Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1092: Overseas Territory Expansion (Second Update, Two-in-One)

A map.

This is a world map. What is different from ordinary maps is that this world map is marked with several blue circles.

"Sir, in order to ensure the smooth implementation of manned space missions, we need to set up multiple ground satellite measurement stations to complete the marine measurement, control and communication tasks for the spacecraft's operation phase after entering orbit, the return phase, and the preliminary engineering of the orbital flight of the orbital module."

Standing in front of the map, Eugene Gesan introduced the location and functions of ground satellite measurement stations to Li Yian and others.

"Station 1 is located in Truk and will track and measure the spacecraft after the separation of the rocket and provide as much measurement, control and communication support as possible as required.

The second station is located in British Guiana. It completes the measurement and control coverage of the spacecraft after it enters orbit, injects data such as the initial orbit to complete the spacecraft's orbit change tracking measurement and control, and monitors the orbit change process. It completes the measurement and control tasks for the early engineering of the orbital module's orbital operation.

Station No. 3 is located in British Nigeria. It is mainly responsible for completing the control of the spacecraft's attitude adjustment, orbit-return separation and return braking, calculating the spacecraft's initial orbit after braking, and monitoring the spacecraft's attitude adjustment, separation, braking and return process.

Station No. 4 is located in British Kenya, organizing various measurement equipment to capture and track targets in a timely manner to ensure the completion of the measurement and control tasks of the arc segment specified in the mission plan. Station No. 5 is located in the Cocos Islands..."

While Eugene Gesan was introducing these ground stations, Li Yian was looking through the information of the ground satellite measurement stations.

The survey station in British Guiana covers an area of ​​130 square kilometers in the north and has an annual rent of 13000 pounds.

The British Nigeria Survey Station is located on the southern coast of Nigeria, covering an area of ​​45 square kilometers and with an annual rent of 5000 pounds.

The British Kenya Survey Station is located on its southern coast, covers an area of ​​227 square kilometers, with an annual rent of 20000 pounds. The lease term of all survey stations is 99 years.

This was part of an agreement with Britain for manned spaceflight - using Britain's overseas colonies to establish overseas survey stations.

The biggest feature of these measuring stations is that they are located on the coast, have a large area, and have appropriate coastal conditions for building ports.

According to Li Yian’s plan, these measuring stations will be used as comprehensive bases in the future, that is, they will be used for military purposes.

The military will gradually strengthen the infrastructure of overseas measurement stations, from airports to ports, from material supply stations to real military bases. This is just a process.

"…At present, we have formed a satellite monitoring and control network covering the whole world."

Listening to Eugene Gesan's story, Li Yian put down the information in his hand and said.

“No, not yet global. I noticed that our ground stations are all near the equator, which obviously cannot meet all the requirements. We must consider longer-term goals.

These measurement stations can meet the needs of satellite applications and manned space flight, but from the perspective of deep space exploration, just a few measurement stations are not enough.”

"Deep space exploration?"

Eugene Gesan, director of the Nanyang Aerospace Administration, was stunned. They had no plans in this regard at the moment.

"Yes, it is deep space exploration,"

Li Yian then explained the importance of "deep space exploration".

"The so-called deep space exploration generally refers to the exploration of space outside the Earth's gravitational field and into the solar system and the universe. It mainly includes two aspects:

One is to conduct in-depth exploration of the planets in the solar system.

The second is astronomical observation. Deep space exploration is of great significance. It can further answer a series of questions such as how the earth originated and evolved, how the planets and the solar system were formed and evolved, whether humans are the only intelligent life in the universe, and what the future of the earth will be. At the same time, it is conducive to the active development and utilization of space resources by humans. "

"In order to complete deep space exploration, we need to build more ground stations, not just limited to the equator, but also scattered in the northern and southern hemispheres. For example, we should be in British South-West Africa..."

That is Namibia. Li Yian drew a circle on the Walvis Bay in Namibia, and then drew another circle on the enclave in northern Oman that guards the Strait of Hormuz.

After thinking for a while, I drew a circle around the Falkland Islands, and finally, I looked at Newfoundland with regret.

It is no longer a British colony, otherwise, they would have to rent a piece of it. Now it is in Canada's hands, which makes it difficult to do so...

"We need to install large-scale tracking and control equipment and build large deep space tracking and control stations in these areas according to mission needs and development plans to provide tracking and control support for the next step of 'Moon Rush'. These areas will provide several critical northern and southern hemisphere nodes for our global ground tracking and control."

This is of course for the aerospace industry, and is definitely not for military or territorial expansion. As for the territory, it is just leased, with a lease period of 99 years, which is neither long nor short.

"It's a pity that there aren't many suitable places to set up survey stations in the north."

There are eight out of ten things in the world that are not satisfactory. Although the British Empire has declined, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. If we can take over these regions, or at least part of them, we can almost establish a truly global network of overseas bases.

From the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, and then to the mainland of South China Sea.

In another world, the Soviet Union spent decades and tens of billions of dollars in aid but still failed to establish such a complete network of overseas bases across continents and oceans.

However, as a member of the Commonwealth, Nanyang can obtain these bases simply by using the excuse of "developing the space industry for all mankind". Such a cost-effective business can be found elsewhere!
Looking at the location marked on the map, Eugene Gesan thought for a while and said.

"Sir, these locations are very sensitive. The British may not agree to them, especially the Falkland Islands, which are an important base for controlling merchant ships sailing south around the Strait of Magellan and guard important shipping routes in South America. The British will definitely not rent them to us."

Although he was not a soldier, Eugene Gesan understood what you were thinking just by looking at the map - these measuring stations were not just measuring stations.

"Just talk to them, the British..."

Li Yian smiled. What an old troublemaker! For the British, when they realized that they could not keep some things, they would still plant some nails while giving up voluntarily. Renting... was a disguised form of retention.

"They know what they should choose. The Argentines have already brought the Falkland Islands to the attention of the United Nations many times. For the UK, complicating the ownership of the islands will actually be more beneficial to them. If they cannot take the entire Falkland Islands..."

Looking at the Falkland Islands on the map, Li Yian said, "The entire archipelago includes East Falkland Island and West Falkland Island. Stanley, the capital of the archipelago, is located on East Falkland Island. West Falkland Island has an area of ​​more than 4000 square kilometers. There are very few people settled here, probably less than 100 people. We can rent it for 99 years, and the price is negotiable."

The price is of course negotiable. Although the economy there now relies on ship supplies and sheep farming, the Falkland Islands are still an excellent fishing ground. Since the 1980s, the sale of fishing licenses has become its main source of income. But where is the real treasure?
It's oil!
There are about 600 billion barrels of crude oil stored under the seabed around the Falkland Islands, and there are also abundant natural gas resources in the sea area. Those oil and natural gas have always been the fundamental reason why Britain and Argentina have not given in.

Money moves people's hearts, and the country is no exception.

Although Britain fought a war for the Falkland Islands in the 1980s, which was the last glory of the British Empire, Britain could not hold on to them. In fact, for this reason, Britain has not been active in oil exploration and exploitation in the Falkland Islands, fearing that it would trigger a second Falklands War.

But it was Britain, not Southeast Asia, that was weak.

After all, 600 billion barrels of oil is definitely an irresistible temptation, and Nanyang can accept fighting a war for it.

Therefore, if the British Empire cannot defend something, there is no problem in letting Nanyang defend it!

However, it needs to be handed over to Nanyang first!
There is no problem even if it is rented. After all, there are not many local people in those places.

After 99 years, the Tang people will become the mainstream of the local population. At that time, even if it is returned to Britain, it will require the will of the local people. Therefore, the lease is just a process.

"We can talk first,"

Li Guoren, who was standing aside, said.

"When we were negotiating with the UK for a few more ground stations, the talks went very smoothly. This is just adding a few more places. They are all colonies. It's no big deal. Anyway..."

He shrugged his shoulders and said.

“There are some places they will definitely not be able to defend, like Oman, where an anti-British rebellion broke out again two months ago, and although it was suppressed on a large scale by the British army, failure was inevitable.

But as things stand, they will definitely evacuate in the future, so there shouldn’t be any problem here. As for the Falkland Islands… it shouldn’t be a big problem either!”

This is also the most helpless thing about Britain now - their rule around the world is being gradually disintegrated by the opposition of local people and the instigation of the United States and the Soviet Union.

All Nanyang needs now is to eat some meat and drink some soup as the British colonial empire disintegrates.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As long as Nanyang seizes this opportunity, it will be able to own large overseas territories all over the world.

Maybe they are just leased now, but in the future these places will become Nanyang land, there is no need to have any doubt about this.

"We are helping them solve their problems now, and they must realize this."

Having said that, Li Yian turned his gaze to Li Guoren and said.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please cooperate and try to take down these places."

Then they talked about some issues about the construction of offshore measurement and control ships. After all, there is still a vast ocean on the earth, and relying solely on ground measurement and control stations cannot meet the needs. Only by cooperating with offshore measurement ships can the measurement and control stations truly achieve 24-hour coverage.

If there is no measurement and control ship, there will be several hours of measurement and control blind spots every day. To ensure continuous communication, offshore measurement and control ships must be deployed on the sea.

The space exploration network of Nanyang, which is formed by combining the offshore measurement and control ships with the measurement and control stations distributed around the world, will be used to support the manned space flight of Nanyang and the future manned lunar landing, Mars exploration and other deep space exploration missions, and even a series of space missions such as landing on Mars.

At the end, when Eugene Gesan put away the map, Li Yian asked again.

“Can we send our people into space this year?”

"We have already conducted two unmanned launch tests. Although some problems have been exposed, everything is progressing smoothly.

According to the plan, we will soon conduct the fourth unmanned launch, which is also the last unmanned test. If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to complete the launch mission as planned."

Eugene Gesan's answer made Li Yian nod slightly, and then asked again.

"How is the training of our astronauts going now?"

"The astronauts' training is also going smoothly and everything is going according to plan."

After learning that the astronauts' training went smoothly, Li Yian thought for a while and asked again.

"So, we can send our people into space before December?"

"No problem at all!"

After Eugene Gesan answered, Li Yian asked about the progress in other countries, especially the United States. After learning that the United States has not conducted a public test launch, he said.

"It seems like it's time to give them some encouragement! Really? The space race has already begun, but they are so uninterested. Let's give them some encouragement."

The "they" Li Yian was referring to were of course the United States and the Soviet Union. In his opinion, these two countries invested too little in the space industry.

For now, their current performance does not have the fierce competitive consciousness that was in full swing during the Cold War.

Based on the experience of the Cold War, investment in space can promote the development of human technology, just like investment in armaments. After all, a lot of investment in armaments is repetitive construction.

Therefore, for the sake of the development of science and technology for all mankind, we should still encourage them and give them some appropriate encouragement.

(End of this chapter)