This star is going to the moon

Chapter 355 Ma Yilong: "I want to focus my energy on Mars."

No one expected that Lu Yun would destroy the US space tourism industry with just one sentence.

The reason it was the US, and not other countries besides China, is because the US is the source of the blockade on China's space development, prohibiting domestic and even foreign space systems from cooperating with China's space system.

However, compared to the absolute ban in their own countries, the bans in other countries are not as strict.

Therefore, other countries can exploit loopholes to cooperate with Blue Star Space.

Previously, China used Bluestar Aerospace's technology to develop its own reusable rockets. In the future, it can also directly purchase Bluestar Aerospace's "Willow-class" space shuttle to develop its own manned spaceflight industry.

The United Arab Emirates is a prime example of this, as it is eager to send its astronauts into space using a space shuttle.

Incidentally, we should also develop a more luxurious space tourism industry.

Yes, after learning that Bluestar Aerospace's basic "5-hour near-Earth orbit sightseeing tour package" costs less than $150 million, the UAE has decided not to compete in this "affordable" market.

Only by indulging in extravagance and luxury can the UAE maintain its image as an oil-producing nation.

For example, the mainstream manned spacecraft of China and Russia currently carry three astronauts, while the Crew Dragon will carry out manned missions with four astronauts.

Therefore, UAE abandoned the "affordable" six-person mission and traded manpower for space, carrying out a luxurious space tour for three or four people.

Or to take it to an even more extreme level, a luxury private jet for two people would offer even more space.

The extra space can be used to install sleeping pods, so that the "Wooden Kite" class space shuttle can also carry out multi-day space tourism missions.

However, Lu Yun's space tourism plan is not yet finished. The basic "5-hour near-Earth orbit sightseeing tour package" is not enough to satisfy Blue Star Aerospace.

"...Blue Star Aerospace's upgraded space tourism will not be limited to space shuttles, but will involve building commercial space stations—space hotels!"

"The space shuttle is like a tour bus. Although you can see the scenery on the bus, it is more convenient and comfortable to stay in a hotel after arriving at your destination. It's just that this time the hotel is in space."

As he spoke, Lu Yun changed the image on the big screen again, which was the "cross-shaped" space hotel in Blue Star Aerospace's plan, consisting of four modules.

(Image of Bluestar Aerospace's "space hotel")

"The space hotel's cabins are built on the basis of the 'space dock' cabin with a diameter of 4.2 meters. Cabin No. 1 has a node cabin, while cabins No. 2, 3, and 4 do not have node cabins."

"The docking ports of the four compartments are all 1.2-meter diameter square docking ports, and the space shuttle can be docked in any of the external berths."

“The No. 1 module is positioned as a ‘space scenery viewing area’. It has large viewing windows, as well as a dining area and a fitness and entertainment area.”

"The other three cabins are designated as 'rest areas,' and they have different types of 'bedrooms' above them. The smaller ones are similar to the 'sleep pods' used by astronauts on the Tiangong space station, with individual small windows. They are 1 meter wide and 2.2 meters high."

"The large, luxurious cabins, similar in size to those on sleeper trains, are four times the size of the 'sleep pods,' roughly 2 meters in length, width, and height. They not only have private bathrooms but also larger, independent viewing windows..."

As the audience followed Lu Yun's descriptions, they continued to imagine the future, never expecting that Lu Yun would unleash one powerful move after another.

The world is developing so fast, I can't keep up!

It feels like living in a science fiction story.

[As long as we don't live in the world of "The Wandering Earth," that would be too tragic.]

[In the past, some American companies have talked about building commercial space stations and space hotels, but none of them have been as credible as what Lu Yun is saying now.]

Indeed, since it's designed based on an operational spaceport, it should be built very soon.

[I estimate it will be completed and operational within 5 years!] [Haha, no need to estimate, Lu Yun himself said within 3 years!]

Do you think Lu Yun will hold a giveaway for a trip to a space hotel in the future?

Staying in a space hotel must be expensive, right? A basic orbital ride around space costs 1000 million, so staying in a space hotel for a few days would cost at least 1 million, wouldn't it?

[Although 1 million is expensive for me, it's quite cheap compared to the starting price of 3 million for traditional manned spaceflight.]

【really!】

Lu Yun's space tourism press conference didn't last too long, ending in about half an hour. After he warmed up the atmosphere, the national space teams from various countries talked about some scientific research.

For example, the new discoveries made by the Chinese and Lao national teams studying the lunar soil of Chang'e 5, the discovery of new cosmic phenomena by a multinational collaborative space telescope, and new discoveries made by deep space exploration on Jupiter.

The International Astronautical Congress lasts for five days. The first day's press conferences are all international, while the following four days are dedicated to press conferences by individual countries and companies.

The reason why Lu Yun's space tourism plan was the first thing to be talked about on the first day is mainly because the space shuttle has had a huge impact. It is indeed a groundbreaking spacecraft that has led human space technology to take a giant leap forward.

This year, the unmanned and manned maiden flights of the "Wooden Kite" were a bit late, missing the nomination period for the "World Space Award". Therefore, this year's World Space Award was given to... the Chang'e-4 team, one of our own.

However, there is a great opportunity next year. Although the Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return mission is a formidable competitor, the groundbreaking manned spaceflight technology represented by the Mokui-ko is also quite impressive. It is possible that the Mokui-ko team, led by Lu Yun, will win the World Space Award for teamwork, while Lu Yun himself will win the individual award.

Of course, the probability of getting one is higher; getting both is a bit too risky.

It all depends on whether Lu Yun can accomplish something big in the aerospace field before May next year.

The next day, Lu Yun and Abdul appeared at the construction site of the UAE space airport. They first signed a memorandum of understanding for the UAE to purchase the "Wooden Kite" class space shuttle.

Then, together with the Chinese and Lao teams building the coastal space airport, they laid the foundation stone for the UAE's space airport.

Construction has begun on the world's second space airport.

At the same time, space agencies and commercial space companies from various countries began their respective press conferences at the International Astronautical Congress.

Boeing introduced its Starliner manned spacecraft, saying that it will soon conduct a second test flight, but the SLS rocket will be postponed again, directly from next year's maiden flight to the year after.

This news stunned not only the audience but also the people at NASA.

Wait a minute, that's not what you said before!
He confidently stated that the maiden flight would definitely take place next year!

Ma Yilong, however, shook his head slightly.

As the only remaining "face" of the US space program, he knows all too well the problems of those established space companies, so delays are normal.

A sharp-eyed reporter spotted Elon Musk shaking his head at the back of the crowd and approached him for an interview: "Mr. Musk, SpaceX has also secured an order to return to the moon. Will the delay of the SLS rocket affect your 'Lunar Eagle' lunar landing rocket?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Yilong shrugged: "Perhaps it will have an impact, after all, it is part of the entire return to the moon program, and it will definitely change along with the overall plan."

"However, I prefer Mars to the Moon. After all, it is a planet on the same level as Earth and is more challenging, so I will focus my energy on Mars."

Upon hearing this, the reporter's mind raced, and he had already figured out how to report this news.

[Due to Boeing's further delay of the SLS rocket's maiden flight, Elon Musk is pessimistic about the Federal Reserve's return to the moon plan, stating that all efforts should be focused on Mars!]

(End of this chapter)