Moscow, Kremlin. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info is taking place around the space elevator that was completed in the territorial waters of the new country in the western Pacific, where this special meeting is taking place.

"Just yesterday, Transwarp Trade sold us the promised RM-320 rocket engine. Reverse engineering has begun, and within a year at the latest, new rocket engines will replace old space engines, and we will surpass the decades that the United States has spent in space space. ”

"Unfortunately, however, when Transwarp Trade handed over this sword to us, it also brought the curtain down on the entire stage. Whether economically, politically, culturally, or militarily, everything will be different tomorrow than it is today. Because what is there is the unknown, and the unknown means infinity. ”

At this point, Oleg Ostapenko, the head of the Russian Space Agency, lowered his eyebrows and presented the facts in an artistic way, looking at the members of the Russian Federation Council and the president who sat at the top of the table, Putin.

After a pause, Oleg continued.

"Guys, the old times are over. ”

Taking a deep breath, the Minister of Defense looked at Putin, who was silent, and whispered.

"If a space elevator could send tons of supplies into outer space, then our vaunted air and space defense forces would be a joke. ”

Pugin tilted his head slightly.

"Luckily we have a good relationship with them?"

"That's true, but we can't pin all our hopes on good diplomatic relations," the Minister of Defense lowered his voice and continued to whisper next to Putin, "The United Nations will discuss the safety and rational use of the space elevator, and I am very much in favor of maintaining good bilateral relations with the new country, but only an alliance of equal strength is more in our interests......, isn't it?

Putin raised his hand and interrupted the Minister of Defense.

"If the United Nations in New York is destined to become history, then what's the point of us embarrassing them at the United Nations?"

……

Far away in Washington, a special hearing is also being held.

At the meeting, in front of the sunken members of Congress, experts, and scholars from all walks of life, Charles Bolden, the director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), read the manuscript in his hand.

"While Congress has been trying to compress our budget, we are still moving forward with a limited budget to keep the space program on track. The results achieved over the decades are significant, and the magnitude is staggering. Not only did we look at the privatization of the space industry, but we even made this seemingly money-losing face-saving project finally look at making a profit. ”

"Yes, we were ahead of the curve. Mr. Bolden paused and glanced meaningfully at the members of Congress at the hearing, "We once convinced the world that the Statue of Liberty was the future. ”

In the past, those congressional budget committee members who were aggressive at the hearings in order to cut the NASA budget were now like defeated roosters, bowing their heads, embarrassed and afraid to meet the dark-skinned old man.

Secretary of State Kerry, who was sitting on the bench at the hearing, coughed lightly.

"This is a congressional hearing, not a federal court, and what we should be talking about now is not who is responsible, but how to respond. ”

"I have no intention of accountability, Mr. Kerry. Mr. Bolden looked at Kerry, "but I must remind you that we should not make mistakes twice on the same issue." ”

"What is your opinion?" asked Hillary, who was sitting on the hearing seat.

"To expand NASA's budget, we had to start working on space elevator technology right away. Compared with China and Russia, we have a unique advantage in global influence. We could replicate a space elevator in the Atlantic!"

"How much money do you need if the project is approved?" Hillary asked, looking at Bolden and seriously, "I mean, from R&D to completion." ”

Bolden directly turned the manuscript to the last page, sniffed, and said quickly: "If we can get technical support from the Future People Group, the investment budget is about 20 billion to 40 billion." If it starts with R&D, NASA needs $200 billion to start construction by 2030 at the latest. ”

The members of the hearing present looked at each other, and the faces of experts from all walks of life were also quite ugly. Clinton and Kerry looked at each other, and they both saw the obvious disappointment in each other's eyes.

How is it possible to get help from the Future People Group? If the technology is in the hands of more than two companies, then of course they will come to their door to sell their technology in order to get an order from the U.S. government for space elevator engineering. However, now that there is only one company that has mastered the technology of space elevators, where can being a "contractor" be more profitable than monopoly?

As for the $200 billion budget request, not to mention that Hillary Clinton would not nod, the budget committee on the hearing bench directly shot the project.

"200 billion, God, that's enough money for us to build two aircraft carrier battle groups!" Sure enough, before Hillary could speak, an opposition congressman said mockingly, "Unless Huaguo continues to lend us money, where will this money come from? Will you expect taxpayers to pay for this whimsical project?"

This is not a whimsical project, it was already secretly completed some time ago.

As soon as Bolden wanted to say this, a neutral aerospace expert at the hearing said: "There are also quite a few private space companies in the United States. We have spent half a century proving the prowess and innovation of the private sector. Instead of drowning over unsolvable puzzles here, why not ask SpaceX for its opinion?"

Bolden's face was a little ugly.

Ask SpaceX's opinion? What are you doing as SpaceX?

Long before the hearings began, he approached Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, to ask about the feasibility of building America's own space elevator. However, Elon Musk's answer made him feel deeply powerless.

According to the information released by Transwarp Trade, if the United States wants to build a similar space elevator, it must start with the most basic elevator materials.

Two hundred billion?

What is shown to the budget committee has always been a conservative estimate.

After the hearing, Kerry walked side by side with Hillary in the direction of the garage. On the way, the two talked about the space elevator that they had just discussed fruitlessly.

"He doesn't care at all what impact the new country's breakthrough in space technology will have on the United States, he only cares about NASA's budget. ”

"You're an expert on international issues, Mr. Kerry. I'd like to hear your opinion. Sheilary said expressionlessly.

Lowering his voice, Kerry said earnestly.

"We can use the United Nations to put pressure on the new country! This is a big cake, and Russia and China should not give up a piece of the pie in the space elevator." All we have to do is make a slight concession when it comes to sharing the cake, and they'll agree to our offer to put pressure on Transwarp Trade. Outer space belongs to all mankind, and the space elevator, a worldwide project, should also be ......shared by all mankind." )