Chapter 609: Return to the Moon

According to the Russian Space Agency, at 9:00 am Moscow time on July 11. The Russian Space Agency successfully test-launched the Polar Bear super-heavy launch vehicle at the Baikonur Space Center.

After the army ant group announced the retrieval of rock samples on the back of the moon, global space exploration is like a hot pot of oil. The news of the Russian Space Agency was poured into a pot like a scoop of clear water.

Once, the former Soviet Union was one of the two superpowers. Due to rocket technology problems and its own economic problems, the lunar landing plan was forced to be suspended, and the former Soviet Union disintegrated before the plan was started again.

Unexpectedly, decades later, Russia, which inherited most of the legacy of the former Soviet Union, announced the successful test-launch of a launch vehicle.

The already tumbling atmosphere exploded in various public opinions.

After Russia announced the time of the moon landing, it caused a chain effect, and other countries followed and announced the time of the moon landing one after another.

Reuters news: European Space Agency Director Jan Werner told this reporter that the European Space Agency's "Dawn Project" will officially start the second step in half a month, launching a landing probe to the moon.

Asahi Shimbun: A person familiar with the island country's space research and development agency revealed to this reporter that the island country's space development and research agency will launch a lunar probe to land on the lunar surface within the next month, officially launching the "monthly reading plan".

New York Times: SpaceX and Israel Aerospace Industries jointly announced that Israel's second lunar probe, 'Genesis 2', will be launched on a Falcon 10 carrier rocket at the beginning of next month, marking the start of Israel's second lunar probe Moon landing program.

Times of India news:  …

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Many countries expressed their positions and announced to the media in a high-profile manner that within the next year, a lunar lander will be launched to officially start India's lunar exploration program.

This is the second time that the world's major powers have made a concentrated statement to determine the time of the lunar exploration after Chen Mo went to space last time.

Many powerful countries do not want to lag behind in landing on the moon, leaving China and the United States without a statement.

These are the two most powerful countries in the world at present. China's development over the years has been far behind others in terms of high technology.

Huaxia's moon landing plan has always been carried out step by step. As early as two months ago, the launch time for next month was determined. After the army ant group successfully obtained the moon rock and returned,

The plan remains unchanged.

The only uncertainty is the United States.

The eyes of the world are all focused on the United States.

This former superpower is definitely not willing to be inferior to others in this lively competition.

While the outside world was eagerly looking forward to it, sure enough, not long after countries announced their plans to land on the moon, NASA finally came out with news.

NASA administrator Jim Britton publicly announced to the media that the space agency will launch a manned lunar probe and return to the moon on July 26. The launch vehicle this time is the Hercules 2 rocket.

In this mission, the astronauts will stay on the lunar surface for a week, and will also put a small research module and a small ecological module on the moon to prepare for the construction of a lunar base in the future.

After nearly 60 years, the United States has returned to the moon.

The news was exposed and instantly grabbed the headlines of all the news.

A person familiar with the matter revealed that the purpose of building the lunar base is to develop helium-3 resources on the moon in the future. Huaxia's nuclear fusion technology has matured. In the near future, nuclear power plants will be put into use. It will replace oil and become the main resource that major powers will compete for in the future, which is also the reason why many powerful countries are scrambling to land on the moon.

Affected by the news that the United States plans to build a lunar base and develop helium-3 resources, and that the nuclear fusion power station in Huaxia is about to be put into use, the impact of the news first exploded in the global stock market.

Global oil prices and coal prices have experienced different declines, and gold prices have risen sharply. Some senior investors say that oil prices fluctuate wildly, and gold will become the best safe-haven investment in the next few years. New energy fields and high-tech fields are also would be a good investment direction.

The upsurge of influence driven by public opinion has attracted global attention, and the United States has also used this news to consolidate its hegemonic position.

The US economic market has also become active after various news spread.

In this space race, other countries will not start until next month, and the United States will start at the end of the month, as if revealing the United States' desire to lead the world.

Amid various reports and heated discussions, the 26th followed.

Kennedy Space Launch Center.

In the waiting room for the final preparation, the three astronauts were chatting casually after their final physical examination.

Near the start of the mission, they are the first astronauts to return to the moon.

In their hands, there are also descriptions of the experience of those astronauts who landed on the moon that year. Even if they were already familiar with these materials, they couldn't help but familiarize themselves with them before leaving.

They have no experience, and the moon is a completely unfamiliar place to them, and the experience of their predecessors is of great help to them.

The importance and significance of this mission is extraordinary.

Back then was the era of competition between the two countries for hegemony. The moon landing was a fight, proving that they were very powerful. Now it is a turning point in history, and its significance is extraordinary. If they succeed, they will gain a place in the future competition for energy resources and take the lead. Proof that, decades later, they are still going strong.

"When we get to the moon, do you think it would be better for us to leave the cabin first?" Van Artives said.

He is the oldest and the most experienced astronaut among the three astronauts. He has traveled to the International Space Station many times, and has also performed spacewalking missions. Although he is under a lot of pressure to land on the moon this time, he must remain calm. , psychological state is very important.

The two colleagues on either side of him were also experienced astronauts.

"this is a problem."

The youngest-looking astronaut on the left tilts his head.

"People only remember the first person. People in the world know that Armstrong was the first person to step on the moon, but Mr. Aldrin, who stepped on the moon 19 minutes later than Mr. Armstrong, is unknown."

"In this case, we use the most technical way in the universe to decide who steps on first." The astronaut on the right said.

"Which way is the most technical?" Van Artives and the young astronaut on the left looked at him.

"Scissors, rock, cloth."

"..."

The three laughed instantly.

While chatting and laughing, the staff of the launch center came in and led them out. Now that the rocket is launched, they also have to enter the rocket's lunar module and wait.

Jim looked at the launch tower in the distance, the Hercules 2 rocket that was erected pointing towards the sky.

It was a three-stage super-heavy launch vehicle, one lap larger than the Saturn 5 that carried out the Apollo program that year. The diameter of the first stage rocket reached an astonishing 15 meters and a height of more than 130 meters.

This rocket is the key to this moon landing plan.

The world is watching the launch, and if successful, they will show their muscles in front of the world.

"Director, the astronauts have successfully entered the lunar module, and there are still 3 hours and 10 minutes before the launch." Jim's secretary stopped beside him and said.

"Mr. Kane, do you want to do the final inspection?" Jim looked at Kane.

This weird guy didn't make a good impression on him.

Since he came to the launch center, he has not spoken much, his behavior is very angry, and his emotional intelligence is negative. If it is not for his terrifying research and development capabilities, Jim does not want to see him.

He was a dignified director of the space agency. When the two were together, they seemed to be Kane's sidekick, which made him very unhappy and shameless.

However, this guy is really good. When he directed the assembly of the rocket, it went surprisingly smoothly, and the various inspections were meticulous. He also found a few small problems that other staff ignored.

"No." Kane shook his head. After speaking, he went back to the command and control room.

Jim looked depressed.

Everything is ready.

The eyes of the world are paying attention to the launch, and the domestic media in the United States are preparing for the live broadcast.

This is an opportunity for their country to be great again.

Three hours later, under the global attention, the Hercules 2 rocket soared into the sky from the launch tower of the Kennedy Space Center.