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Chapter 2558 The Elite Brother's Moment of Glory (Third Update, Please Subscribe)

We must let the Russians win this race.

"So you're saying we want to create the illusion that they've already won, right?"

Reagan looked at Li Yi'an with some doubt and said:
"Is that so? Won't this shock us? Won't it make everyone think they are the most powerful and that they will win? Like you said before, this will have a huge impact on our society."

"It will only impact a portion of the population. Ronald, you need to understand that the vast majority of people are just ordinary people. They don't care about grand narratives or the stars and the sea. They just care about life."

Li Yi'an spoke with a relaxed tone when he said this, which reflects reality. If people truly cared so much about politics and the vastness of the universe...

How could so many demons and monsters possibly appear?

This is why it took the United States several years to get Ronald; only when a certain level is reached will people pay attention to him.

"Uh, this..."

Reagan shrugged helplessly.

"That is indeed the reality, but I don't understand why we do it."

While Reagan was completely bewildered, Li Yi'an said:
"Money! We need to let them slowly deplete their money through these victories. Ronald, we all know very well that the Russians are far less financially capable than us. They can use vast sums of money to aid Africa, to fight against us globally, and of course, to use it in space. When they can achieve more and produce more victories in space, they will inevitably invest even more resources in space..."

Before Li Yi'an could finish speaking, Li Gen said:
"I understand. You want to waste their already limited resources by letting the Soviet Union win the space race, or rather, by creating the illusion that they are about to win the race, is that right?"

In fact, Reagan was one of the first politicians in the United States to realize that the Soviet Union was short of money.

Perhaps because he had experienced financial hardship, he understood the importance of money very well. And it was precisely for this reason that Reagan found the most effective way to strike at the Soviet Union.

It's about money.

This involved cutting off the Soviet Union's channels for obtaining foreign exchange and depleting its wealth to weaken it.

This process may seem lengthy, but as all the shackles tighten day by day, eventually, when the Soviet Union runs out of resources, it will collapse.

Now, Li Yi'an's suggestion is exactly what Reagan did in history, only he chose a different approach: he targeted international oil prices, driving them down and preventing the Soviet Union from earning a steady stream of foreign exchange through oil exports as it had in the 70s.

On the other hand, he started Star Wars, a race the Soviet Union had to gamble on. If they didn't keep up, it would come at the cost of the entire nation's security, but if they did, it would deplete their already limited resources.

Ultimately, they chose to follow suit. But in the end, they exhausted all their wealth.

This is the fundamental reason why many people claim that the Star Wars program was a conspiracy against the Soviet Union.

Those who make such claims are overlooking the fact that the United States has invested far more money in the Star Wars program.

It even reached a point where the United States was overwhelmed.

The reason is simple: the United States needed to render the Soviet Union's massive nuclear arsenal obsolete through the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), thereby achieving absolute security.

In response, the Soviet Union could not tolerate such a thing happening, so they followed suit in kind. As a result, their dire financial situation depleted the last Soviet ruble.

What happened in the end? Everyone saw it.

“We’re in space, on Mars. It’s better to fight than to fight on Earth, and besides—that would cost more money.”

Li Yi'an smiled and then said:
"So what we need now is to make the Kremlin think they are about to win. Let them invest more resources in space, let them explore the stars, and let them enjoy the glory."

Ultimately, all of this will become the noose that strangles them!

After saying this, Li Yi'an leaned back in his chair, looked at Reagan, and said:
"So, what we need now is to let them enjoy their victory."

Why would Li Yi'an say that?
Was it so that the Soviet Union could enjoy the victory?

Of course not. It was to plant a seed of doubt in Reagan's mind.

Make him understand the significance of the space race.

When Soviet cosmonauts appeared on Mars, was it possible that the United States would not follow suit?
Do not!
The United States will definitely follow suit. They will certainly dedicate a large amount of resources to the Mars mission.

Because the Soviet Union could enjoy its glory and show the world its strength, but the United States also had to show the world its strength.

Moreover, only when the United States followed suit, putting pressure on the Soviet Union, did the Kremlin continue to invest more resources in the space race.

The most real things in this world are always money and resources. When you invest resources in one place, you will inevitably reduce your investment in another.

And that's precisely the allure of money. It's real and undisguised. It can conceal everything, but it cannot conceal money.

Of course, on the other hand, this is precisely the significance of the space race—to use resources that would otherwise be wasted on the exploration of humanity's future endeavors.

Let the Russians and Americans invest their resources in space exploration. It's better than them wasting those resources on humanoid species.

……

Meanwhile, at the Baianur launch site, a huge rocket stands atop the launch tower, where technicians are busy at work.

The giant rocket, standing a full 88 meters tall, stood there.

Several hundred meters away from the launch tower, an old man was looking up at the rocket.

He was none other than Korolev, the soul of the Soviet aviation industry, and the 72-year-old man stood there at that moment.

Over the past 20 years, he has repeatedly made history in human spaceflight, elevating the Soviet Union's aviation industry to a level that is admired by all.

From Earth to space, from space to the moon, and now?

"We're going to Mars."

Korolev took a drag of his cigarette, then looked up at the enormous rocket with an undisguised smile on his face.

Let's go to Mars.

This was Korolev's long-held dream.

Compared to the moon, Mars is his ultimate dream.

And now, he can finally realize this dream: the Heavy Interplanetary Spaceship Project.

Korolev proposed this plan in response to competition between the United States and the SEA in space.

That is, the TLK plan.

TMK included manned flybys of Venus and Mars, as well as subsequent electrically propelled spacecraft and a Mars landing, but the program was halted due to Korolev's death and the complete failure of N1.

But Korolev is still alive and well, and although his health is deteriorating day by day, he is now able to witness the implementation of the plan.

“You know what, Mishin? The Kremlin has never valued this project as much as it does now because… they desperately need to be number one in the world.”

Number one in the world.

When he mentioned those words, Korolev emphasized them, and then he stressed:
"We are lagging far behind the United States and SEA in lunar programs, especially SEA, whose lunar bases, mining operations, and exploration are far larger than ours."

As reusable rocket technology matures, they will gain a comprehensive advantage on the moon. And we, on the moon… will inevitably be at a disadvantage.

Korolev paused slightly, then emphasized his words.

"Therefore, we need a new breakthrough, and that breakthrough is Mars—we must be the first to reach Mars, because only in this way can the Kremlin use it to prove to the world the greatness of the Soviet Union."

This is the fundamental reason why the Kremlin has supported the space program from the Khrushchev era to the present.

In the vast majority of cases, it was driven by political reasons, aimed at proving the greatness of the Soviet Union to the world.

Especially now.

As American influence waned, the Soviet Union needed to prove its strength.

It wasn't just about proving the Soviet Union's strength on Earth; it also needed to prove in space that the Soviet Union was the most powerful and the best.

This is why the Kremlin approved the Mars program five years ago—a mission to land on Mars.

Over the past few years, Korolev, who is in charge of the project, has not only redesigned the Mars spacecraft, but they have also redesigned the new heavy-lift rocket.

The Zhu Rong Star Rocket right before their eyes was far more powerful than Chelomey's UR-700.

As a new type of rocket, its design is modular, which extends to the Energia rocket main body, by attaching 4 to 8 Zenit booster rockets around the rocket, and the 1+8 core stage version - its low Earth orbit launch capacity reaches 250 tons!
This is absolutely the most powerful super chemical-powered launch vehicle in human history.

The Zhurong Star rocket was Korolev's pride and the "tool" he had been looking forward to for many years.

It was thanks to the powerful Zhurong Star rocket that Korolev's dream of Mars became a reality.

"Yes, Chief Engineer, this launch will surely shock the world—the Americans' Sea Dragon rocket is still in the experimental stage, and SEA has focused all its efforts on reusable rockets. Only our Zhurong Star..."

Mishin pointed to the giant rocket in the distance.

This is the largest rocket in human history—its launch weight exceeds 5000 tons.

That is, the American Sea Dragon rocket surpasses it—its launch weight exceeds 18000 tons! Due to its enormous size, it can only be launched from the sea.

"Sea Dragon Rocket..."

Korolev pursed his lips, took a drag of his cigarette, and then said:
"36000 tons of thrust is simply too enormous. The Americans may not be able to succeed."

Korolev said this because this thing is even a compression cycle rocket engine, and because of this, its turbopump is even beyond Korolev's comprehension.

"But our Zhurong Star rocket will definitely succeed."

As he spoke, Korolev turned his gaze toward the giant rocket in the distance.

His eyes were filled with anticipation as he watched the rocket launch a spacecraft weighing nearly 60 tons to Mars.

This mission is the most important part after the Mars probe.

Limited by insufficient technical capabilities, Korolev's Mars landing plan was divided into two parts. First, a Mars probe was launched. In the past few years, they launched three probes to Mars, all of which were successful. The second probe mission also achieved the three major steps of "orbiting", "landing" and "roving" on Mars in one go. In the third mission, in addition to completing the landing mission, it also completed the orbiting of Mars and returned to Earth.

Now, Mars 1 will carry the Soviet Union's dream of Mars to Mars.

If all goes well, after this successful launch, two more launches will be conducted, and the Soviet Union will be able to land on Mars.

Mars—humans will land on Mars for the first time in a few years.

Such a great undertaking will be pioneered by the Soviet Union!
The whole world will then witness the Soviet cosmonauts landing on Mars.

Of course, they will also see the Soviet flag rising on Mars.

At that time, would the Soviet Union have declared sovereignty over Mars?

Korolev hadn't thought that far ahead; he simply gazed quietly into the distance at the enormous rocket.

This is the most powerful rocket ever built in human history.

Now, he will fulfill the wish of the entire Soviet Union—to send Soviet cosmonauts to Mars!
"He will send our astronauts to Mars, and the whole world will witness it."

They will also witness the strength of the Soviet Union in this process!

As he finished speaking, a glint of light flashed in Korolev's eyes. Although he felt his energy waning day by day, the thought of realizing his dream filled him with strength, as if his energy had returned to him once again.

Seeing the blush on the chief engineer's face, Mishin said:

"Comrade Chief Engineer, how are you feeling?"

As Korolev's deputy, Mishin had been by his side for years and could sense the abnormality in the other's body.

Hearing the concerned voices around him, Korolev said.

“I feel great, just a little excited. Yes, you know, I even had a heart transplant a few years ago, and I think I should be able to see the day our flag flies on Mars.”

(End of this chapter)