While Kraft returned to school life and waited for his exams, the Life Foundation's space program proceeded steadily. On the day of the rocket launch, several television stations broadcast it live.
"Quite a few big names..."
Watching the station interview the participants before the launch, Kraft recognized several renowned figures in the scientific community.
Reed Richards, for instance, was a genius every bit as brilliant as Tony Stark. He simply wasn't as flashy as Tony Stark, so he received less media coverage.
Like most geniuses, however, Reed Richards had his own shortcomings. He knew nothing about managing money, loved researching bizarre things, and frequently caused accidents in the process, so funding his research was always a major problem.
Whenever Reed Richards's research began running short of money, he would go out and sweet-talk others into investing. But the man was like a reincarnated gnome: his experiments always went wrong for one reason or another.
Although Dr. Richards always managed to solve the problems eventually, the additional damage caused by his experiments usually sent costs soaring far beyond expectations. Very few companies that invested in him came out ahead.
After enough people got burned, Reed Richards gradually found himself unable to attract investors. Only then did he consider selling some of his inventions, but his terrible track record meant few people wanted to buy them, and those who did drove the prices way down.
Who knew what price Reed Richards had paid to persuade Carlton Drake to bring him along?
"The Life Foundation actually dared to bring Dr. Richards aboard. You have to admire their courage."
Kraft sighed. Reed Richards was the kind of walking disaster who could create trouble out of thin air, so he had very little faith in the Life Foundation's space program.
Aside from that walking disaster