When I am reborn, I just want to be a top student

Hearing Wang Donglai say this, Lao Zhou and Yang Anchao were both greatly encouraged.

Next, Lao Zhou put the enamel mug on the table, stood up, walked to the control panel, and pulled up a set of real-time telemetry data.

Data shows that all systems of the Pioneer 2 are in normal condition, the engine test curve is smooth, the redundancy check of the guidance system has passed, and the airtightness test of the life support system has been completed.

He turned around, the wrinkles on his face appearing particularly deep in the dim light of the monitor screen, but he said calmly, "Rockets don't bargain with us, nor do they play psychological games with us; they only look at the data. If the data is right, it flies. If the data is wrong, it explodes. So all we need to do is get the data right. If we can do this well for a lifetime, that's enough."

The control room fell silent again.

Wang Donglai stood up and walked to the glass partition, looking at the Pioneer II lying horizontally on the support frame.

The silver-gray arrow body gleamed coldly under the lights, and the eight engine nozzles were neatly arranged like soldiers in formation.

Old Zhou's words actually point out a deeper truth: building rockets and building cars, seemingly two completely different industries, are actually highly similar in their underlying logic.

They are all using technological iterations to prove that their path is trustworthy, and they are all accumulating credibility through the reliability of each delivery and the real data from each test.

Galaxy Aerospace proved its technological path by landing a rocket on the moon, while Xiaomi is still waiting for mass-produced cars to generate data that can convince the market. Lei Jun is betting on the real feedback from consumers after Xiaomi's first car rolls off the production line.

Three paths, three strategies, but ultimately it all comes down to the product itself!

Outside the window, the night on the Gobi Desert was fading, and a faint, pale light appeared on the eastern horizon.

The lights at the launch center were still on. Engineers were still conducting final coating flaw detection in the final assembly and testing hall. The sounds of discussion from the expert group's meeting room could be faintly heard across the corridor. The focus of the debate had shifted from the scheduling of the first few missions to more distant follow-up plans.

At the same moment, the conference room at the Shenzhen headquarters in Bantian was also brightly lit.

Yu Dazui stood in front of the huge screen, holding a newly printed copy of the cooperation negotiation notes in his hand.

Over the past few weeks, he has made intensive visits to several domestic automakers, from independent brands to joint ventures, personally showcasing Chrysanthemum's complete intelligent vehicle solutions to each one.

However, every single memo was repeatedly circled in red in the "profit distribution" and "technical service fee" columns, indicating that the car companies' feedback was more cautious than he had anticipated.

"It's not that they don't approve of our technology."

Yu Dazui put down the minutes, placed his hands on the edge of the conference table, and glanced at the core executives present.

“They are spoiled by the old model, thinking that core technologies can be pieced together by suppliers, intelligent driving solutions can be bought off the shelf, and the cockpit experience can be made do.”

"But the market has changed now. Galaxy Technology's Xuanwu battery has redefined the boundaries of range and space design, and HarmonyOS in-vehicle system has brought the interaction experience between mobile phones and cars to an unprecedented level. Consumers need more and more advanced things. If car companies still hold on to the old assembly mindset, the market will eliminate them on its own without us having to step in."

He switched screens and brought up a detailed technical architecture diagram.

"Our full-stack solution covers four core modules: intelligent driving chip, HarmonyOS vehicle system, electric drive system, and cloud data platform. The competitiveness of this solution is not in the PPT, but in the mass production vehicles. Our goal is clear: to produce the first batch of prototype vehicles equipped with the full-stack solution as soon as possible, and use real test data to dispel the concerns of car companies. At that time, the terms they rejected today will come to us for renegotiation tomorrow."

"The automobile industry is a heavy industry with huge physical investment and high risks, but the profits are also very high."

"We will not invest in physical projects for the time being, but rather empower other car brands by leveraging our technology to help them better advance into the high-end market."

"In this process, we use our technology to win over consumers and partners, while also avoiding the biggest risks."

"Finally, in the process, we also cultivated our own talent. If the time is right, we may be able to truly enter the automobile manufacturing industry and launch our 'Chrysanthemum' brand."

When Yu Dazui said these words, his tone was full of anticipation and excitement.

With its vast business empire now fully developed, Chrysanthemum has almost matured in all its business lines, leaving little room for it to break through.

New energy vehicles are an opportunity he has identified. If he can promote the car manufacturing plan within Chrysanthemum, he will be very confident of becoming a true core executive of Chrysanthemum and controlling core resources.

However, within the company, there is another voice that insists on not manufacturing cars.

To avoid excessive risk, to avoid excessive investment, etc.

Empowering other brands and collaborating on car manufacturing is already the result of his repeated insistence.

Perhaps only by producing results that everyone can truly convince others to enter the automotive manufacturing field.

……

Meanwhile, at the Xiaomi Technology Park in Beijing, Lei Jun's hair had turned even whiter.

On the desk lay the sixteenth design draft of X-Mi Auto's first model, the SU7, next to a latest competitive pricing strategy analysis from the marketing department, and next still another supplier list worn smooth from repeated readings.

He was checking the last batch of the supply chain's pending confirmation list with the Vice President of Production, Lao Lin, item by item. Each item was crucial to whether the SU7 could start road testing as planned next month.

"The chassis supplier has confirmed that the delivery cycle can be brought forward by two weeks."

Old Lin closed his notebook and said, "The last bottleneck is the exhaust gas treatment system in the painting workshop. The environmental approval process has encountered some setbacks."

“I personally went to urge them on. The painting workshop’s schedule cannot be delayed even by a day. If it’s delayed by a day, the road test will be delayed by a day, and the delivery will be delayed by a day. We can’t afford to waste time.”

Old Lin nodded and closed his notebook again.

Lei Jun stood up and walked to the window. The outline of the Xiaomi car factory outside the window was gradually becoming clear in the morning light.

Rows of silver-gray steel-structured factory buildings stretch out, like a giant beast awakening.

He recalled what Wang Donglai had said before: treating employees well is not a cost, but an investment.

There's also what Liao Qingfeng of Galaxy Energy said when he signed the supply agreement for Xuanwu Battery: "Mr. Lei, rest assured in building cars, there will be enough batteries."

These commitments cannot be bound by a single contract; they are built up gradually through a series of fulfilled delivery milestones and uninterrupted supply promises.

Galaxy Technology has built up this credibility to an undeniable level in the shortest amount of time, not just in batteries, not just in HarmonyOS, but in the entire supply chain rules.

He returned to his desk, picked up a pen, and drew a line heavily under the SU7 road test timetable, writing four words: Only Success Allowed!
Entering the new energy vehicle sector was his last entrepreneurial venture.

For this, he risked his reputation and connections from the first half of his life, which can be described as "burning his boats".

If successful, it would be taking another step forward.

However, if he fails, the price Lei Jun will have to pay will be too high.

Under such pressure, it's easy to see how much importance Lei Jun (CEO of Xiaomi) places on Xiaomi cars.

On the other side of the ocean, at SpaceX headquarters, Masla stood beneath the massive stainless steel shell of the Starship prototype, holding a cup of coffee that had gone cold.

The screen in front of him displayed the countdown to the launch of Pioneer 2, next to which was a restrained reply from GalaxySpace via encrypted channels: "We welcome SpaceX to conduct preliminary technical discussions on issues such as technical docking, resource utilization, and scientific experiments for the lunar base, in accordance with international law and the respective domestic regulations of both parties."

He suddenly laughed and turned to Poker beside him, saying, "Yang Anchao is even less talkative than Wang Donglai. I've read this reply several times; every sentence is setting me up. Look at this sentence, 'Under the premise of complying with the respective domestic laws of both parties.' He's telling NASA that they won't bypass the Wolf Clause to negotiate, but they won't close the door just because the Wolf Clause exists. Rules must be followed, but rules can also be changed, as long as you can provide a reason for changing the rules."

Poker pushed up his glasses.

He had been repeatedly reminding Masla since he started testing the waters for this collaboration that NASA was very divided on the matter, with some willing to use SpaceX as a shell to contact the Chinese, while others insisted on the Wolf Clause and refused to budge an inch.

But Masla never cared about these people's opinions; what he cared about was the parking spaces on the moon.

"Mars is too far away!"

Masla placed his coffee cup on the stainless steel support, looked up at the gleaming silver Starship prototype, and said, "The moon is the next stop we can reach. If I land Starship next to a Chinese base, even just stopping there, connecting it to their power interface, and letting my astronauts walk into their airlock, at that moment, all the arguments will end. It's not NASA that decides, it's not Congress that decides, it's the facts that decide."

"Of course, our stock price will also rise, giving us a generous return."

As he spoke, Masla raised his coffee cup and toasted Poker.

A smile couldn't help but appear on Poker's face. Capitalism is inherently about valuing money and pursuing the reproduction of capital.

They talk a high-class game, but all they're really thinking about is business calculations.

Masla's Mars colonization plan is a case in point. The moon is too close, and there has already been a manned lunar landing. Not only is the space for imagination limited, but there are also requirements for the specific technological implementation and timeline.

But if we set our sights on Mars, it's a different story. It's too far away, the technical requirements are too high, and it can't be achieved in the short term. It has enormous potential for growth and stock price appreciation.

"Without Galaxy Aerospace, I think our stock price performance would have been even better!"

When Poker mentioned Galaxy Aerospace, his tone carried a hint of resentment and indignation, but upon closer examination, it was clear that he was harboring naked envy, jealousy, and hatred.

"Now that Galaxy Aerospace has emerged, we have no choice but to accept reality."

Masla already understood, and said in a relaxed tone.

……

And at this time.

GalaxySpace's second manned lunar landing mission has also been officially announced.

In no time, the news spread throughout the world at lightning speed.

Previously, only relevant people knew about it, but now anyone who goes online and pays even a little attention to Galaxy Technology can find out about this news.

Spaceflight is no longer a novelty, even for the Chinese.

With the increasingly active space activities in recent years, space travel is no longer a novelty for people around the world.

Exploring the stars and colonizing outer space remains as fascinating as ever!

Otherwise, the most popular genres worldwide in recent years would not be comedies or historical dramas, but rather interstellar adventures and interstellar wars, whether in movies, television, or games.

Moreover, China is not only conducting space activities in Earth orbit, but also planning a manned lunar landing, which is China's second manned lunar landing in a short period of time.

"This manned lunar landing will involve three astronauts who will conduct 5 to 6 landing missions and stay on the lunar surface for an estimated 30 days. This manned lunar landing will also build a second research station, which will help humanity explore the moon and lay the foundation for future lunar development."

"We believe that one day humanity will eventually leave Earth, the cradle of life, and bravely venture into the universe."

The announcement released by GalaxySpace immediately dominated the front page news, and people began to discuss it heatedly.

"It hasn't been that long, and we're already going to conduct another manned lunar landing. This time, our manned lunar landing will definitely be a complete success. We are the leader in the world's aerospace field, and our aerospace technology is truly number one!"

"If we want to stay on the lunar surface for a total of one month and establish a research station on the moon, doesn't that mean we've already surpassed the United States in the speed of lunar development?"

"I never imagined that I would actually see our lunar base built in my lifetime!"

"Galaxy Aerospace is actually serious! They went to the moon when they said they would, and they built a lunar base just like that. Their efficiency is off the charts!"

"At this rate, we'll probably be conquering Mars in just a few years!"

"Don't forget, we're the infrastructure powerhouses. Building a small town on the moon wouldn't take us more than a few years."

"Maybe Galaxy Aerospace will actually develop a lunar travel wedding service in the future!"

"The more you talk about it, the more excited I get! Galaxy Aerospace is amazing!"

"I hope that I can travel to the moon in a spaceship during my lifetime, even if I can only stay for an hour, I will be satisfied and I am willing to spend my life savings for it."

"."

China's second manned lunar landing has also had a significant impact in the United States. After all, they had just completed a less-than-successful manned lunar landing not long ago, and now China is about to carry out its second manned lunar landing. This seems a bit strange!
The New York Times headlined its report as "This is a Space Age," and the article reviewed the Apollo program half a century ago: NASA successfully completed six of its seven manned lunar landings, but later abandoned its leading field and stopped manned lunar or Mars landings, instead launching probes to explore Pluto, Neptune, and even beyond the solar system. Although these probes made scientific discoveries, they were considered to have a disproportionate return on investment.

Other countries have caught up in space exploration, with China taking the lead in manned lunar landing, while NASA's performance has been less than satisfactory.

Now, GalaxySpace is about to conduct its second manned lunar landing, ushering in another great era of space exploration for mankind and becoming the leader of this era, while NASA is losing this competition and becoming a supporting player.

Other media outlets followed suit, some with very strong and sharp language, and some even bombarding NASA, questioning why NASA, with a budget far exceeding that of GalaxySpace, is lagging behind in space activities, and where exactly NASA spends its money.

Feeling immense pressure, NASA had no choice but to hold a press conference. First, it offered its "sincere" blessings to CNSA for its second manned lunar landing, stating that NASA and CNSA, as the only two space agencies in the world to have successfully landed on the moon, could work together to accelerate humanity's entry into the interstellar age.

Then it was announced that NASA will conduct a manned mission to Mars in 2030, sending astronauts to Mars. At the same time, NASA has reached cooperation agreements with ten North American aerospace companies related to manned lunar landings and has signed contracts. The manned mission to Mars in 2030 will definitely be successful.

Yes, NASA cannot conduct manned lunar landings in the short term. To alleviate public pressure, the most suitable option is to launch a manned Mars landing mission. Mars is one of the eight planets in the solar system, while the moon is just a satellite of Earth. Their statuses are completely different. No matter how many times NASA successfully lands on the moon, as long as NASA successfully lands a manned Mars landing in 2030, it will gain a complete advantage or even victory in this space race.

NASA has successful experience in this regard.

If conditions allowed, NASA would definitely have used special effects to create a full-scale depiction of the manned Mars landing! (End of Chapter)