I was just thinking about something…
One of the biggest problems Russia is facing today is the fact that the Americans have convinced themselves of a very distorted, diminished idea about Russia, and they are going to treat Russia dismissively and push it against the wall of a full nuclear retaliation, and nothing Russians do seems to be breaking through to those American idiots who think America is no1 and nobody else is even close in power and they can do whatever they want with impunity.
So, they just announced new superweapons, and the American reaction was dismissive – nah, that’s not real, we’re Murrica. What next? Sink their aircraft carrier as a demonstration? Maybe. But something else might be in the works.
Some years ago, the Russians announced that they are developing a nuclear-powered upper stage rocket for Mars flight, which could get them there in the order of magnitude of two weeks. The engine itself was supposed to be tested in 2018. However, when they announced the new weapons, what got my attention was the nuclear-powered cruise missile. My reaction was, damn it, this thing is not only done, it’s deployed, and it’s so small, with incredible thrust-to-weight ratio. They have their Mars engine.
So then I thought, what else do they need. They need a large capsule, comparable to American Orion. They need a heavy-lift rocket to get the Mars vehicle and the upper stage into LEO. I would also add a larger module, a space station segment with a full laboratory and other amenities, and hopefully a lander, either manned or a drone.
So, let’s see what they have in very late stages of development:
Federation spacecraft, designed for Moon/Mars missions
Angara V heavy rocket, tested; in need, they can re-create Energia
NEM module for the space station is supposed to be almost ready.
The nuclear propulsion module is so developed they are putting it in the cruise missiles.
So, what I’m saying is, if the Russians want to shatter the American propaganda image about the power positions of America and Russia, and do it in a non-military way, avoiding the slippery slope of escalation, they could launch the NEM with all the supplies, launch Federation with the crew of 3 and a nuclear upper stage, an the window for a Mars launch is around June/July, according to my simulation.
The mission could be something as simple as go there in the end of June, arrive in 2 weeks, stay there for a few days, hang the Russian flag on Mars on the 4th of July just to fuck with the Murricans, leave the orbital laboratory around Mars, and return home. I don’t think they have the lander tech yet, but I might be wrong, so I don’t think they’ll actually land a man there, but an orbit might be good enough for demonstration purposes. In any case, the Americans need to have a Gagarin experience.
Do I think it’s possible? Yes. Do I think it’s likely? No. What I think is that there will be a shooting war, either in Syria or in Ukraine, and Americans are going to start it, just to show the Russians they can do whatever. And the Russians are eventually going to start killing lots of Americans. Honestly, I’m so tired of this shit I can’t wait.