Chapter 925: The End of an Era

Moscow, Kremlin. Around the space elevator completed in the territorial waters of the new country in the Western Pacific, this special meeting is being held here.

"Just yesterday, Star Ring Trading sold us the promised RM-320 rocket engine. The reverse engineering has started. Within a year at the latest, the new rocket engine will replace the old aerospace engine. We will use a years, surpassing the distance that the United States has spent decades in the field of spaceflight.

"Unfortunately, when the Star Ring Trade gave us this sword, it also pulled down the curtain on the entire stage. Whether it is economics, politics, culture, or military affairs, everything tomorrow will be different from today. Because there What is unknown is the unknown, and the unknown means infinity.”

Speaking of this, Oleg Ostapenko, director of the Russian Aerospace Agency, lowered his eyebrows and told the truth in an artistic way, looking at the members of the Russian Federation Council present here, as well as the one sitting at the top President - Putin.

After a pause, Oleg continued.

"Guys, the old days are over."

Taking a deep breath, the Minister of Defense looked at Putin who said nothing, and whispered.

"If the space elevator can send tons of materials into outer space, then our proud air and space defense force will become a joke."

Putin tilted his head slightly.

"Fortunately, our relationship with them is good?"

"That's right, but we can't put all our hopes on good diplomatic relations," the Minister of Defense lowered his voice, and continued to whisper next to Putin, "The United Nations will make sure that the safety and rational use of the space elevator After discussion, I am in favor of maintaining a good bilateral relationship with the new country, but only an alliance of equal strength is more in line with our interests, isn't it? Appropriately weakening them..."

Putin raised his hand and interrupted the Defense Minister's speech.

"What's the point of embarrassing them at the UN if the UN in New York is destined to be history?"

...

A special hearing is also being held in the Capitol in Washington.

At the meeting, Charles Bolden, director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), read the manuscript in his hand in the face of many members of Congress, experts, and scholars from all walks of life.

"While Congress has been trying to squeeze our budget,

But we are still advancing the space program step by step with a limited budget. The results achieved over the decades have been large, staggeringly large. Not only did we lose sight of the privatization of the space industry, but even this seemingly money-losing vanity project finally lost sight of profitability. "

"Yes, we have been ahead." Mr. Bolden paused here, and glanced meaningfully at the members of Congress in the hearing booth, "We once convinced the world that the Statue of Liberty was the future. "

Those congressional budget committee members who were aggressive in the hearings in order to cut NASA's budget in the past, like a defeated rooster, lowered their heads at this moment, embarrassed to dare not meet the dark-skinned old man.

Secretary of State Kerry, sitting on the hearing committee table, coughed lightly.

"This is a congressional hearing, not a federal court, and what we should be discussing now is not who is to be held accountable, but what to do about it."

"I don't mean accountability, Mr. Kerry." Mr. Bolden glanced at Kerry, "but I must remind you that we should not make the same mistake twice."

"What's your opinion?" asked Hillary, who was sitting in the hearing.

"To expand NASA's budget, we must immediately start research on space elevator technology. Compared with China and Russia, we have a unique advantage in global influence. We can completely replicate a space elevator in the Atlantic Ocean!"

"If the project is approved, how much money do you need?" Hillary looked at Bolden and asked seriously, "I mean, from research and development to completion."

Bolden directly turned the manuscript to the last page, sniffed his nose, and said quickly: "If we can get technical support from the Future Group, the investment budget is about 20 billion to 40 billion. To start research and development, NASA needs 200 billion US dollars, and it can start construction by 2030 at the latest."

The hearing committee members present looked at each other in blank dismay, and the faces of experts from all walks of life were also quite ugly. Hillary and Kerry looked at each other, and they both saw the obvious disappointment in each other's eyes.

help? How could it be possible to get help from Future People Group? If this technology is mastered by more than two companies, they will of course come to their door to sell their technology in order to obtain the US government's space elevator engineering order. However, there is only one company that has mastered space elevator technology. How can being a "contractor" be more profitable than a monopoly?

As for the $200 billion budget application, don't say that Hillary will not nod, the budget committee at the hearing will directly kill the project.

"200 billion? God, this money is enough for us to build two aircraft carrier battle groups!" Sure enough, before Hillary could speak, a member of Congress from the opposition party said sarcastically, "Unless Huaguo continues to lend us money , otherwise where will the money come from? Do you expect taxpayers to pay for this whimsical project?"

This is not a whimsical project, and someone secretly completed it some time ago.

Just as Bolden was about to say this, a neutral aerospace expert at the hearing said: "There are quite a few private aerospace companies in the United States. We have proved the enthusiasm and innovation of private companies for half a century. .Instead of arguing about unsolvable problems here, why not ask spaceX?"

Bolden's face was a little ugly.

Ask spaceX for its opinion? What do you think of spaceX? Magic conch?

Before the hearing began, he had approached SpaceX founder Elon Musk to ask about the feasibility of building the United States' own space elevator. However, Elon Musk's answer made him feel deeply powerless.

According to the information released by Starlink Trade, if the United States wants to build a similar space elevator, it must first start researching the most basic elevator materials.

200 billion?

What is shown to the budget committee has always been a conservative estimate.

After the hearing, Kerry and Hillary walked side by side toward the garage. On the way, the two talked about the space elevator issue that they had just discussed to no avail.

"He doesn't care at all what impact the new country's breakthrough in aerospace technology will have on the United States. He only cares about NASA's budget."

"You are an expert on international issues, Mr. Kerry. I want to hear your opinion." Sheila said expressionlessly.

Lowering his voice, Kerry said seriously.

"We can use the United Nations to put pressure on the new country! This is a big cake, and Russia and China should not give up a share of the space elevator. As long as we make a little concession when sharing the cake, they will agree to our joint Proposal to put pressure on the star ring trade. Outer space belongs to all mankind, and the world-wide project of the space elevator should be shared by all mankind..." (To be continued.) Activate the new website