Li Mu had already invested in SpaceX earlier, but that investment was only based on SpaceX's development of recyclable launch vehicles and did not include anything related to Mars colonization.
If the entire Mars colony is a huge commercial real estate project, then the recyclable rocket is at most a store room of this commercial real estate project.
According to Elon Musk, if you want to colonize Mars, you must first research heavy-loaded recyclable rockets, and then research heavy-loaded spacecraft and various hardware needed to survive on Mars.
But this is not enough.
If you want to really send people and things to Mars, you have to build a space station.
This is really a capital black hole, and no matter how much money you spend, you may not be able to make a difference.
However, at this moment, Li Mu suddenly felt moved.
He really wants to give it a try and see if I can do something more awesome, such as sending people to Mars.
As a world-class rich man, he is also concerned about how he will be remembered in the future.
In the world's rich circle, there are many seniors who are remembered by the world.
These people are remembered in different ways.
Some are remembered for changing the world;
Some are remembered for exploiting the world;
Some are remembered for their naked donations;
Some are remembered for divorcing their wives;
He is also remembered for using real estate to drink up the blood of the younger generation.
Li Mu is willing to do more charity, to do some truly meaningful charity, teaching people how to fish instead of teaching people how to fish.
In addition to charity, he also wants to change the world.
It has the world's largest communication software, the world's largest social network, and will also have the world's largest smartphone ecosystem in the future, all of which will change the world to a great extent.
Now, inspired by Elon Musk, he has a new idea.
He wants to be remembered by the world through space exploration.
So, he said to Elon Musk: "Elon, if I invest 10 billion US dollars in you in the next ten years, can you lead the world in safely sending people to Mars and bringing them back safely?"
When Elon Musk heard this, he immediately became excited. He looked at Li Mu in disbelief and exclaimed: "Mr. Li, are you willing to invest in the Mars project?"
Li Mu said: "Don't worry about whether I am willing or not. Let me ask you, if I invest 10 billion US dollars within ten years, can you realize the landing of humans on Mars?"
Elon Musk thought for a while and said: "The United States' Apollo program in the 1960s cost a total of 100 billion U.S. dollars, and the purchasing power of the 100 billion U.S. dollars at that time was at least... "
Li Mu interrupted him: "Elon, stop talking nonsense with me. The Apollo project was about building tall buildings from the ground. Everything had to be started from scratch. Can the aerospace industry be the same now as it was back then? Don't forget you Now we are standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Elon Musk nodded: "Yes, we are indeed standing on the shoulders of giants, but don't we also hope to stand higher than the giants? The only space object that humans have visited so far is the moon, which is only a few meters away from the earth. It’s only 100,000 kilometers, but when the Earth was closest to Mars, it was 50 to 60 million kilometers, which is more than ten times different, and it’s also many times more complicated.”
With that said, Elon Musk added: "If you want to go to the moon, a Saturn V is enough, but if you want to go to Mars, and go to Mars at the maximum speed, you must have a space station. If you want to save fuel, a trip to Mars A one-way trip takes at least eight months. Moreover, when landing on the moon, there is a delay of more than three seconds between Houston and the spacecraft, because it takes more than a second for light to travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers. It takes another one second for the signal to be sent out and come back. More than a second. If it is Mars, it may be a few minutes or even 20 minutes. In this way, it is very difficult to manually control the aircraft. Once it reaches Mars, the orbit and landing of the aircraft must be calculated in advance by supercomputers. Program to automate..."
Li Mu said: "I don't understand what you are saying at all, but I have planned a development route for you to use capital to arm Mars landing."
With that said, Li Mu continued: "I first promise to invest 10 billion US dollars in the Mars project. Don't be too small. This is just my initial conservative estimate. If the capital realization channels of my own industry are smooth in the future, 100 billion US dollars will be enough." It goes without saying, but we are in business, and we must consider risks when doing business. What if Makino Technology fails one day? What if Taobao Technology fails one day? What if one day both of these fail? The market value of my company will be severely reduced, and so will my personal assets. The so-called net worth of hundreds of billions of dollars is not real money. The industry is changing rapidly. If my industry goes cold, most of my net worth will be reduced to nothing. Nothing.”
"You should have heard about the great housing price crash in Hong Kong that year. Before the collapse, I had five million in cash. Then I bought a property worth ten million developed by Mr. Li Jiacheng with a down payment of five million and a commercial loan. I originally had a profit of 10 million, but I just bought the property and the real estate market collapsed. What should I do? The house that was originally worth 10 million and was still rising is now only worth 3 million. I have spent all my 5 million. , I owe the bank 10 million, but the house is only worth 3 million. Do you think I want to jump off the building? The same is true in the Internet industry. So many big companies collapse at the drop of a hat. I promise you 100 billion US dollars today. You If you spend money according to this plan, I won’t be able to keep up with the rhythm next year, so won’t you have to jump off the building too?”
Elon Musk nodded and said: "Mr. Li, what is your development path for capital-armed Mars landing?"
Li Mu said: "It's very simple. I will first commit to invest 10 billion US dollars, which is equivalent to endorsing this project. Then we will invest all the future profits of SpaceX. At the same time, SpaceX will also launch the dream financing of the Mars project around the world." , how did you fool me just now with the set of things about human beings, space and ideals? Then take this set of things and scan the Forbes rich list for me, and look for me one by one. Go and help you cheat."
"At the same time, your space passenger plan has also been launched simultaneously. The two of us are fooling around together. I will help you promote the space passenger plan, and then you will be responsible for the fool. If anyone is interested, invite them to visit SpaceX. I will provide Internet media Full exposure, as long as he is willing to participate, we will expose him everywhere as an advanced, great, and extremely challenging space travel pioneer. This name alone will be enough for them to win for a long time."
"Whoever is interested at that time will pay a part of the intention fee first, and we will sign an intention contract with him. The first person to pay will be the first to come up, the second to pay will be the second, and so on. Sometimes I get too scared to go on board, so we won’t refund the tickets.”
"After the intention money is paid, we will look for opportunities to continue to fool these space tourists and sell them some higher-level things, such as asking them if they want to sponsor a launch vehicle or a spaceship, or if they want to hold a A unique space wedding.”
"You can even ask them if they are interested in holding a space funeral after they die in the future and buy themselves a space tomb in advance. Then we will put the ashes into titanium alloy jars and fly them into space, just like the Voyager. Flying towards the center of the Milky Way, think about it, the earth will be extinct in hundreds of millions of years, and his ashes are still wandering in the universe. This will be the only remaining fruit of the hundreds of thousands of years of human history and the billions of years of the earth's history. Memories, great or not? Awesome or not?"
Elon Musk smiled and said: "Hearing what you say, I almost want to prepare one for myself. How about you, Mr. Li, do you want to travel among the stars together after death?"
Li Mu smiled and said, "You must be one step ahead of me. I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up with you by then."
After that, Li Mu added: "Personally, I would rather freeze myself before I die and see if future technology can revive me."
Elon Musk said: "This is difficult."
Li Mu said: "Although it is very difficult, there are also rich people who buy the freezing business in advance. Spending millions of dollars, they can freeze their bodies for hundreds of years. I heard that this business is selling quite well. We are cheaper. With only a few hundred thousand dollars, his ashes can be sent to space. At that time, one flight will carry the ashes of thousands of people, and then all of them will be sent to space to travel in one breath, achieving a higher level of spiritual and physical health. relief."
Immediately afterwards, Li Mu asked: "Your launch costs are constantly decreasing. Isn't this a profitable business?"
Elon Musk said: "If it can really be sold at this price, it will be a really big income, but I don't know how feasible it is."
Li Mu said: "I am only responsible for planning the route for you. You need to operate it yourself to see how feasible it is."
Speaking of this, Li Mu said again: "Actually, what I mean is that since we are going to do this, we must do everything we can to make money. You can start more businesses like this. How can you get money by cheating?" How come."
"If anyone is bolder and wants to directly perform a space funeral for the body, just add money based on the weight. In short, as long as it is a service that can be sold, you can sell it."
"In a word, use all available methods to deceive more investments."
Speaking of this, Li Mu added: "Also, for a business like yours that is impossible to make money, you must not use financing to find people to invest money. You have to invest in what you like. If you like face, you should let them have it." Face; if you like to be curious, let him feel curious; if you like to join in the fun, make a big fuss for him to enjoy, do you know how you impressed me?"
Elon Musk shook his head and asked hurriedly: "Mr. Li, what moved you?"
Li Mu said: "Actually, I just took stock of my assets and found that I may not be able to spend them all at all. I can't spend them all no matter what. Instead of spending all my money and leaving it as a number in the bank, I might as well take out part of it and turn it into something." Let’s go to Mars as a spaceship.”
(End of chapter)