Chapter 263
:
Humanity Needs to Live on Mars
Chapter 263 – Humanity Needs to Live on Mars
Chen Yu fell into deep thought as he looked at Musk’s face.
Elon Musk.
When mentioning this person, several keywords would pop into the public’s mind.
Tesla, s.p.a.ceX, Falcon 9, the reality version of Iron Man, and…Mars colonization!
Musk had more than once publicly announced his crazy plan to send humans to Mars in 2024 and establish colonies so that human civilization could thoroughly reside on the planet.
And in response to this “delusion,” some people supported him, and some praised him. Though, most people still mocked him and treated his words dismissively.
However, after Chen Yu found out about Musk’s deeds, he started believing in this “delusion.”
One year ago, to win an argument against Li Liang, Chen Yu had deliberately a.n.a.lyzed s.p.a.ceX’s development schedule and used it to support his argument.
This was also one of the rare instances where Chen Yu took the initiative to learn something.
In 2202, Musk founded s.p.a.ceX and announced the design, manufacture, and launch of advanced rockets and s.p.a.cecraft to the world. He had completely changed existing s.p.a.ce technology so that mankind could survive on other planets.
However, all he got in return was ridicule from both government and private sectors.
In 2005, s.p.a.ceX’s employee count reached 150. However, as the company was still in its “preparation” phase, it had yet to launch anything, not even a monkey.
This time, some people lacked even the interest to laugh at Musk and only looked at him in contempt.
This reaction was akin to how people of the 18th century reacted when faced with the proposal of the first car.
However, after the company entered its sixth year, as if the company had reached Level 6 and obtained its R-ability[1], it began developing at a frightening speed!
In 2008, the Falcon 1 rocket was successfully launched. Simultaneously, s.p.a.ceX also became the first private company to launch a liquid-fueled rocket successfully!
In 2009, s.p.a.ceX successfully launched a satellite into orbit.
In 2010, s.p.a.ceX launched the Cargo Dragon into orbit and successfully retrieved it.
In 2011, s.p.a.ceX’s market value exceeded one billion US dollars.
In 2013, s.p.a.ceX successfully launched the SES-8 satellite to medium Earth orbit.
In 2015, s.p.a.ceX completed the launch of a high-orbit satellite and successfully recovered the Falcon 9 rocket. This was also the first time in human history that a used rocket had been recovered intact, and the whole world went into an uproar over it.
In 2018, s.p.a.ceX sent Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster into the orbit between Mars and Jupiter.
In 2019, s.p.a.ceX became the world’s strongest and cheapest launch service provider. It had basically s.n.a.t.c.hed the satellite launch contracts of all major aeros.p.a.ce countries, including America, China, Russian, and j.a.pan.
At present date, s.p.a.ceX had already started the design and construction of the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), and the company estimated that it would send two cargo s.p.a.cecraft to Mars in 2022. The company also estimated that in 2024, it would launch a fleet of manned s.p.a.cecraft and conduct a large-scale landing on Mars.
Although Chen Yu found Musk’s vision of sending humans to Mars by 2024 to be a bit exaggerated, he had always been convinced that Musk would be able to accomplish all this within his lifetime.
However, Chen Yu planned to advance this plan by three years, allowing humans to settle permanently on Mars and achieve planetary colonization! He would fulfill both his and Musk’s dream.
This was also the dream of countless astronomy enthusiasts around the world!
After thinking up to this point, Chen Yu visually scanned Musk and went straight to the point. “Friend, I told you about it before, but are you interested in a collaboration?”
“W-What kind of collaboration?” Musk was an intelligent person. Hence, he had already vaguely guessed the truth based on Chen Yu’s behavior and tone, and he couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
“Mars Colonization!” Chen Yu declared, smiling.
Musk suffered a cardiac arrest.
Upon hearing Chen Yu’s words, everyone else inside the s.p.a.ce capsule couldn’t help but look at him in shock. The Director of the China Aeros.p.a.ce Science & Industry Corporation and Russia’s old engineer, in particular, even changed their normal standing postures.
“M-Mars Colonization?” Clenching his fists, Musk did his best to calm himself down before asking, “The large-scale colony kind?”
“Of course.” Chen Yu nodded. “The colony of several people you planned for is too small and too boring. I have the Earth Spray and Interstellar Portal, so I’m naturally going to build a big one. How about it? Are you interested in such a collaboration?”
“Yes!” Musk agreed without hesitation. “I’m very interested!”
“Excellent. We’ll decide our collaboration terms verbally. When I have time, I’ll invite you to the floating castle to discuss the plan’s details. For now, we’ll just briefly talk about the colonization process.”
“Please speak.” Musk bent his back slightly, lowering his posture.
“Firstly, I will use the portal to connect to Mars’s...o...b..t and toss out several of your reconnaissance satellites to search for water sources and suitable landing spots,” Chen Yu said, narrating the general plan in his mind. “Once you’ve found a landing point, we’ll start transporting cargo, equipment, and operators en ma.s.se. We’ll construct buildings such as living cabins, training cabins, scientific research cabins, collection points, propellant factories, power generation modules, etc.”
“H-How long will you lend us your portal?” Musk asked the crucial point.
“Only twice.” Chen Yu stretched out two fingers. “The first time will be for releasing your satellites. The second time will be for transporting your supplies and workforce. That is more than enough. You can’t expect me to be your babysitter. Earth’s and Mars’s...o...b..ts are synchronized once every two years. It will be 2021 soon. Your company only needs to wait one more year before the Big Falcon Rocket is ready to transport supplies to Mars, which just so happens to fit with your plan.”
Musk remained silent for a moment as he quickly did some mental calculations. He then gritted his teeth and nodded, “It’s enough! If you can let my company use the Earth Spray, we can send materials to the colony even if the orbits aren’t synchronized.”
“Okay.” Stretching out his hand, Chen Yu said, “That settles it, then.”
“Thank you very much!” Musk hurriedly shook Chen Yu’s hand. “I a.s.sure you that it won’t take more than three years for us to build a colonial city on Mars!”
“M-Mr. King…” At this time, the China Aeros.p.a.ce Corporation’s Director couldn’t help but raise his hand and ask, “Can China partic.i.p.ate too?”
“Russia as well?”
“D-Does Google have a chance too?”
“Nope, nope.” Chen Yu smirked inside his helmet. He then waved at these people dismissively and said, “This partnership has nothing to do with you people. Every one of your s.p.a.ce exploration programs has been competing in a snail race. Yet, now that you see a profit to be gained, you’re suddenly interested in partic.i.p.ating?”
The donation group’s three members immediately grew embarra.s.sed and awkwardly looked at each other. They didn’t know what they should say in this situation.
“Not to mention, there are so many forces in this world. If I open the portal for every one of you to launch your satellites and transport cargo, how long will I have to keep doing it? You have a free launchpad now. If you want to have your own s.p.a.ce colony, do it yourself.
“The topic ends here.”
After saying so, Chen Yu turned around and looked out the window. “Oh? We can look outside already?”
Upon hearing Chen Yu’s words, the bullet comment group’s five members, who have been watching the show just now, immediately snapped out of their daze. They then leaned against the window and looked at the scenery outside.
“Oh…”
“Perfect!”
“きれいだ… (So beautiful…)”
At an alt.i.tude of 70,000 meters, the Earth’s curvature could already be seen very clearly.
Above the s.p.a.ce capsule, there was the deep, dark outer s.p.a.ce.
Below the capsule, there were the white clouds and blue sea.
The two contrasting sceneries joined together to form a beautiful picture that was beyond description…
“It’s almost time for the second ascension stage, right?”
After taking a tentative look at the turbulent seawater below the s.p.a.ce capsule, Chen Yu reopened the livestream’s audio and said, “Friends and viewers, sorry for the long wait. Now, it won’t be long before the second ascension stage begins. Once that is over, I will also be ending today’s livestream. There isn’t anything special to look at during the landing. At most, we’ll release the capsule’s parachute and conduct a regular landing.”
“Huh?” The elderly engineer from Russia couldn’t help but be stunned by Chen Yu’s words. Instinctively, he asked, “What parachute? This is an incomplete capsule. It doesn’t have a parachute.”
Chen Yu: “?!”
The livestream’s audience: “?!!”
Everyone else in the capsule: “!!!”