Li Mu had already invested in SpaceX, but that investment was only based on SpaceX's research and development of a recyclable launch vehicle. It did not include anything related to Mars colonization.
If the entire Mars colonization project was a huge commercial real estate project, then the recyclable rocket would at most be a retail store for this commercial real estate project.
According to Elon Musk, in order to colonize Mars, they had to first research heavy-duty recyclable rockets, then research heavy-duty spacecraft, and research the various hardware needed for survival on Mars.
But that was not enough.
If they really wanted to send people and things to Mars, they had to build a space station.
This was really a capital black hole. No matter how much money was thrown at it, there might not be any results.
However, at this moment, Li Mu suddenly had an idea.
He wanted to try and see if he could do something even more awesome. For example, sending people to Mars.
As a world-class billionaire, he also cared about how he would be remembered by people in the future.
In the world's billionaire circle, there were many seniors who were remembered by the world.
These people were also remembered for different things.
Some were remembered for changing the world.
Some were remembered for exploiting the world.
Some were remembered for donating naked.
Some were remembered for divorcing their wives.
Some were remembered for using real estate to drink the blood of the younger generation.
Li Mu was willing to do more charity. He wanted to do something meaningful. He wanted to teach people how to fish, not give them fish.
In addition to charity, he also wanted to change the world.
He had the world's largest communication software, the world's largest social network, and in the future, the world's largest smartphone ecosystem. These would change the world to a large extent.
Now, he was inspired by Elon Musk and had a new idea.
He wanted to be remembered by the world through space exploration.
So, he said to Elon Musk, "Elon, if I invest 10 billion US dollars in the next ten years, can you lead the world in sending people to Mars safely and back safely?"
When Elon Musk heard this, he suddenly became excited. He looked at Li Mu in disbelief and exclaimed, "Li Zong, are you willing to invest in the Mars project?"
Li Mu said, "Don't worry about whether I'm willing or not. Let me ask you, if I invest 10 billion US dollars in ten years, can you achieve a human landing on Mars?"
Elon Musk thought for a moment and said, "The Apollo program in the 1960s cost a total of 100 billion US dollars, and the purchasing power of 100 billion US dollars at that time is at least …"
Li Mu interrupted him. "Eiron, don't bullshit with me. The Apollo program was to build a skyscraper from the ground up. Everything has to start from scratch. How can the aerospace industry today be compared to that time? Don't forget that you're 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 celestial body that humans have been to so far is the Moon. The Moon is only a few hundred thousand kilometers away from Earth, but the closest Earth was to Mars was fifty to sixty million kilometers away. The difference is more than ten times and many times more complicated. "
As he said this, Elon Musk said, "If you want to go to the Moon, a Saturn V is enough, but if you want to go to Mars at maximum speed, you need a space station. To save fuel, the one-way trip to Mars will take at least eight months. Moreover, there is a delay of more than three seconds between Houston and the spacecraft. This is because it takes more than a second to travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers, and it takes more than a second for the signal to be sent and sent back. If it's Mars, the delay may be a few minutes or even twenty minutes. This way, it will be very difficult for humans to control the spacecraft. Once it reaches Mars, the spacecraft must enter orbit and land automatically using a program calculated in advance by the supercomputer …"
Li Mu said, "I don't understand what you are talking about, but I have a development plan for you to use capital to land on Mars."
As he said this, Li Mu continued, "I promise to invest 10 billion USD in the Mars project. Don't think it's too little. This is only my initial conservative estimate. If my assets can be converted smoothly in the future, 100 billion USD is not a problem. But we are doing business, and we have to consider risks. What if one day, Makino Technology fails? What if one day, Taobao Technology fails? What if one day, both of these technologies fail? My company's market value will be severely reduced, and my personal assets will also be severely reduced. My so-called net worth of hundreds of billions of USD is not real money. The industry is changing rapidly, and if my business goes cold, most of my net worth will be gone. "
"You should have heard about the collapse of Hong Kong's property prices. Before the collapse, I had 5 million USD in cash. I bought a 10 million USD property developed by Mr. Li Jiacheng. I made a down payment of 5 million USD and took a commercial loan of 10 million USD with interest. In the end, when I bought the property, the property market crashed. What should I do? The property was originally worth 10 million USD and was still rising. Now, it is only worth 3 million USD. I spent all my 5 million USD and owed the bank 10 million USD. In the end, the property market is only worth 3 million USD. Do you think I want to jump off a building? It's the same in the Internet industry. So many big companies have collapsed. I promised you 100 billion USD today. If you spend it according to this plan, and I can't keep up with the pace the year after next, aren't you going to jump off a building too? "
Elon Musk nodded and said, "Li Zong, what is your development plan for the Mars project?"
Li Mu said, "It's very simple. I will invest 10 billion USD first, which is equivalent to endorsing this project. Then, we will invest all of SpaceX's future profits into this project. At the same time, SpaceX will also raise funds for the global Mars project. How did you bluff me with the idea of humans, space, and ideals just now? When the time comes, take this and help me scan through the Forbes list. If you can't bluff them, look for me. I will help you bluff them. "
"At the same time, your space passenger project will also be launched at the same time. The two of us will bluff them together. I will help you publicize the space passenger project, and you will be responsible for bluffing them. If anyone is interested, invite them to visit SpaceX. I will provide the internet media with full exposure. As long as they are willing to participate, we will publicize that they are advanced, great, and challenging space travel pioneers. Just this title alone will be enough for them to show off for a long time."
"When the time comes, whoever is interested can pay a portion of the money first, and we will sign a contract with them. The first person who pays will be the first to go up. The second person who pays will be the second to go up, and so on. If anyone is scared and doesn't dare to go up, we will not refund them."
"After the money is paid, find an opportunity to bluff these space passengers and sell them some higher-level things. For example, ask them if they want to name a launch vehicle or a spacecraft, or if they want to hold a unique space wedding."
"You can even ask them if they are interested in holding a space funeral after they die in the future. They can buy a space grave for themselves in advance. Then, we will put their ashes in titanium alloy canisters and send them into space. Just like the Voyager spacecraft, they will fly towards the center of the Milky Way. Think about it. Billions of years later, the Earth will be extinct, and their ashes will still be wandering in space. This will be the only remaining memory of humanity's hundreds of thousands of years of history, and Earth's billions of years of history. Isn't that great? Isn't it awesome? "
Elon Musk smiled and said, "Hearing you say that, I want to prepare one for myself. What about you, Li Zong? Do you want to travel through space together after you die?"
Li Mu smiled and said, "You will definitely be one step ahead of me. I'm afraid I won't be able to catch up to you when the time comes."
Then, Li Mu said, "Personally, I would prefer to freeze myself before I die and see if technology can resurrect me in the future."
Elon Musk said, "That's very difficult."
Li Mu said, "Although it's very difficult, there are also rich people who buy the freezing business in advance. They spend a few million dollars and can freeze their bodies for hundreds of years. I heard that this business is selling quite well. We can make it cheaper. For a few hundred thousand dollars, we can send their ashes into space. When the time comes, we can try to carry the ashes of thousands of people and then send them all to space in one go to achieve a higher level of mental and physical liberation."
Then, Li Mu asked again, "The cost of your launch itself is constantly decreasing. Isn't this a profitable business?"
Elon Musk said, "If we can really sell it for this price, it will really be a huge income. I just don't know how feasible it is."
Li Mu said, "I'm only responsible for planning the route for you. How feasible it is is up to you to do it yourself."
Speaking up to this point, Li Mu said again, "Actually, what I mean is, since we are going to do this, we have to think of all ways to make money. You can start a batch of similar businesses like this. Just do whatever you can to get money.
"If anyone is more daring and wants to directly carry out a space funeral for the body, add money according to the weight. In short, as long as it is a service that can be sold, you can sell it.
"In short, use all the methods you can think of to get more investments."
Speaking up to this point, Li Mu said again, "Also, for a business like this that can't possibly make money, you must not use financing to find people to invest money. You have to cater to what they like. If they like to look good, you give them face. If they like to be curious, you let them feel curious. If they like to join in on the fun, you create a big scene for them to enjoy. Do you know how you moved me?"
Elon Musk shook his head and hurriedly asked, "Li Zong, what moved you?"
Li Mu said, "Actually, I simply calculated my assets and realized that I might not be able to finish spending them. No matter what, I won't be able to finish spending them. Instead of putting the unspent assets in the bank as a number, I might as well take a portion of them and turn it into a spacecraft to go around Mars."
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