In fact, many years ago, people fantasized about flying into the universe and landing on the moon.

In the middle of the 16th century, the invention of the telescope and a large number of astronomical observations led to a wealth of information about planetary movements and planetary appearances.

By the 17th century, some writers combined astronomical knowledge and inferential fiction to write space science fiction novels, which included travel to the moon using rockets and jet propulsion using solar energy. The most influential works of this period are the French writer J. Verne's From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon.

Many scientists have been deeply influenced by these two science fiction novels and have developed an interest and vision for space exploration. Among them, scientists such as Tsiolkovsky and Obert came up with the idea of studying rockets and sailing through space after reading these two novels.

The great scientist Tsiolkovsky famously said: "The earth is the cradle of mankind, but human beings will not live in the cradle forever, at first they will carefully penetrate the atmosphere, and then go to conquer the entire solar system."

Tsiolkovsky was born in Russia to a forest ranger father and a craftsman mother. On his 8th birthday, his mother gave him a copy of the science fiction novel "From the Earth to the Moon" and a hydrogen balloon. These two gifts sowed the seeds of astronautics in his heart.

Coincidentally, Obert, who was born in Romania, was 11 years old when he read the science fiction novels "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Flying Around the Moon" and was attracted by the charm of astronautics.

His father was a doctor, and he was supposed to study medicine, but he read a lot of books on science and technology. He calculated: "To fly to the moon, you must have a speed of 11.2 km/s. ”

Shortly after the end of World War II, the former Soviet Union was devastated by war. Research on intercontinental ballistic missiles and launch vehicles began.

Perhaps because of the post-war confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union and the thick clouds of the Cold War, the Soviet government at that time attached great importance to this. However, to engage in missiles and rockets. There is a need for funds, skills and talents, and the most difficult thing is funding.

Because the former Soviet Union was the country that suffered the most from the war in World War II, it lost almost 1/3 of its national wealth; There are 1,700 towns and tens of thousands of villages to be rebuilt, and millions more are living in wartime bomb shelters, living in hardship and in need of resettlement.

As a result, funding is scarce. Despite this, the authorities have allocated huge sums of money to be engaged in missiles and rockets.

The second effective measure they took. It is to mobilize the resources and technical strength of the whole country to ensure the progress of missile and rocket research and development, and in particular, to concentrate some authoritative experts to tackle key problems in the development of high-thrust rockets.

Since Russia is Tsiolkovsky's hometown, there is no shortage of outstanding rocket talents, and the research and development work has continued to make significant progress under the condition of absolute secrecy from the outside world.

While making progress in various tasks, we have strengthened the work of organization and coordination and technical coordination. At that time, it was officially announced that an interdepartmental interstellar communication coordination committee would be established within the scope of the Astronomical Committee of the Academy of Sciences. In order to achieve coordination and supervision of research work.

This point is very important, because the development of missiles and rockets and the launch of satellites is an extremely complex system engineering, and the overall technology is coordinated. It is often more difficult and time-consuming than the development work.

The successful development of the launch vehicle not only enabled the former Soviet Union to successfully launch intercontinental missiles. And it made it possible to launch satellites into the sky.

In November 1953, the former Soviet Union announced at the World Peace Conference in Geneva that "it is entirely possible to build an artificial earth satellite."

This presupposes the development of an artificial earth satellite and its means of delivery. But it didn't attract much attention.

In 1955, the United States announced that it would launch the "Sharpshoot" Earth satellite between 1957 and 1958. At that time, no one doubted the ability and confidence of the United States, but in 1956 representatives of the former Soviet Union proposed at an international conference that an artificial Earth satellite would be put into orbit during the International Geophysical Year.

No one paid attention to it at the time, and some Western journalists thought it might have been a form of psychological propaganda.

As a matter of fact, the former Soviet Union is nearing the end of its work on the development of artificial earth satellites, and is preparing to convert intercontinental missiles into delivery vehicles for launching satellites.

On October 4, 1957, the weather was sunny, a rare day not only in the United States, but also in Baikonur, Soviet Union.

In Baikonur, a small place on the territory of Kazakhstan, there is a secret base. This base is actually the space center of the Soviet Union.

On this day, a large rocket was erected on the satellite launch tower of the space center. This is a launch vehicle of the Sputnik modified with the P-7 intercontinental missile.

At the head of the rocket is a spherical satellite Sputnik-1 with four folding pole antennas. With a loud thud of the rocket engine, the rocket rose and disappeared without a trace in less than two minutes.

The satellite is only 580 mm in diameter, weighs 83.6 kg, and has four whip-shaped antennas. Inside the sealed aluminum case, there is a chemical battery, a thermometer, and a small dual-frequency transmitter.

Although this "little star" has only stayed in the sky for 92 days, it has "pushed" the entire earth and promoted the pace of development of space technology in various countries. It sent an electronic signal to the radio and television sets throughout the world, announcing its birth. This greatly shocked and deeply disturbed the countries of the world.

Since then, the earth has a "new star". This "new star" has a poetic name: "Earth's traveling companions." ”

However, to everyone's surprise, the "new star" woke up the Americans from their sleep and changed the pattern of the Cold War world.

The Americans believed that this artificial satellite, which was first launched by the Soviet Union, was of military significance, a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the people of free countries, which could be pierced at the capitalist countries at any time.

The appearance of this satellite also annoyed the then US President Howson-Weir, and the most important thing was that not only the public was worried under the bombardment of the news media. Even government officials are worried.

White House advisers were all messed up, in those few days. Almost all of them surrounded Eisenhower, harassing him like mosquitoes. Radio-exaggerated effects of Soviet satellite time.

This made the President of the United States very angry and annoyed, after which he often said: "It is better to act on instinct than to follow the advice of shares!" It can be seen how much he dislikes the White House advisers, and I am afraid that it started from this incident.

At that time, in addition to the White House advisers who were constantly chasing and harassing the president, even the president's political enemies, Democratic senators, and later US President John ? Kennedy was also clamoring. He has been constantly interviewed by the media, exaggerating the impact of the satellite incident on the American people, and consciously or unconsciously pointing the finger at the current president, believing that it is the government's inaction that has put the Soviets one step ahead.

The launch of a satellite by the Soviet Union presented Kennedy with an opportunity. Let him have more exposure and frequently appear in front of the American people, thereby accumulating personal prestige and laying the foundation for his future presidential campaign.

Under the impetus of the young and handsome Kennedy, Americans soon woke up to the idea that Eisenhower, the former combat hero and five-star general who commanded the Normandy landings, was a glamorous straw bale. People accused Eisenhower of fighting wars, not running the government, and of being a general rather than a president.

The crowd told the media: "Isn't it scary that the Soviets have put an eye over our heads?" The people of the free country are under the nose of Big Brother all the time, shouldn't we do something? ”

The press also began to hype and agitate. Satirical cartoons are flying all over the sky, and there is a lot of uproar.

The New York Times wrote in large color letters on the front page: "The Soviet Union launched an Earth satellite into space, which flew around the Earth at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour and crossed the United States four times......"

Newsweek ran a special story. A week later, I added another paragraph. "Such has been achieved by a controlled group of scientists in a country that has given the word 'satellite' the meaning of servitude," the report wrote. ”

Life magazine published an article titled "Panicked Arguments." Eisenhower was sarcastic for not saying much and doing too little.

Senate Majority Leader Lyndon? Johnson (who later became president of the United States after the assassination of John F. Kennedy) wrote: "On the night of October 4, when the Soviet Union sent satellites into space. I was walking on my family's farm in Texas, somehow. I feel like the sky doesn't look the same as it used to be. ”

Linden? Johnson also said in an exaggerated and intimidating tone: "To control space is to control the world." The future masters of space (if not the United States, then the Soviet Union) will have the ability to control the weather on Earth, create droughts and floods, change the tides to raise sea levels, direct ocean currents, turn warm into cold ......"

From November 25, 1957 to January 23, 1958, Linden? The Senate Armed Services Committee, of which Johnson is chairman, has held no fewer than 20 intensive meetings to vent the committee's fears.

During this time, Hughes sent his own spokesperson and looked around for government support. They constantly lobbied the government and publicized to the people, telling them that they had the best rocket technology and satellite technology in the United States.

For such claims, Linden? Johnson and other lawmakers were dismissive, and at best they listened politely and did not say a word. In private, he said mockingly: "It's just a private company, and it dares to say that it has the most advanced technology." Do they think they are Soviet? Ha Lu Ha! ”

As for the people, they asked more directly: "You said that your company's technology is advanced, so has you launched a satellite into space?" ”

Not to mention the president, Eisenhower didn't even intend to support the Rocket Research Institute of the government, and he wouldn't run to support a private enterprise.

Some lawmakers also questioned why a private company was studying such military techniques, but it was dismissed. Satellites can also be used to serve the people, and as for whether private enterprises can do it, God knows.

Hughes's people were running into walls on Washington's side, and Alex had expected it, and he didn't care about it. But Hughes kept urging him to hurry up and get results, which made him almost annoyed.

"If you can spend that much money to build a rocket satellite, then I'll do a launch right now!" Alex said to Hughes.

Hughes was silent again, and he didn't have any money in his hand now. Not only is there no money, but there is an urgent need for money. Now his global airline debt is due. But there is no money to pay off the debt, and the bank has forced him into a corner. And because of that. He was in a hurry to go to the government to get investment, and as long as the funds could be turned, he would soon be able to relax.

"I don't have any money in my hand, but I have shares, do you either?" Hughes said suddenly.

Share? As soon as Alex heard the word, he knew what Hughes wanted to do. He had long known about Hughes's troubles, and the difficulties of Trans World Airlines had been published in the newspapers. It is said that Hughes will appear in court, otherwise he will have to pay back his 78% stake in Global Airlines.

Hughes, an obsessive-compulsive patient, has now faded into obscurity. Secluded behind the scenes, remote control your own company. If you want Hughes to appear in court, it would be like killing him.

However, Hughes really has no money to repay the debt, and if he does not pay the money and does not appear in court, it is estimated that the court will award his shares to the bank. At the very least, they will lose control of the global airlines, leaving only the right to the shares.

"How much?" Alex actually has some ideas about Global Airlines, but he never had the chance.

"$500 million!" Hughes replied.

Alex almost exploded, $500 million! Hughes is really ruthless, he owes the bank only more than 200 million yuan, and he even asked him to buy it for 500 million dollars.

But he thought about it quickly. In recent years, the aviation market has developed rapidly, and all airlines in the United States are desperately expanding. It is precisely because of this that Hughes borrowed too much money to invest in global airlines, so that now there is a problem with the capital chain.

Hughes has always had a good eye. He did see the prospect of this market, but unfortunately it was a big step. Historically, Hughes lost control of Trans World Airlines by not appearing in court. A few years later, he took advantage of the airline's surging shares. sold off his shares and made $5 billion at once.

After having $5 billion. Hughes invested the money in Hughes Space, which directly affected the development of the American aerospace industry, and a large part of the Apollo moon landing was influenced by him.

"How! $500 million, you should be able to get it! Hughes urged on the other end of the phone.

It can indeed be taken out, Alex has not done it in vain over the years, he not only invests everywhere, but also often uses historical events to make a lot of money in futures. There are a lot of investments that are long-term, such as fast food and supermarkets, and as for the futures market, that's where the money comes directly.

But once he gets the $500 million, his investment company's cash will bottom out. That way, he'd have to wait at least a year or two before he has enough cash to do something else.

Alex didn't think about it for a long time, at most only a few tens of seconds, but these dozens of seconds were a very important decision for him. He finally said, "No problem, when will you prepare the relevant documents?" ”

"This is fast, what about your money? Ready to go? Does it take time? ”

"If you want money, I'll give it to you right away!"

"Okay, let's hurry up and finish the formalities, you also know about those banks! You'll come and sign it tomorrow! ”

"What a shame!"

Alex was not happy to get the global airline, knowing that he was going to be a thorn in the side of some consortium from this moment on. It is important to know that Hughes is at odds with Pan Am because of Trans Am Airlines, and he has been fighting with the CEO of Pan Am for more than 20 years without a winner.

There are even conspiracy theories that Hughes's last test flight accident was actually the work of Pan Am people. It was precisely because of this accident that Hughes almost died, and he also suffered from a very serious mental illness and could not appear in public.

Of course, those people are not all the ones who have been killed, and they may offer a path of reconciliation. If Alex gets a 78% stake in Trans Am and obediently accepts the acquisition of Pan Am and becomes one of their little brothers, then nothing is going on. You can also make money with the boss, don't pay attention to anything, and count the money happily.

It's just that Alex is not such a person, and Hughes can also see that he is not such a person. Then there is only one way left, either Pan Am is co-opted or Trans Asia is co-opted. Historically, it ended with the co-optation of Global Airlines.

Now there is Alex this change. I'm afraid Pan Am wants to unify the U.S. aviation market, and that's a long time coming.

After thinking about what's at stake. Alex called home and told his parents in a calm tone, "I bought an airline. Spent $500 million, it's expensive! ”

"What? What did you do? Bart yelled on the phone!

"Hey! I can't tell you on the phone, I'll tell you when I get back from the company. ”

That evening, Alex told him about buying a stake in Trans World Airlines. The family at the dinner table was dumbfounded, neither of them expected Alex to have so much money, nor did they expect it to spend so much money.

As for the fact that he has so much money, Alex explained that he has received a share of the record royalties, novel royalties, royalties, income from several companies, and the futures market. Of course, there is no elaboration on where the money is mainly coming from, and it did not occur to them that the money is mainly coming from the futures market.

After listening to this, Bart pondered for a moment. Then he asked with concern: "Then you don't have much money now, right?" ”

"Yes!" Alex nodded and said, "I have taken out all the funds of the investment company, and the remaining money is ready to be used as working capital." ”

"In this case, I will give you 300 million US dollars, and it will be regarded as the money that the family asks you to manage!" Bart suddenly suggested.

$300 million! Everyone present, except Angel, thought that the family already had so much money. Not only Richard and Karen, but even Alex didn't know.

Bart continued: "You think that's a lot of $300 million? Actually, it's not much, I'll do the math for you, not to mention radio, record companies, and agent companies. Just one thing, our CPT company's computer market can almost make hundreds of millions of pure profits every year! ”

Angel nodded beside her. Expressed agreement with Bart's statement. "When the business gets bigger and bigger, we find that the money is getting better and better," she explains. It's just a matter of earning more and earning less, and the size of the risk. ”

Alex knows what Angel is referring to when he says risk, and generally they are at this level of family. Already started to get in touch with things from the upper class. Once the political position is wrong, it is likely to lead to the decline of the family, and it will be difficult to get back up.

Someone said, "A family like Rockefeller." Either it will continue to thrive or it will decay. There is no third way! ”

This was the case with the Rothschilds, who claimed to be in charge of human wealth in the first place. When it is prosperous, it cannot be last forever, but once it falls, it will be like a ship with a hole. Soon sank to the bottom of the river and became a relic of history.

According to ordinary people's thoughts, there are three pounds of nails in a rotten ship, and no matter how down-and-out the Rothschilds are, they will not be able to compare to those self-made consortia, so they have never made a comeback. That's because when the family declines and wants to get up again, then the glory of the past will become a burden for the children and grandchildren.

The more glory, the more burdens, unless there is really that descendant who has crossed over to the sky, it is really difficult to revive the family.

Now Barr and Angel are also starting to get in touch with this stuff, and they are starting to figure out how to make the Carpenter family really stand side by side with those big conglomerates.

As the helmsman of the Carpenter family, they also slowly understand the cruelty of political struggle. Howard didn't say anything, but said that the tragedy that was about to happen to the Kennedy family knew that sometimes once the skin was torn, the other party would use all kinds of means to the extreme.

Since Alex's kidnapping, they have also been alerted to the fact that someone has noticed a key figure in the Carpenter family. They had wanted to hide Alex behind them and wait until he was older before going to the front desk. Today, this seems to be an unlikely thing.

Coupled with Alex's $500 million acquisition of most of TWA, it means that he can no longer use his status as a star to confuse others as he used to, but will be put in front of those competitors. There will definitely be a lot of people who will come over to study Alex thoroughly, whether it is personality, psychology, habits, etc., it will be analyzed clearly.

In that case, they simply handed over the authority of the Carpenter family to Alex and let him control the direction of the family's development. (To be continued......)

PS: At the end of the month, there are tickets no, double it!