nodded: "Yes, we all want to know how likely this launch is to be successful."

Professor Slade: "I may not be able to give you a clear answer. I don't have specific information about the Xiangrui here."

Having said that, he paused for a moment, then continued in a reluctant tone.

"But if I insist, their chances of winning are ... better than the Soviets."

"Do you think they have a better chance of winning than the Soviets?" The host's eyes widened in surprise, and he repeatedly confirmed in disbelief, "Are you serious? Do you think they will succeed?"

"I didn't say that, what I meant was that their chances of success are one in two... or maybe one in three," Professor Slade continued vaguely, "Of course, even if they After successfully landing on the moon, they are still far behind us. After all, we have landed on the moon more than once, and...sorry, some things are inconvenient to say here.”

Look at the reports in the news.

Buddy breathed a sigh of relief slowly, feeling much better than before.

At least the probability of Chinese people successfully landing on the moon is less than one-third.

Compared with Columbia Television, NASA experts are a little more convincing.

Poking the fried egg on the plate with a fork, the four-year-old boy raised his head and held the fork high above his head, like playing with his rocket toy.

"Daddy, I want to travel to the moon."

Hearing his son's childish speech, Buddy laughed and stretched out his hand to rub the little guy's head.

"There will be a day, my little one, and our president is leading us back to greatness! When you're as tall as I am, maybe we'll go to Mars as easy as going to Hawaii...Remember to give Your daddy brought back some souvenirs."

The little boy blinked his eyes, nodded his head, and said softly.

"Okay, Daddy."

Looking at the two live treasures, one big and one small, Julie shook her head with a smile, and continued to solve her own salad.

The question of greatness doesn't concern her at all.

She just hoped things didn't get any worse.

...

Yet what the vast majority of Americans are worrying about is happening.

Since the completion of the Pangu fusion reactor, the cost of energy in Huaguo has dropped significantly, and the situation on the other side of the Pacific has been getting worse.

NASA headquarters building.

In the satellite control room.

As early as three days before the launch of the Xiangrui, the observation satellite in the synchronous orbit had already aimed its camera at Jinling in Huaguo. And now, this "hate" carrying the lunar module is approaching the edge of the atmosphere bit by bit.

Staring at the green dot on the screen, Aiden from the CIA cursed in a low voice.

"Are we just watching it go up to the sky?"

The director of NASA glanced at him lightly.

"if not?"

Aiden said indignantly like an angry lion.

"We should do something about it."

Ignoring the CIA official, the director of NASA pondered for a while, then looked at the secretary standing beside him.

"How's the life support unit over there at Space-X doing?"

The secretary replied immediately: "It is said that it has entered the testing stage."

"How long will the test take?"

Facing this question, he hesitated for two seconds, and the secretary quickly replied: "Considering a series of issues such as the window period for landing on Mars, our colonists have to live in it for at least two years...Of course, the test is not It takes that long, according to Musk, a maximum of nine months will be enough."

"We can't wait for nine months," the NASA director shook his head, looked at the flashing green dot on the radar, and said, "Huaguo people are catching up with us, and there is nothing more important than advancing the Ares program to the next stage." important."

Taking a deep breath, he turned his head, stared at his secretary, and continued.

"Listen, you can contact Musk for me and ask him if he can shorten the test time. I know this is difficult, but we need a victory, a victory that is enough to explain to Congress and the people!"

The secretary held his breath, and after a while, he asked.

"Sir... what victory are you referring to?"

The director of NASA said blankly.

"The life support unit will be delivered to the surface of Mars within half a year."

"If the Chinese people think that they have caught up with us by putting their footprints on the moon, we will tell them with our actions, and tell our Congress and our people how small their achievements are in front of us!"