Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 183 The Probability of Success (4k)

Yuri Gagarin struggles to move under simulated lunar gravity as he attempts to connect the fuel line.

Currently, there are two main ways to simulate the low-gravity environment of the moon.

Underwater training utilizes the buoyancy of water in conjunction with adjustable simulation equipment to achieve an effect equivalent to one-sixth of gravity. This method is particularly suitable for simulating the slow, floating sensation experienced by astronauts moving and operating on the lunar surface.

Another type is a venue created using a suspension system and air cushion, where astronauts or equipment are suspended in the air by ropes, pulleys and springs to offset some of their weight.

With current technology, the second method has more problems.

It only offers limited degrees of freedom in the horizontal direction, and it's difficult to fully simulate the complex terrain of the lunar surface. Having astronauts suspended by ropes also easily disrupts the fluidity of their movements.

However, this does not preclude simulation training using these two methods.

At this moment, Gagarin was suspended by ropes and was being trained using a model provided by America.

Korolev instructed over the walkie-talkie: "Yuri, be careful, the tube is fragile."

Gagarin, panting, replied, "I know, but the gloves are too thick, making it too difficult to operate."

Korolev frowned and pressed the intercom: "Yuri, you did a good job."

Let's take a break and try again.

He thought to himself, "The fuel system must be simplified; the environment on the lunar surface will only be more complex than our simulation."

If things are still this complicated on the moon, then we're doomed.

We haven't even considered the extreme temperature differences and complex lunar surface conditions yet.

While Gagarin was still training in the simulation environment, Korolev had already gone ahead to the conference room to make a remote call with NASA.

"Randolph, your fuel system design is not simple enough and is too difficult to operate."

Both sides are on standby 24 hours a day and can communicate by long-distance phone at any time if there are any problems.

NASA had a secretary specifically informing Lin Ran, and similarly, the Soviet Union had a dedicated person informing Korolev.

The goal is to avoid wasting time and ensure that we can find the right person and solve the problem as soon as possible.

After Korolev finished explaining the Gagarin test, a calm voice came through the phone:
"Sorry, we can only simplify the operation as much as possible while ensuring redundancy through more practice."

If we want to further reduce the difficulty of operation, then we have to sacrifice redundancy.

For example, the double sealing mechanism could be changed to a single-layer sealing mechanism, so that Gagarin only needs to open one layer during operation.

Alternatively, you can skip filling the fuel tank with nitrogen and also eliminate the dual fuel lines.

But Korolev, we know that redundancy is more important than ease of operation.

We must ensure this.

Anything can happen on the moon, right?

The more redundancy there is, the greater the chance Gagarin will return.

After a moment of silence, Lin Ran's voice rang out again: "I forgot to tell you, remember to paint the models I gave you."

It should be easier to work with after coloring.

Korolev asked in confusion, "Coloring?"

Lin Ran replied, "That's right."

In the final physical products, whether it's valves, connectors, or pipelines, we will use color coding.

The red valve is the main valve, the green valve is the backup valve, and the blue valve is the connector. This design helps Gagarin complete the identification as quickly as possible.

Simple operating instructions will also be included for items such as the fuel tank and the surface of the lunar lander, so that he can quickly remember what to do even if he forgets it immediately.

Because I thought these could be sent to you by telegram and you could add them yourselves, NASA didn't waste any time.

In addition, we will also use a threaded steel locking mechanism for the model's interface to increase friction and prevent it from slipping.

In short, the current model is only a simplified version. When it's actually put into operation on the moon, Gagarin will only find it simpler, not more complex.

After listening, Korolev patted his head and said that he had felt something was missing ever since he saw the model.

It turns out that color coding was missing.

Color coding first appeared in the 50s when color standards for electrical wires were established to ensure the safety and efficiency of electrical engineering.

It was later widely used in transportation, maps, icons, and industrial equipment, and naturally, aerospace engineering as well.

Color coding has become an indispensable tool for engineers and operators to quickly identify complex equipment and systems.

“Okay, I understand what you mean, Randolph. When will the color codes and simple instructions be sent?” Korolev asked.

Lin Ran said, "We still have one last detail to confirm in half an hour."

At this moment, in NASA's conference room, the coffee cups on the desks were all empty, and the secretary didn't have time to refill them. Everyone was using coffee as fuel for carbon-based life.

Lin Ran took a deep breath, looked around at everyone, and thought to himself, "Korolev is in a hurry for these documents, so we must not make any mistakes in the details."

He said slowly and in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, Korolev just inquired about the progress of the color coding and the simplified instructions."

I promised to send it in half an hour, but before that, I must make sure every detail is perfect.

The most important thing about role-playing within NASA is to abandon the language habits you've developed over the first twenty years of your life.

Fortunately, Lin Ran adapted well and did not blurt out "Comrade Korolev" in front of the NASA engineers.

Mary Jones adjusted her glasses, her tone firm:

"Professor, we have designed a standardized scheme for color coding. But I am worried about whether Soviet engineers are familiar with our coding system."

Lin Ran said, "If their system is different from ours, misunderstandings could have serious consequences."

He turned to another engineer, Tom: "Tom, you're in charge of liaising with the Soviet engineers and making sure they understand our color codes."

Tom nodded, his fingers flying across the keyboard: "Understood. I will prepare a detailed color chart with explanations in English and Russian."

Mary added, "Regarding the instruction manual, we have completed a simplified version, including operating procedures and precautions. However, considering the lunar environment, should we provide special instructions on dust prevention and temperature control?"

Lin Ran pondered for a moment, the image of astronauts operating on the lunar surface flashing through his mind, and weighed the options in his heart: "The environment is harsh, so we have to prepare for all these details."

Lin Ran nodded and said, "Yes, Mary, you must emphasize the importance of using the dust cover and temperature control."

Tom interjected, "Professor, time is of the essence. Can we release a preliminary version first and then supplement it later?"

Lin Ran shook his head decisively, his tone firm: "No, the Soviet Union needs the complete version. A half-finished product will damage trust in the cooperation." He made a silent resolution: "It must be done in one go."

Mary nodded in agreement: "I agree. Should we also include emergency procedures in the instruction manual?"

Lin Ran immediately responded: "Absolutely. Emergency procedures for fuel leaks and valve malfunctions must be included."

Tom quickly jotted down: "Understood, I'll make sure the manual covers all emergency situations."

Lin Ran glanced at his watch, his heart tightening: "Only twenty-five minutes left."

He decisively assigned tasks: "Mary, you are responsible for the final confirmation of the color codes; Tom, you are responsible for the layout and translation of the instruction manual, and the other assistants will assist the two of them."

Mary and Tom replied in unison, "Yes, Professor."

Gagarin stood beside a model of the fuel tank, holding a simple instruction manual with clear operating steps and diagrams printed on the pages.

He glanced down and noticed the color markings on the fuel tank: red for main valves, green for backup valves, and blue for connectors.

The smell of paint assaulted his sense of smell, and Gagarin thought to himself, "These improvements are really good. They're much simpler than operating from memory. Why didn't I have them yesterday? Were they deliberately making things difficult for me?"

Following the first step of the instructions, he bent down, grasped the blue connector, and aligned it with the fuel tank interface. He gave it a firm push, and with a "click," the connector locked securely in place.

He looked up at Korolev on the observation platform and gave a satisfied smile.

Korolev said over the walkie-talkie, "Comrade Gagarin, the connector docking went smoothly. Proceed to the next step."

Gagarin nodded, his voice firm: "Understood, Comrade Korolev."

He turned and walked towards the valve area, lightly touching the red main valve with his finger to confirm that it was closed.

He then opened the green backup valve to ensure the fuel line was clear.

His movements were fluid and precise. As he operated the machine, he quickly glanced at the instruction manual to verify that the steps were correct.

The training instructor took notes, while Korolev watched Gagarin's every move closely, nodding to himself: "The color coding and instructions make the operation much more intuitive, and the risk of error has been greatly reduced."

Finally, Gagarin opened the red main valve, simulating the start of fuel flow.

His gaze was fixed on the pressure gauge, the pointer of which remained stable within the normal range.

He breathed a sigh of relief, a sense of accomplishment welling up inside him: "This operation went more smoothly than any I've ever done before."

After completing the operation, Gagarin wiped the sweat from his forehead and strode towards the observation platform.

Korolev put down his binoculars, a rare smile on his face, and walked down the steps to greet him.

Korolev asked, "Comrade Gagarin, how are you feeling? How are the new signs and instructions doing?"

Gagarin said in a relaxed tone, "Very good, Comrade Korolev. The color coding allows me to find the key parts at a glance, and the instruction manual is concise and clear, making me feel much more confident when operating it."

Korolev patted Gagarin on the shoulder: "That's good, this is the latest change from America's team."

Gagarin smiled and said, "I completely understand. Our cooperation came too suddenly, and we had very little time for both sides."

Hopefully, things will go just as smoothly on the moon.

Koroly's tone turned serious: "Yes, we are becoming more and more prepared."

Korolev said, "Alright, the testing in the Earth environment is over. Now we're going to start training in the simulated environment. Yuri, you understand, the more thorough our training, the lower the probability of errors."

Gagarin looked at the training ground, nodded, and imagined the surface of the moon, filled with anticipation.

"Moon landing also depends on the timing, because our technology is limited and we cannot launch successfully anytime and anywhere."

In reality, launches are highly time-dependent and require a suitable time window.

It wasn't until three days before the moon landing that Lin Ran met Jenny, who had come from Washington, in Huntsville.

Jenny had expected Lin Ran to look exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, as if he were completely worn out, but to her surprise, he looked exactly the same as usual.

"Professor, so our time window this year is December 21st?" Jenny asked.

Lin Ran nodded: "That's right. To be precise, there are two suitable time windows this year. One is July 20th, when the moon is in full phase and the near side of the moon is facing the earth."

It is beneficial for the landing of the lunar lander and communication between Earth and the Moon.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't ideal that day; it was a thunderstorm.

With global attention and the fact that America would be broadcasting the moon landing live on television, the launch date had already been publicized by the media and was known to everyone.

At least 12 percent of the public plan to take the day off on December 21st and stay home to watch the live television broadcast.

The same applies to the people of Europe and Soviet Russia.

Major European television stations have purchased broadcasting rights from America.

"The Soviet Union originally planned for the 15th, but because we wanted to cooperate, the date was changed to the 21st, a delay of six days," Lin Ran continued.

This information comes directly from the official NASA administrator and the interim administrator of the Russian Space Agency, exclusively available to The New York Times.

Other newspapers have already tried to poach Jenny with editor-in-chief salaries.

Only Jenny, whose last name is Hearst, wouldn't be swayed by such paltry sums.

"Professor, is it because there wasn't enough time to prepare?"

As far as I know, people all over the world are silently praying for Gagarin, hoping that he can return safely.

"During this period, there have been many expert science programs on television about the moon landing, and people are generally not optimistic that he will come back alive," Jenny asked.

She asked this question partly out of genuine curiosity, and partly out of journalistic habit—these are things that could be featured in a New York Times article, according to NASA insiders.

Are there any insiders more authoritative than professors?

Lin Ran said, "Oh, no, no, no, the postponement is not because of insufficient preparation. Six more days or six less days makes little difference for a mission like this."

The delay is because our two sides have overlapping plans for the moon landing.

We don't launch from the same location; we launch from different launch sites. So we need to choose a location that ensures we land at similar points after launch.

Therefore, the timing also needs to be adjusted accordingly.

This is the timing I carefully calculated; it can increase the success rate by at least 20%!

Lin Ran thought to himself, "This is the result calculated using the best computing card cluster at New York University in 2020. It's already the limit of what I can do."

"So, Professor, is it really true, as the experts outside say, that the probability of successfully returning to Earth is only 10%?"

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(End of this chapter)