Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 246 Come on, call me Godfather!
"I?"

Wang Xiji felt that what Dean Qian suddenly talked to him about was somewhat unbelievable.

He rarely sees Dean Qian anymore.

Most of the time, Dean Qian was in a state of seclusion.

In recent years, for staff working in China's aerospace industry, the computing center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been more prominent than President Qian.

"That's right, it's you. You should prepare yourself. Secretary Zhang will send you the information about the N-2 project later."

Prepare well these next few days. You'll be meeting with Soviet/Russian experts, and you should treat this meeting like an interview.

This is a rare opportunity, so seize it.

The call has ended.

Wang Xiji hadn't reacted yet, standing there blankly, staring at the phone in his hand, falling into self-doubt: Can I really lead a project like N-2?

In the eyes of most Chinese people, as the first country to send a satellite into space and astronauts into space and to the moon, the Soviet Union was undoubtedly the world's leading space power.

Even though America recently achieved a manned lunar landing, it was still a step behind the Soviet Union.

As an expert in the aerospace field, Wang Xiji naturally knew that America was more powerful, but that did not mean that Soviet Russia was not strong.

America is the strongest, and the Soviet Union is equally powerful.

In particular, the N-series rockets that once sent Soviets to the moon were their trump cards.

The issue of the N-2 rocket has been discussed internally several times.

Especially after the N-2 rocket failed to launch twice in a row, they had a heated discussion about the N-2.

He was well aware of the problems with N-2. The design concept of multi-engine design was theoretically sound, but in reality, multi-engine design was riddled with problems.

However, although China understands the design concept of the N-series rockets, what they do not know is that the Soviet Union's N-2 rocket has as many as 30 engines.

Yanjing
The Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology is located here.

Two aerospace experts accompanied Kosygin this time: one was Pokrovsky, who had previously provided support to China, and the other was Valentin Glushko.

He is now the number two person in the Russian Space Agency.

In the conference room of the Fifth Academy, Glushko sat solemnly. He was a burly man with gray hair and had remained silent since he arrived at the conference room.

"Money, as you Chinese say, is like a day apart feels like three autumns. We haven't seen each other for five years, and you're still as young as ever."

Pokrovsky is fluent in Chinese, and one could even say that he is not much different from a native Chinese speaker.

He lived in Northeast China for a full five years.

"Yes, Russia's development in the aerospace field in recent years has been astonishing, especially the manned lunar landing three years ago, which shocked the whole world."

Even though Dean Qian and Pokrovsky were chatting happily on the side.

He did not speak, nor did he show the slightest interest in the content of their conversation.

Dean Qian knew that the other party was dissatisfied, dissatisfied that China had sent Wang Xiji, the so-called expert claimed by the Chinese side, whom he had never even heard of.

What they were dissatisfied with was that China did not take the Soviet Union's demands seriously.

It was quite different from the other allies of the Soviet Union.

It's important to understand that this comes in the seventh year since relations between the two countries went from warm to cold.

If it were another ally, they would treat the matter of a falling out as a major threat and take it very seriously.

China, on the other hand, chose to confront them head-on.

Now, after much effort, they have switched from Nikita to Leonid, and are now aiming to promote cooperation between the two countries in such a crucial technological field as aerospace.

In Valentin's view, this is an excellent opportunity for the two countries to move from confrontation to cooperation.

Shouldn't China have apprehended them?

Surprisingly, instead of personally sending out money, they dispatched some unknown nobody they had never heard of.

As a high-ranking technocrat in Soviet Russia, Valentin could not understand this.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wang Xiji, carrying handwritten notes and drawings, entered the conference room and greeted the three people in front of him.

The translator sitting next to Valentin was responsible for real-time translation, so Pokrovsky naturally did not need a translator.

Pokrovsky spoke first, his voice low and commanding:
"Comrade Wang, our trip is for the N1 rocket."

Korolev is gone; we need a new direction.

Your background intrigued us. Well, actually we didn't think you were up to the task, but Qian strongly recommended you.

It's less that we believe in you and more that we believe in money.

So tell me your thoughts.

Wang Xiji remained quite calm. His excitement had long since subsided after a period of research, and he had a mindset of accepting whatever came his way.

I've put in the effort; whether I pass the interview is entirely up to fate.

"It is my honor. The N2 design resulted in too many engines in the first stage. I don't know the exact number, but I guess it must be more than 10."

Its thrust is phenomenal, but its complexity presents hidden dangers. I believe the key lies in control.

Glushko leaned forward, his eyes scrutinizing: "Control? We used 30 engines to ensure thrust redundancy, but vibration and synchronization issues are a real headache. Can you share your thoughts?"

Upon hearing the number 30, Dean Qian gasped inwardly. With so many, it would be strange if no problems arose.

Wang Xiji did the same; he took a deep breath and handed over a meticulously drawn blueprint:

"My suggestion is to make the thrust of each engine adjustable."

If one engine fails or its efficiency decreases, the other engines can dynamically compensate to maintain overall stability.

Pokrovsky frowned, his tone skeptical: "Adjustable thrust? That sounds good, but how can we achieve it with our current technology?"

Wang Xiji pointed to the design on the drawing: "This is my design: optimize the gas generator circulation and add a throttle valve to control the fuel flow."

By adjusting the combustion rate, the thrust can be adjusted between 80% and 110%.

This doesn't require overturning the existing design; I think it should just require incremental improvements to the existing engine.

However, to refine the specific improvement methods, I need to gain a deeper understanding of your rocket engine.

Glushko squinted, carefully examining the blueprints. His tone shifted from skepticism to curiosity: "Throttle valves—we've tried similar methods on small engines, but the NK-15 is a different scale. Do you think our current manufacturing processes can support it?"

Wang Xi nodded: "I believe this is the only solution for multi-engine rocket launches."

Combining the manufacturing capabilities of the Soviet Union and Russia, such as precise valve machining and pressure testing, it was entirely feasible.

The challenge lies in the valve's response speed and pressure resistance, but this can be addressed through iteration.

Pokrovsky banged on the table and pressed, "Thirty engines, each with adjustable thrust, how do you coordinate them? The control system will crash."

Wang Xiji was prepared and took out another drawing: "So I designed a distributed control network."

Each engine is equipped with an independent controller to monitor and adjust thrust in real time, which is then coordinated by the central unit.

If a controller fails, the system can redistribute the load.

This is more complex than a centralized system, but more flexible and reliable.

Of course, this requires the cooperation of China's semiconductor industry, and China's technology in the semiconductor field is undoubtedly more advanced than that of the Soviet Union and Russia.

The controller will be manufactured in China.

Glushko and Pokrovsky exchanged a glance, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes, because Wang Xiji's idea was extremely imaginative.

Glushko nodded slowly: "Distributed control is very advanced. Our current system is centralized, simple but rigid."

"Wang, you are very talented, but your plan is still too radical."

After the interview, Valentin and Pokrovsky left the meeting room.

Dean Qian clapped and said, "Xi Ji, your design is amazing. I think it should be enough to impress the Soviet Union. After all, NASA's moon landing put a lot of pressure on them. Be ready at any time."

Furthermore, if the multi-engine parallel rocket is successfully developed, it will also be a good thing for us. On the one hand, we can simultaneously advance the development of high-thrust engines and the technical approach of parallel small-thrust engines.

At that time, China still relied heavily on technology transfer from the Soviet Union and Russia in the field of rocket engines.

This includes the RD-101 engine, which was transferred in 1957 and used a mixture of alcohol and liquid oxygen as fuel.

The YF-1 version of the DF-2 medium-range ballistic missile is based on the Soviet/Russian OKB-2's C.2.1150 engine with significant improvements.

Therefore, in essence, the technological path adopted by Soviet Russia was highly beneficial to China.

Trying to take on something like the Saturn V is too unrealistic, but if multi-engine parallel operation is feasible, it would be a rare opportunity to overtake others.

Wang Xiji's proposed solution bears the imprint of the later Falcon 9.

The Falcon 9 uses nine Merlin engines, which rely on modern flight computers and engine oscillation for control. Its thrust can be adjusted between 20% and 100% to ensure that a single engine failure will not affect the overall launch.

The N-2's engine is not adjustable and its thrust is fixed. In addition, its control system is the original KORD system.

KORD-64 was an analog computer developed by the Soviet Union specifically for the N-2 rocket. It used analog circuits to perform mathematical calculations and control operations in real time, and could perform up to 5000 calculations per second.

Like the later digital KORD computer, KORD was designed to operate in harsh environments.

The secrecy surrounding KORD was so high that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, almost all photos of N-1 related hardware were widely published by researchers and publishing institutions in Europe and America, but the KORD module remained completely unknown.

It's as if it never existed.

Now, the Chinese are going to replace the Soviet-made control systems.

The news from the Soviet Union came in mid-1967: the Soviet Union and China were going to promote cooperation in the aerospace field. Wang Xiji was among the first group of Chinese experts to provide support to the Soviet Union. This news was extremely encouraging at the time.

Whether it's semiconductor technology or the assistance provided by Chinese experts to the Soviet Union and Russia in space exploration, these are the most direct manifestations of China's technological development in the minds of the people more than a decade after its founding.

However, since it was Wang Xiji, not Dean Qian, he was not in charge of N-2. Valentin was the leader of the N-2 research group, while Wang Xiji served as the deputy leader.

China's space program has entered a new chapter.

January 1, 1967.

Fred hosted a grand New Year's Eve dinner at 38 East 37th Street in Manhattan, which was attended by some of New York's most prominent celebrities.

This was not only because Fred himself had become a rising political star in recent years, but also because Fred had invited Lin Ran.

After helping NASA complete the moon landing mission, he recuperated in New York, leaving the Washington spotlight entirely to President Lyndon Johnson, and chose to attend a dinner hosted by Fred.

This was partly due to Fred's invitation, and partly because the dinner was held at 38 East 37th Street in Manhattan.

The last time he came here was six years ago, when John Morgan brought him.

They came together to attend the fundraising dinner Finch hosted for Nixon.

There will be a special segment to add to the festivities after the dinner.

This time, the familiar limestone facade, with a rough stone base and a smooth stone upper layer, was still there.

The central entrance features a portico supported by four Ionic columns, evoking the feel of ancient Rome. Above the columns are reliefs of eagles and two female statues on either side.

The familiar environment, the familiar design style, and the fact that he was still with John Morgan—but Lin Ran's state of mind was completely different.

He was well aware of the symbolic meaning of attending Fred's dinner party instead of the White House, but Lin Ran still made the choice.

It wasn't that Lin Ran disliked Lyndon Johnson; it was simply because Lin Ran felt that he had reached a point where he could do whatever he wanted.

Even if he did verbally support Fred, Lyndon Johnson wouldn't dare to do anything to him.

“It’s such a nostalgic time.” John Morgan stood in the doorway, looking up at the relief on the door. “Back then, I was a carefree rich kid, and now I control most of the Morgan family’s manufacturing businesses.”

Professor, honestly, manufacturing is no job for humans. I regret not continuing in finance back then.

The term "rich kids" is used here instead of "second-generation rich kids" because there was no specific slang term for them in the 60s. They were generally referred to as "rich kids" or "wealthy youth," without a specific label like "trust fund kids" later on.

Moreover, John Morgan's social standing is much higher than that of a typical rich kid.

As for Jenny, she originally wanted to attend the New Year's Eve dinner with Lin Ran, but after learning that it was Fred, she immediately said that it would be better for her to spend New Year's Day with her family.

Fred was the kind of person who stinks even when exposed to the wind.

Today's attendees are mostly businessmen and politicians; there are almost no academics present, except for Lin Ran.

Lin Ran smiled and said, "John, you can now pack up all your General Aerospace and General Electric Computer divisions and hand them over to your uncle Francis. I believe he will be very happy to help you with this."

Francis here refers to Francis Tracy Morgan, who is almost 70 years old.

Judging from the current situation, the next head of the Morgan family will likely be either Francis or John Morgan.

John Morgan performed better, but Francis had broader support from within the Morgan family.

This is easy to understand. Francis is seventy years old. He can only serve as the patriarch for a maximum of ten years before retiring. Age is an unstoppable killer.

John Morgan was only 40 years old; if he were to become the patriarch, he could hold that position for at least 20 years.

From their own perspective, no one wants John Morgan to be in this position.

Even if members of the Morgan family don't have the opportunity to get the position, as long as there is a change in the position, candidates who want the position will need to use benefits to buy them off.

After John Morgan came to power, I won't receive the benefits of the buyout for more than 20 years. Who will make up for the missing piece of the pie for me?

So even though John Morgan single-handedly built star companies like General Aerospace, pushed GE to merge with Glenn Martin, and made a fortune in the Vietnam War through his cooperation with China, his position as patriarch was still not secure.

John Morgan waved his hand repeatedly: "I'm willing to endure this hardship for several more years."

Of course, John Morgan was not without his advantages; Adams, the middle name of his name, was his greatest asset.

Secondly, Lin Ran's support from the professor was also very important.

"Oh my goodness, look who's here."

Fred came out to greet him personally with his son, his expression full of smugness. "The professor is here on my turf, not Lyndon Johnson, and certainly not Nixon."

"Professor, I can't wait to introduce you to the guests here, and I'm sure the guests here are also eager to meet you."

During my time here, all the guests asked me the same question: "Where is the professor? When will the professor arrive? Why hasn't the professor come yet?"

Then he patted his son on the head: "Quickly call him godfather."

Lin Ran thought to himself, "You really know how to take advantage of people. We haven't even had a ceremony, and I haven't even agreed, yet you've already asked them to call you godfather."

"Godfather." The young white teenager looked bewildered, showing neither admiration nor dissatisfaction, simply following his father's instructions.

He was still studying at Wharton Business School at the time. Because he had reached the age required for military service, he was deemed fit to serve and was about to be sent to the Baiyue battlefield.

Indeed, if Fred were still a businessman, he would have repeatedly used injuries and illnesses to evade military service.

First, he was classified as Y- due to bone spurs, and then he was granted a conditional medical exemption.

They were reclassified as 4-F, deemed unfit for military service, and permanently exempted from military service.

But Fred had already entered politics and was making great strides in it.

A rising star in New York.

Given this, Fred, who is dedicated to building the T family, certainly cannot allow his son to evade military service and bear the stain of draft evasion.

In America, having served in the military is a big plus for politicians, especially those running for election; if they've served on the front lines, the bonus is even greater.

If Fred wanted to build a political family like Hearst or Kennedy, then his draft evasion would be tantamount to burying all hope.

So fate took a turn here.

Fred's son was not only not allowed to evade military service, but he also had to go to the front lines.

Of course, there are different positions on the front lines; some are high-risk and low-reward, while others are low-risk and high-reward.

This is also why Fred insisted on having his son call him godfather today.

If you call him Godfather, will the professor still watch you go to the Baiyue jungle and fight with tree trunks?

(End of this chapter)