"Sending a man to the moon?" Andrei repeated, seemingly surprised at his father's reveal. "Really father? Can we go to the moon?"
"Well it is possible," Alexander said, his tone gentle. "We have already sent satellites into space, going to space is no longer an impossible task for humanity. Though there are hurdles and challenges, pretty much every one of them has been dealt with."
"I want to go to the moon, papa!" Anya exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Alexander chuckled, his heart warming at his children's enthusiasm. "Maybe someday sweetheart, for now only the adults can go to the moon."
"Eh? Why?" Anya asked, her face falling with disappointment.
"Well, going to the moon requires a lot of preparation and training, Anya. It's not something that someone your age can do right now," Alexander explained gently.
Anya's face fell, but Alexander quickly added, "But who knows, maybe when you're older and have gone through the right training, you can become an astronaut and go to the moon."
Anya's eyes widened in wonder. "Really, Papa? That would be amazing!"
Alexander smiled at his daughter's excitement. "Yes, it would be amazing. And who knows, maybe you and Andrei can go to the moon together someday."
Andrei's eyes lifted from the computer screen he had been scrutinizing. "You're not being truthful with her, Father," he said, his tone almost accusatory.
Alexander shifted uneasily, his hand absently rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, come on, Andrei."
Anya, who had been listening intently, piped up, "What do you mean, Papa is lying? You said we could go to the moon."
The tension in the room palpably increased as Alexander searched for a response. "Well, it's not exactly a lie, my dear. It's just that, for now, only trained astronauts can go to the moon. It's a dangerous journey and requires a lot of preparation and training. As I said, it's not something your age can do for now."
Anya pouted slightly, but Alexander placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"As I said to the two of you before, anything is possible as long as we work hard and never give up on our dreams, especially when you are in the Ruthenia Empire. Okay, Mr. von Braun, do you have something else to show us?"
"Of course, Your Majesty, I have been eager to hear you ask that," Wegener said. "Please follow me, I'll lead you to our latest aircraft that will shuttle the spacecraft from Moskva to Baikonur."
Wegener led Alexander and his children out of the control room and into a large hangar. It's a ten-minute walk from the control room, with that, Alexander carried Anya behind his back, while Andrei followed behind them, his eyes still fixed on his father.
As they walked through the hangar, Alexander couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight before him. The spacecraft was enormous, its white exterior gleaming under the bright hangar lights. He felt a rush of excitement as he realized that this air would be the one that would take the space shuttle into this cosmodrome.
Anya's eyes widened in amazement as she gazed up at the spacecraft. "Wow, it's so big!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder.
Alexander smiled down at her. "Yes, it is."
The plane that stood before them in the hangar was a behemoth of an aircraft, with a wingspan that seemed to stretch on for miles. Its white exterior was spotless, with barely a scratch or blemish to be seen. It was a copy of the Antonov AN-225, a strategic airlifter that had been developed for carrying heavy loads over long distances.
The doors to the plane were open, revealing a cavernous interior that seemed to swallow up the hangar space. Alexander and his children approached the ramp that led up to the cargo hold, with Wegener leading the way.
As they walked up the ramp, the sound of their footsteps echoed through the vast space. The cargo hold was enormous yet there was nothing inside it. Alexander carefully sat Anya down, allowing her to explore deeper into the hold.
Anya couldn't help but gasp at the sight before her. "It's like a giant warehouse!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Are you going to fit the spacecraft inside here, father?" Andrei couldn't help but ask. Although he hasn't seen a space shuttle before, he is certain that it won't be narrow and short.
"Of course not, Andrei, the spacecraft will be placed on top of the plane," Alexander said. "Let me ask you this question, Andrei. Before going in, what did you notice on the plane that is different from the rest?"
Andrei pondered for a moment before he realized what his father was referring to. "It's a very long father with six engines, three on each side, and two rudders."
"That is a good observation there, Andrei. Do you know that this plane we are standing in right now is the largest plane in the world? It is designed for one task, to carry the space shuttle. You see, spacecraft are huge and heavy, and for that, it needs bigger aircraft. That aircraft must be super powerful to carry it, and it must be able to steer itself in the flight. You see, rudders work by deflecting the air flowing over them, which creates a force that helps to turn the aircraft. But assuming there is a spacecraft on top of the plane, what do you think will happen?"
"The air will be blocked, and hence, there'll be no air flowing over the rudder?"
Alexander clapped, impressed by his son's answer. "You really take after me, Andrei."
Andrei grinned at his father's compliment, feeling a sense of pride. He had always been fascinated by airplanes and spacecraft, and he loved learning about the science behind them.
"So, how do we solve that problem then, father?" Andrei asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, that's where the two rudders come in," Alexander explained. "The rudders on this plane are designed to sit on clear air on either side of the space shuttle. The airflow will be unobstructed and hence the rudders can steer the aircraft more effectively."
Andrei nodded, taking in the information. "I see, father. I'd like to see them in action soon, father."
"You will see them, my son," Alexander assured.
