Lu Zhou nodded.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunhai's expression suddenly became serious. He picked up the document from the coffee table and scanned it quickly.
NASA headquarters.
"News about the New Virginia Colony..." He took out a folded newspaper from the document bag he carried with him. After unfolding it, the secretary handed it to the president and said carefully, "... you can read it yourself."
However, just as he laid his eyes on the newspaper, his heart pounded suddenly.
After forcefully interrupting Director Carson, the president said in a tired tone with a hint of anger: "I don't care whether they encountered a sandstorm or what. I just want to know one thing now, where is your plan? "
"That's right, leak the news from our side," Lu Zhou nodded and continued, "If you can't save him, there's nothing you can do about it, but if you can save him but don't..."
"You're looking for me?"
"Please don't take it to heart about some small personal interests." After saying this, Lu Zhou swept aside the draft paper on the coffee table, then took out a stack of documents that were still warm from the printer oil, placed them on the coffee table and pushed them gently. In front of him, "About 2 hours ago, we deciphered the signal sent from Mars to Earth. I believe you will be interested."
"SOS...?"
After taking a seat on the sofa, Chen Yunhai nodded and expressed his gratitude to the secretary who poured him tea. Then he sat up straight on the sofa and began to look at the draft papers stacked on the coffee table.
Chen Yunhai's pupils shrank slightly and his eyebrows raised with a hint of interest: "You mean..."
Although this statement may not be in line with humanitarianism, spaceflight itself is a risky thing, and the death of a few astronauts is not enough to affect the overall situation.
"Yes, based on what is currently happening on Mars, it is not likely that there is a problem with our cracking work. New Virginia may indeed have encountered a little trouble."
After looking for a long time, he didn't see anything. Just when Chen Yunhai was about to give up, Lu Zhou came over with a cup of coffee and sat down opposite him.
[Mars encounters a once-in-a-century abnormal climate, global sandstorms cover the world, and "New Virginia" may be in unprecedented danger!]
President: "Will our colonists last three months?"
The newspaper is "Renren Daily Overseas Edition".
"The news was leaked."
"Not necessarily," Lu Zhou shook his head and said with a smile, "If we let the Americans know, how can the three astronauts be saved?"
At most, prepare a unique funeral for them afterwards.
If China is allowed to take over the rescue work, it will not only damage the national prestige of the United States, but also bring about a series of uncontrollable risks such as technology leakage.
"There is only a 50% chance... provided that they do something conscious to save themselves."
After swallowing, the secretary continued in a heavy tone.
"gentlemen… "
For NASA, this would be a disaster.
"… I see."
After a pause, Lu Zhou continued.
I saw some difficult calculation formulas and symbols drawn on those draft papers. Next to these calculation steps, there were standard curved graphics that looked like they were drawn with a ruler.
"what news?"
USA.
"Sir... Although I don't want to say this, to be honest, the hope is slim. Even if we launch the BFR rocket now and go to Mars through an unconventional transfer orbit, it will take at least three months to reach the Mars orbit."
When he saw those three dazzling characters, his reaction was almost the same as Lu Zhou's. He was stunned for a moment and then frowned.
"What's wrong?"
Soon, after hearing "Please come in" from inside the house, he opened the door and walked in, saying respectfully.
The moment he heard the word opportunity, Chen Yunhai's eyes moved slightly, and many thoughts flashed through his head, but after half a minute, he still shook his head.
"This could be an opportunity for us."
Meeting the president's gloomy gaze, Director Carson, who instantly understood what the president meant, opened his mouth, swallowed the second half of the sentence, and nodded with difficulty.
Director Carson hesitated and said in a difficult tone.
Director Carson was silent for a while and then spoke in a heavy tone.
Considering the overall situation, if the rescue work cannot be carried out, it is better to let the three astronauts die like this than to let China intervene in this matter.
If once they know that they have no chance of survival, and the BFS spacecraft equipped with high-power remote communication equipment floating in the orbit of Mars is still working...
Perhaps Space-X's stock price will suffer a heavy blow after this, but the Ares Project will not simply collapse. Their researchers will learn from this failure to pave the way for success next time...
Soon, the White House office secretary appeared behind the two.
Jinling Institute for Advanced Study.
After hearing this voice, the president turned around, looked at the tall and thin man, frowned and asked.
Taking the newspaper from the secretary's hand, the president squinted at it.
"Then it's not an accident, it's a murder!"
"It has been confirmed that the dust storm on Mars is a global climate event. It is expected to take at least five months to stop. Our colonists are facing-"
"I understand what you mean, but I'm afraid this is difficult... From the perspective of the White House, the Americans would rather they all die than agree to our intervention in this matter."
"I know." Putting down the coffee cup in his hand, Lu Zhou nodded and continued, "Theoretically, it is like this. It is impossible for NASA's spacecraft to spend hundreds of millions of dollars specifically to go there for just three astronauts. A trip to Mars...and this is still under the circumstances of uncertainty about whether the rescue can be successful. It is more in the interest of the US authorities to announce the death of the three astronauts after the 'accident' happened."
"We can't let them know yet," the president said flatly, interrupting Director Carson, "tell them that we are doing our best to rescue them, so they don't have to worry!"
At this moment, footsteps came from the corridor outside the command center.
Standing in the command center, Director Carson was speaking quickly and reporting the current situation to the gloomy-looking president.
"Well, there's something." Lu Zhou stopped writing in his hand. He looked at Chen Yunhai who was standing at the door and smiled. Then he stood up and made an invitation gesture to the sofa and said, "Don't be so polite. Come on. Please take a seat."
"That's right." Chen Yunhai nodded, "So I'm afraid it will be difficult to use this opportunity."
Standing at the door of the dean's office, Chen Yunhai took a deep breath, straightened his collar, reached out and knocked lightly on the door.
I saw a line of eye-catching capital letters printed on the headline of the newspaper.
In the Ares Project ground command center, the staff are busy working at their respective posts.
"But our rocket..."
It was more important to keep the three astronauts "shut their mouths" than to bring them back alive. The prerequisite for shutting them up is to make them believe that NASA is doing its best to rescue them.
WTF? !
…
The president was stunned for a moment and asked subconsciously.