[ WP ] We finally get men on Mars and they discover an old Soviet flag placed down decades ago . The Soviets won the space race but for whatever horrifying reason did n't say anything .

Elon Musk had always announced his intention for SpaceX to be the first stages towards colonizing Mars, his desire to'die there, but not on landing'. That was quite few years ago, and that time brings the first rocket drifting into a stable orbit around the Red Planet. No new technical development, no new engine designs, good old rocketry pushed very hard and a dedicated crew to take the radiation hit and months of travel time. They had to be dedicated - they were ordered to be. 
 
 It costs the Chinese a lot. Research money, of course, human lives, naturally, but political capital too. Espionage to delay SpaceX's plans was n't cheap and smoothing and quietening the ruffles as it gets discovered is pricier still. But certainly worth it - `` First Human on Mars'' would echo through history in a way `` biggest radio telescope for a few years'' or `` third space station'' never will. And it is a title Beijing has its eyes set on as part of their push to promote big-S Science in China. 
 
 The orbiter is bustling with preparations proceeding normally until an interruption from visitors at Mission Control. They are Politicians not engineers or scientists, and they bear no gifts, only command authority and new instructions. The Lander release will be delayed, long enough to move the landing to new coordinates. 
 
 The Lander incorporates lessons learned from the American Moon Landing of the 1960s; one entire side can open so both occupants can leave and descend to the surface simultaneously. Why print one Chinese name in the history books when you can print two? Male and Female side by side in the pilot seats as the lander descends. Male and Female side by side as they check the instruments, and prepare their exit as the technical voiceover recorded on the ground plays over the top, their faces obscured by pressure suit helmets. Male and Female pictured side by side, seen from the Lander chassis camera as the Lander opens wide. 
 
 Amazement almost apparent on the sketch of their faces visible through the mirrored visors - this is the image shown to the watching World Media. The associated audio of their observations and expletives is not played to the World Media. Nor is the footage of the Russian Federation flag. 
 
 The Lander and both crew-members lost. Beijing is furious. Blame is floating around and everyone wants to shoo it somewhere else. Arguments so hot the communication lines between government departments give serious consideration to melting. In 1969 the Americans and the Russians raced to the Moon not to *land* but to *pick up something*. The Russians did n't lose the space race, they merely lost the lead. When they went quiet it was to take the wind out of the American People's sails - why fund space when there's no more competition to win? But they only went quiet they did n't stop. Arriving on Mars with 1970s technology was an achievement for sure. 
 
 Beijing was never quite sure what happened next - The Russians could n't make it back, or they could n't *bring* it back? Mars and back was a stretch to far, but Beijing was n't expecting that they would have left it *defended*. Officially the USSR was never there at all, so this could only be a critical Lander power supply failure, not a booby trap, not murder, not a declaration of war. 
 
 The Lander and both crewmembers lost. Beijing noticed. Beijing with its active space program, trained astronauts, orbiter around Mars, but nothing ready to launch has most certainly noticed. 
 
 Sudden bursts of radiation, loss of radio contact. NASA has noticed. NASA with 10-20 billion dollars a year of funding going somewhere, and only a fraction of a space station and the remains of a Mars rover to show for it, what are they developing? They have no public flight ready shuttles, and no political will for manned spaceflight, but they've definitely noticed. 
 
 Last minute change of landing, *those* coordinates, no propaganda footage of the first Mars walk, oh the Russians have noticed. Russia still flying their'1970s technology'. They recently announced reduced funding for Roscosmos, but with 70 billion dollars a year in'military' funding, they have unquestionably noticed. 
 
 Elon Musk has noticed. SpaceX with the only off-shore launch and land capability, the newest and most innovative and lowest cost rocket manufacturing facilities, independently funded, run with plans from the start to go to Mars. They have no flight certified hardware for humans, but they've absolutely noticed. 
 
 and Professor Colin Pillinger - may he rest in peace - would have noticed. The Beagle 2 Mars lander mission he fronted for the European Space Agency in 2003, a lander which'failed to deploy' for'unknown reasons', might need to wake up soon. 
 
 It's not a good time for any one of them, but when the starting gun fires, the race is on. 

