Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2559 The Fall of a Star (First Update, Please Subscribe)
The cold wind blowing from Siberia, carrying snow, swept across the Gobi Desert of Kazakhstan, passing over the steel towers of the Baianur Cosmodrome, the wind whistling low as it passed between the towers.

For the past few dozen hours, engineers have been preparing for the rocket launch, and now, the countdown to launch has finally begun.

The midday sun poured down without any obstruction, shrouding the giant rocket standing in the center of the launch pad in its light—this was the "Zhurong Star" rocket, built by Soviet engineers over many years, its bright red hammer and sickle emblem particularly striking in the sunlight.

It is the largest rocket in human history—weighing 5000 tons, even heavier than many warships. Moreover, because the impact of its launch is so great that ordinary launch pads simply cannot withstand the pressure, its launch platform is entirely made of steel—a launch pad made of tens of thousands of tons of steel.

In the distance, armed guards with the letter K on their shoulder insignia watched everything warily.

We've reached the final moments of launch. The entire launch center is on high alert.

Inside the launch command center, the air was so heavy it was almost solid.

The huge display screen not only showed the rocket on the launch tower, but also a dense array of parameters. On the screens of the electronic computers, countless data points flashed continuously, displaying the operating status of the rocket's various systems.

Staff members in white uniforms sat upright in front of the control panel, even deliberately keeping their breathing quiet. Only occasionally would they contact the other side through a communicator.

The countdown clock on the wall, its red numbers decreasing second by second, pounded on everyone's nerves.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the launch command center was tense. The person in charge of the command center was like a captain, directing everything from a high vantage point.

In the observation room behind the command center, the marshals and generals stood there, talking quietly, their tone and expressions extremely solemn.

The reason it's so serious is because this plan cost tens of billions of rubles!
It was arguably the most expensive space program in Soviet history, and even some military plans had to be compromised in order to achieve it.

The Soviet Union had to prove its greatness!

This is a requirement of the Kremlin.

In the shadows of the corner, Korolev leaned forward slightly, his gaze passing over everyone's shoulders and fixed firmly on the giant rocket in the center of the display screen.

His hair was completely white, and deep wrinkles covered his forehead, marks left by time and hardship.

No one noticed the aluminum teacup he was holding—its body was blackened in many places, deformed, and covered with dents and scratches, its blackened surface bearing a dull metallic sheen.

This is something he brought from the permafrost of the Siberian Gulag. For over forty years, whether in the frigid Gulag or in the brightly lit design bureau, this cup has always been his most cherished possession. He has little wealth; this cup carries some of his memories of the past.

Even in Gulak, he never lost hope, and now that hope has long since transformed into an obsession with the stars and the sea.

"10-9-8-"

The countdown sound came over the loudspeaker, steady and powerful, breaking the silence in the command center.

Korolev slowly stood up, holding the deformed aluminum cup in his hand. The strong tea in the cup was still steaming, and the bitter aroma of the tea wafted over his nose.

He took a sip, the warm tea sliding down his throat and relieving some of his fatigue.

"It's a beautiful day today."

He turned to a KGB major beside him and spoke calmly, as if they were having a normal conversation.

The major was taken aback. He didn't know why the chief engineer would say that, but he nodded vigorously. Indeed, the sky was cloudless and the wind was calm, making it an ideal weather condition for launch.

Perhaps this is the kind of weather engineers have been hoping for.

The countdown continues.

"3-2-1-"

"I am confident that the launch will be a success."

No sooner had Korolev finished speaking than the command came over the loudspeaker: "Ignition!"

Instantly, towering flames erupted from the bottom of the launch pad, the orange-red flames accompanied by billowing smoke engulfing the entire launch pad.

The enormous roar pierced the heavens and earth, reaching the command center. Even the glass windows of the command center trembled violently, as if they were about to be torn apart by this immense power.

On the display screen, the "Zhurongxing" rocket emitted a bright plume of flame from its tail and slowly lifted off the ground with a roar, carrying 5000 tons of weight and humanity's hopes for the stars and the sea, as it climbed into the vast sky.

At first, the rocket's speed was slow, but then it shot off like an arrow, breaking through the clouds and becoming a tiny, ever-shrinking point of light as it flew toward distant Mars.

Just as Korolev said—the rocket launch was a success!

all the best.

With the development of electronic technology, the Soviet Union's rocket launch success rate increased significantly. Especially two years prior, after they mastered the technology for manufacturing chips using the "X-crystal," their electronic technology immediately broke through bottlenecks and achieved rapid progress. This is also the reason for the successive successful launches of their Mars probes.

The success of the Zhurongxing rocket is also thanks to advancements in electronic technology. These advancements have made the impossible possible.

A brief silence fell over the command center, followed by thunderous cheers. Staff members embraced, some with tears in their eyes, others waving their fists, and everything ultimately culminated in a roar of "Hurrah!"
The deafening roar of "Ura!" released all the pent-up tension and pressure in people's hearts. Good news followed one after another over the radio:

"The Zhurongxing rocket booster separation was successful!"

"Secondary engine ignition is normal!"

"Dock successfully with Mir space station. Refueling to commence!"

"All parameters are within the normal range, and the task is being executed smoothly!"

Cheers, applause, and excited conversations mingled together, filling the entire command center.

No one noticed that the white-haired old man who had been sitting in the corner had quietly gotten up and left the noisy place.

While everyone was cheering for the victory and shouting "Hurrah!", no one noticed that the chief engineer, who had dedicated his life to going to Mars, had quietly left.

Korolev's office was so simple it was almost rudimentary. Apart from various blueprints, the most striking thing on the wall was a star map of the solar system, marked with countless orbital routes in red pen, which was his lifelong pursuit.

He walked to the desk and sat down in the simple chair. He placed the aluminum cup on the desk and then sat there, looking around the office.

At this moment, he felt calm.

Finally, he turned his attention once again to the aluminum cup that had been with him for forty-one years.

Forty-one years ago, while he was researching rockets, he was accused of "participating in an anti-Soviet organization" and sentenced to 10 years in prison, which was later changed to 8 years of re-education through labor. He was sent to the Kolyma River gold mine in Siberia to work.

In the biting Siberian winds, he, like many others, panned for gold by the river, his only solace each day being a cup of boiled pine needle tea.

He stared at the dent on the cup, as if he could see the snowstorm over the Kolyma River, his companions panning for gold there, and his companions building the road.

Even when he picked up the aluminum cup, Korolev seemed to smell a strong pine needle scent inside, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

That was the taste of boiled pine needle tea. For them, it was the only tea they could drink, and their only beverage.

However, he seemed to see again the lights that never went out in the design bureau late at night, and the moment when rockets soared into the sky at the launch site.

Those rockets sent satellites into space, people into space, and even to the moon.

And now?

The rocket will send humans onto the rocket.

Although the final step is still missing, the journey to the stars has been completed. The Zhurong Star rocket will send the Mars spacecraft to the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, and the electrically propelled Mars spacecraft will travel to Mars under the control of an automated control system.

Everything went perfectly, just as planned.

From rockets to space shuttles, to Mars spacecraft, and more...

But Korolev still had regrets. He sighed softly, his eyes filled with regret.

After a long silence, he spoke softly, his voice so faint that only he could hear it:

"Alright, my mission is accomplished."

The moment he finished speaking, the aluminum teacup that had been with him for forty-one years slipped from his limp hand, crashing onto the hard cement floor with a thud. It rolled a short distance before finally coming to a stop. The cup fell to the ground like that.

The sunlight streaming in from outside gave the aluminum cup a cool, clear glow.

Outside the window, the wind still howled across the Kazakh Gobi Desert, while the "Mars spacecraft," carrying Korolev's lifelong dream, was being refueled. After refueling, it would begin its journey—a voyage towards Mars.

On that day, the Soviet news agency TASS published a brief news report: the largest rocket in human history, the "Zhurong" rocket, was successfully launched, and the Mars 1 spacecraft launched by it was on its way to Mars. In the near future, Soviet cosmonauts will visit Mars on behalf of mankind.

This news caused a sensation around the world, even surpassing the current situation, and once again ignited humanity's passion for space.

Television stations around the world were repeatedly broadcasting footage of the "Zhurong Star" rocket launch. This was not just a rocket, but the beginning of humanity's true emergence as a multi-planetary species.

(End of this chapter)