Chapter 1091 Overseas Base (First update, please subscribe)
The competition between countries has actually never stopped.
The most famous competition was the naval competition between Britain and Germany before World War I. This competition directly triggered World War I. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were not only engaged in an arms race, this competition also extended to various fields.
Space is just one of the fields.
But what this field involves is the reputation of the country and the confidence of the nation... When all this is given an additional political color, everything becomes no longer simple.
In the Chkalov District, about 40 kilometers northeast of the center of Moscow, it is now just an airport. In the future, it will become the famous "Star City". During the Cold War, Soviet astronauts trained here and then went into space from here. .
But at this time it is only an airport, and all training facilities are still under construction and are very imperfect.
Even when Korolev came here, he could still see the construction site in the distance. As soon as his car stopped, Korolev saw a lieutenant general. Lieutenant General Nikolay Kamanin came over. He was the head of cosmonaut training.
As soon as he saw Korolev, Lieutenant General Kamanin asked.
“Comrade Korolev, you just came here last month, and now you are here again. Do you want to advance?”
"Yes, Comrade General."
Korolev said.
"Moscow hopes we can launch before Revolution Day..."
"Revolution Day? That's November!"
Lieutenant General Nikolai Kamanin said.
"This is far beyond our plan. Didn't we originally plan for next year? Isn't this too much in advance?"
Perhaps it was because of excitement that when he spoke, Kamanen was There was a hint of dissatisfaction in the general's tone.
“Our astronauts are still in training now. I don’t even know if they will be ready by then.”
The brow of Kamanin, who is in charge of astronaut training Frowning into a ball, he said.
"In case they are not prepared."
Korolev said after looking up at the Lieutenant General.
“So, General, you must help them prepare.”
“Be prepared?”
Lieutenant General Kamanin reread this sentence in a pointed tone "We only selected 20 astronauts from 3,400 pilots a few months ago. They have just started training and will be ready within a few months. How is this possible?" ? ”
An ominous atmosphere as annoying as a migraine pressed into Lieutenant General Kamanin's heart, making him so suffocated that he could hardly breathe.
“So, I came here, I wanted to see their training.”
Korolev frowned.
“I want to see their training myself.”
What’s the use of that?
It's of no use!
Despite what he thought in his heart, Lieutenant General Kamanin still took Korolev to the spacecraft operation training center, where the astronauts were conducting spacecraft manipulation training.
In the simulated spacecraft, the astronauts are manually operating the spacecraft according to the trainer's orders. If they make a mistake, a reminder will be issued on the command platform.
After watching the training of several astronauts, another young astronaut walked over. What was different from the others was that before entering the spacecraft, this young astronaut had boots on his feet. He took them off and entered the cockpit wearing only his socks.
This action made Korolev raise his eyebrows slightly and asked.
"What's his name?"
"Yuri Gagarin,"
Lieutenant General Kamanin said.
"He just graduated from the Chkalov First Military Aviation Pilot School this year and became a fighter pilot of the Red Flag Northern Fleet Aviation. He is an excellent pilot..."
Listen to Lieutenant General After the introduction, Korolev mentally recorded this person's name. Before entering the spacecraft, only Gagarin took off his shoes and entered the cockpit wearing only socks.
This move made Gagarin instantly win the favor of Korolev.
Korolev could feel that this young man understood the rules so well and cherished the spaceship he devoted so much to, so he couldn't help but have a good impression of Gagarin.
Here, Korolev stayed in the training center for a long time and did not leave the center until the evening. When he left, he saw the young man and nodded slightly.
……
September 1957, Baikonur launch site.
As the countdown echoed in the silence, an indescribable tension and anticipation filled the air. Every tick is like the drum of time, beating everyone's heart,
"8, 7, 6..."
During the countdown, Korolev sat on a chair Above, in his hand is the aluminum cup he brought from Siberia. Although it is very worn, he always carries it with him. The observer on the side was observing the launch pad through the periscope.
Suddenly, a dazzling flame spurted out from the bottom of the rocket, like a fire dragon awakening, instantly lighting up the night sky and dyeing the surrounding scene a dreamy orange-red. The rocket rose slowly, getting faster and faster, until it turned into a stream of light that cut through the sky and shot straight into the sky.
A moment later, with the shout of "launch successful", cheers suddenly erupted in the command center, and the officers on the side congratulated Korolev.
“Comrade Korolev, congratulations, we have achieved a complete success!”
“We are waiting for its safe return.”
Korolev The husband seemed very calm.
Before the United States disclosed the "Mercury Project", under his advocacy, the Soviet Union was secretly carrying out the "Eastern Project". Starting in March this year, the "Eastern Project" launched three unexecuted precursors Mission to test and develop the Vostok rocket series and space capsules. These missions have achieved varying degrees of success, but there is still a certain distance between truly manned flights.
Walking out of the command center, Korolev looked at the launch tower in the distance with a serious expression. Ever since Khrushchev asked to speed up, he has been accelerating with all his strength, but until now, he still has not succeeded. confidence.
What if it fails?
Just as Korolev was walking and thinking, there were many issues he needed to consider, but the core issue was still - time.
At this time, Vasily Pavlovich Mishin came over. As Korolev’s deputy, Vasily gave him a lot of help in many aspects. Seeing Korolev, Vasily asked with a frown on his face.
“Still worried about time? In fact, it doesn’t matter whether it can be launched before Revolutionary Day. What is important is to launch before the United States!”
Even though he doesn't understand politics as well as Krolev, Vasily also knows what is most important to them-as long as he is ahead of the Americans, it is enough.
So in his opinion, it doesn't matter whether it can be launched before Revolution Day.
Nodding, Kroliv said:
“We should be able to launch earlier than the United States, I am convinced of this.”
Coro The reason why Liao Fu is so confident is that the progress of the United States is public. They have encountered many technical problems and failed twice during the period.
"Yes, according to the current progress of the United States, they will have to wait until July next year at the earliest."
Vasily continued.
"What about Nanyang? Will they be ahead of us?"
"Them?"
Korolev shook his head and said directly.
"They have just started, and even now they have just reached an agreement with the British to build observation stations in British overseas colonies. In this case, it is impossible for them to take the lead."
This is not because conceited. But because this is a fact - the fact is that Nanyang has not completed even the most basic launch preparations - their overseas observation stations are still on drawings.
But when Korolev said these words, he obviously forgot one thing... Nanyang is a powerhouse in infrastructure.
It is an infrastructure powerhouse that can build a building in three days.
While they were talking, three landing ships had landed on the coast of the Gulf of Benin, Nigeria. These landing ships sailed from Nanyang and bypassed the Cape of Good Hope and traveled thousands of miles to this land. , just to build a satellite observation station here.
"Now our task is to complete the basic construction of the observation station within a month, and at the same time build an airstrip here."
As a naval engineer, Chen Tianle, when engineers and engineering machinery landed, He unfolded the drawing in his hand.
According to the agreement with the United Kingdom, in order to better carry out the manned space project, Nanyang Space Administration obtained a 99-year lease right to this land. Its area is not large, "only" 45 square kilometers. , but enough to establish a space observation base including an airport.
In the future, this kind of observation base will not only have an observation station and an airport, but also a port. As a base designer, Chen Tianle knew very well that this observation station would become Nanyang's first overseas military base in the Atlantic Ocean in the future.
The so-called space observatory is just the beginning. In the future, this observatory will continue to improve its equipment and infrastructure, and eventually it will evolve into a comprehensive military base.
After all, according to relevant provisions, Nanyang can send military personnel to protect the safety of observation sites.
Facing the commander's order, several other naval engineer officers frowned. Major Lin An said.
"Sir Chen, one month seems a bit too tight. Even leveling the land will take more than 20 days."
"This is an order."
Chen Tianle Said bluntly.
"Now our task is to complete these tasks within a month."
Say it, he turned his eyes to the officers in front of him and solemnly reminded:
"To We know that this task is related to the success or failure of the entire "Kuafu Plan", so no matter what, we must complete our task within the specified time."
(End of this chapter)