Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 280 A Miracle of One Man

Bilibili's documentary on the moon landing has been released online. It costs 6 yuan for four hours and was released on Chinese New Year's Eve. The number of purchases has exceeded 50 million, which is almost on par with Bilibili's daily active users.

According to Bilibili's 2021 financial report, their average monthly users were 2.72 million.

This wave has made Bilibili incredibly wealthy, with a paid subscription rate approaching 20%. Keep in mind that the 50 million paid subscribers were only during the Spring Festival holiday, and the number is expected to continue to rise.

It can be said that Bilibili only spent 12 billion yuan to convert 50 million users into paying customers. In 2021, when the mobile internet is so mature, this business is definitely very profitable.

CCTV simply used the documentary clips from Bilibili, and Bilibili had no way to resist CCTV.

"The clip you just watched was from the first episode of the documentary 'Replicating Apollo,' titled 'A Miracle of One Man.' The young man in that clip is now sitting right in front of me. Let's give Professor Lin Ran a warm round of applause and congratulate him on his successful moon landing."

Xiao Sa clapped very enthusiastically, and the audience in the studio followed suit.

Only those from reputable local ministries, enterprises, and institutions in Beijing could get tickets to attend Lin Ran's interview.

For marginal public institutions, you can only hear about them from friends, relatives, and classmates.

Even organizations that are allocated votes have to resort to all sorts of tricks to get them from the union.

This is the appeal of the first person to walk on the moon.

"Hello everyone, I'm Lin Ran."

Xiao Sa laughed and said, "Last time I came, I felt I could still reluctantly mention being recommended to Peking University, but now I feel that mentioning it again would be a bit of an insult."

After all, I'm already quite old and I still need Yenching University to pat me on the back. Professor Lin, Jiaotong University is already proud of you.

Online, people are jokingly saying that because of your existence, Jiaotong University has risen to the top 3.

Okay, top 2 is still slightly ahead of top 3.

After going around in circles, we've come back to the familiar old tropes.

Lin Ran nodded: "It doesn't matter. As long as I'm still at Jiaotong University, Jiaotong University will become the top university sooner or later."

Xiao Sa quickly said, "I will have retired by then, and I won't have to face Professor Lin in the CCTV studio anymore. I will let my son go to Shanghai Jiao Tong University."

This made the audience burst into laughter.

Xiao Sa then steered the conversation back to the interview itself: "Professor Lin, when was that clip from earlier?"

Lin Ran replied without hesitation, "It was in September of the year before last, when I returned to China."

Xiao Sa then asked, "So, at that time, you had already put forward the slogan of going to the moon?"

Lin Ran nodded: "Yes, our employees were very clear at that time that our goal was the moon."

Xiao Sa asked, "We can see from the video that Apollo Technology only had one hundred employees at the time."

Lin Ran corrected, "To be precise, there are 108 employees, including 52 interns from Jiaotong University and 27 employees who are over 80 years old. That means there are only 29 truly experienced employees, including myself."

Lin Ran is very knowledgeable about numbers and can recall them with ease.

Xiao Sa swallowed hard: "So, when you spoke in the video, the 'one against a hundred' you mentioned included interns and NASA employees?"

Did you say at the time that you wanted to complete the moon landing by the end of 21?

Lin Ran replied, "Yes, what I mean is that all 108 of us together can unleash the same fighting power as the tens of thousands of NASA employees in the 60s."

No, I only said that our goal is to replicate the Apollo moon landing; only a few core employees know the specific timeline.

After all, in that context, it was a bit too shocking; I was afraid it would scare people away.

Xiao Sa sighed, "Yes, even now that Professor Lin has successfully landed on the moon, when we look back at this journey, we still find it incredible."

So what gave you confidence back then, making you feel that you could definitely do it?

Even as outsiders, if I were to go back to 2020, I would find it hard to believe that you could actually complete the moon landing by the end of 2021.

Lin Ran thought for a moment and said, "I think this is thanks to China's strong industrial base, my mastery of the entire Apollo moon landing project, and China's outstanding engineering community."

These three factors combined to create this miracle.

So when I saw the Bilibili documentary called "A Miracle of One Man," I felt it was a bit of an exaggeration.

"I certainly couldn't accomplish such a great feat by myself alone."

Xiao Sa corrected, "Professor, only the first episode is called that. I've watched all eight episodes of the documentary, and I think it makes a lot of sense."

After all, at that point in the first episode, it was called a miracle by one person because you were the only one who believed that the Apollo moon landing could definitely be accomplished.

The documentary on Bilibili is divided into 8 episodes, each 30 minutes long.

Xiao Sa then asked, "I believe this is a question that I, and most people, are very curious about: was the initial funding for Apollo Technology from Buzz Aldrin? If so, how did you convince him?"

Because of Aldrin's words on the moon, he has a very positive image in China.

After all, in the eyes of the Chinese, these words were tantamount to his political death in America, an act of sacrificing himself for righteousness.

In Chinese values, the act of sacrificing oneself for righteousness carries very high weight in evaluation.

Even from a utilitarian perspective, Aldrin's moon landing across the centuries still enjoys a high enough reputation.

Combined, these two factors made Aldrin an absolutely positive figure in China.

"This is because we all share the same obsession with going to the moon."

Buzz had always dreamed of going to the moon again, and I also wanted to go see it, so we hit it off immediately.

I simply wrote him a letter, and then Buzz bought a plane ticket to China, bringing his old buddies along with him.

Including funds, he sold all his assets, totaling about thirty million US dollars, to me as start-up capital, including his villa, house, stocks, and so on in America.

So I'm very grateful to him, and of course I didn't let him down. Thirty million US dollars for a round-trip ticket to the moon isn't expensive.

The audience, including Xiao Sa, had their mouths agape the entire time. From the moment the matter was settled with just one letter, their mouths never closed.

Does this work too?
"This works? Just one letter?" Xiao Sa couldn't help but exclaim.

Lin Ran thought for a moment: "There was one more phone call, that's all."

"This is the first time I've ever heard of attracting investment being so easy."

After all, Aldrin gave you his entire fortune. This is truly a case of kindred spirits meeting like Zhong Ziqi and Boya. Not much is needed for everyone to reach a consensus.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Novels need logic, but reality never does.

"Professor Lin and Dr. Aldrin shared a common passion and dedication to the moon landing, which is why they hit it off immediately, collaborated, and together created a new miracle for the world," Xiao Sa concluded.

Lin Ran said, "Actually, money is not a problem for me; it's just a matter of sooner or later."

I approached Buzz just so we could finalize the moon landing plan quickly.

To find other investors, I would have to explain why we don't build reusable rockets, why we want to go to the moon, and how much investment is needed to develop the moon into an outpost base after the moon landing.

If you don't mention the latter, others won't understand your intentions; if you do mention the latter, the enormous cost of terraforming the moon could easily scare away investors.

So at the time, I simply thought that contacting Buzz would be the easiest thing to do, and things turned out exactly as I expected. It only took me a letter and a phone call to contact Buzz.

After securing the Baz project, Shenhai local state-owned assets provided me with an investment of the same amount, and brought in sponsorships from Bilibili and Tencent, which basically covered the expenses needed for the moon landing.

From my perspective, I found it very smooth, like a skilled butcher carving up an ox. It looks complicated, but based on my understanding of oxen, I was able to dissect it easily.

Outsiders might think, wow, such a huge project was completed in just over a year. As the chief coordinator of the lunar landing project and also an astronaut, he must have undergone a lot of training to get to the moon, which must have been extremely hard and tiring.

Actually, I didn't feel that way. I felt everything went very smoothly, and I didn't feel tired at all. On the contrary, I felt very excited and wanted to do even more.

Lin Ran smiled, and the audience could sense happiness in her smile.

Xiao Sa asked, "So what's the thing you most want to do after the moon landing is complete?"

Lin Ran laughed and said, "Let's test launch the reusable rocket that we internally call 'Burning One Modified'."

This should also be China's first medium-sized reusable rocket.

Actually, I'm a workaholic. I don't know when my life started, but I've been running at full speed without stopping, and I don't want to stop.

Lin Ran knew exactly when it started, from December 31, 2019, a turning point in his life that changed his entire world.

"It seems that successful people, the more successful they are, the more they enjoy their work and their careers," Xiao Sa said.

Lin Ran: "I don't know about others, and I don't know if I can be considered successful, but at least I love what I do."

Xiao Sa sighed, "That's why the professor was able to achieve things that others wouldn't even dare to dream of at the age of 20."

Whether in the fields of mathematics or aerospace, his achievements are unmatched by others.

I feel a lot of pressure every time I interview a professor. They are on a much higher level than me. I am afraid that after the program airs, netizens will complain that I look like a primary school student standing next to a professor.

So, Professor, what was the most memorable moment for you during this moon landing?

Lin Ran replied without hesitation, "When I stepped onto the lunar surface, the gravity was only one-sixth that of Earth. This was an experience I had never had before."

Including the fact that the moon landing itself was a matter of chance, I felt very emotional.

When I chose the Apollo moon landing as my undergraduate thesis, my advisor was also supervising four other students. During a meeting with the five of us, he joked that maybe some of us would be able to participate in the moon landing project and become the main force in it.

I later ran into him at school. He never imagined that I was not only a key figure in the lunar landing project, but I also spearheaded a private organization's lunar landing and even personally set foot on the moon.

After tireless efforts, I set foot on another planet. This had nothing to do with fame, honor, or status. The moon has always hung in Earth's sky. I went there, I saw it, I felt it. Just like Manoli's answer to why he climbed mountains: because the mountains are there.

Similarly, why go to the moon? Because the moon is there.

Lin Ran's face was filled with emotion.

The audience could feel the emotions in Lin Ran's words, and everyone spontaneously applauded.

The original plan was to discuss why I became an astronaut and other related topics.

However, given that Lin Ran's previous remarks were somewhat taboo, this part was completely deleted.

Xiao Sa then asked, "Professor, after this successful moon landing, I believe that routinely traveling between the moon and Earth should not be a problem."

"A trip to the moon would cost 12 billion RMB, and if that cost can be further reduced, I believe that getting to the moon itself isn't a problem. Then, what about developing the moon into an outpost—that is, building electromagnetic transmission towers, photovoltaic power stations, and a lunar base, as you mentioned in the interview? How long do you think it would take to realize these things? What difficulties would be encountered along the way, and what benefits would this bring to ordinary people like us?"

Lin Ran said, "This topic is too broad."

From a technical perspective, we need to overcome the temperature difference on the moon and ensure that spacecraft launched from the moon can withstand high acceleration and heat loads.

Deploying a lunar launch tower, with current technology, would likely require a tower as tall as 1600 meters, and the weight transported to the moon would exceed 400 tons.

Building a launch tower requires 400 tons of materials, which is too expensive.

How many people would be needed to assemble such a large launch tower? Could we send so many people to the moon at the same time? How would we ensure their survival on the moon?
These are all questions.

There are countless problems, including energy supply and storage modules, adaptation to lunar dust, and so on, that we need to overcome one by one.

This is a massive project ten thousand times more complex than the lunar landing project. It's not just because we have the Apollo moon landing as a reference point. Building a launch tower on the moon is something no one can inspire us with. We need to navigate each pitfall ourselves.

I refer to it collectively as the lunar terraforming project, which is far more difficult than the Apollo moon landing.

To achieve this, it is a long-term process, and it is difficult to have a clear end point.

It will continue to advance, and I expect the first lunar launch tower to be built in five to ten years, followed by continuous construction and optimization.

It's like building a city; it's not something that ends once it's built, but rather a continuous and dynamic process.

As for the benefits for ordinary people, of course there are.

Professor Sa, did you know that historically, the people of America did not support NASA's Apollo program? They felt that too much money was wasted on landing on the moon.

Even if we could actually go to the moon, what would that have to do with us?
What we care about are various benefits such as healthcare, education, and housing.

Even in the Washington, D.C. area at that time, which had the highest average level of education in all of America, public opinion polls regarding the government's massive investment in a moon landing did not show a higher approval rating than opposition.

Lin Ran recounted: "Then NASA did a lot of work, including publicizing it, holding aerospace lectures in schools, building museums, and opening up the NASA trademark so that any company could use it after applying, etc."

In the 60-timeline, all these activities must be approved by Lin Ran before the funds are allocated.

He spoke with great feeling about it.

"And a large number of derivative applications of aerospace development have become popular among the general public."

Satellite technology has profoundly impacted modern weather forecasting, navigation, and communication technologies, with GPS and BeiDou satellites being indispensable in modern society.

The memory foam that people often sleep on today was also developed by NASA's Ames Research Center to improve the cushioning and safety of spacecraft and enhance the protection of astronauts during launch and landing.

There are many examples. For instance, if we can actually build a lunar launch tower, then this thermal management system alone, if used in domestic new energy vehicles, could fundamentally solve the problem that the range of new energy vehicles is reduced regardless of whether the temperature is too high or too low.

You see, this technology alone can greatly enhance the entire new energy vehicle industry.

This is just the impact of technology. In addition to technology, we will drive employment and the development of an entire industry, providing at least hundreds of thousands of decent jobs directly or indirectly.

It is by no means unrelated to ordinary people; on the contrary, if commercial spaceflight develops, it will be closely related to each and every one of us.

Lin Ran's CCTV interview sparked heated discussions among netizens.

"I knew people would believe the Qin Shi Huang money scam. One letter can bring in 30 million. No wonder so many Indians call America. America is indeed full of fools with lots of money."

"Burning God is not just a genius, he definitely has the physique of a succubus, he's too good at deceiving people."

"That's true. It's said that during his university years, Ran Shen monopolized the study abroad consulting business at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and even drove away New Oriental, which was doing the same business next door."

The fact that Lin Ran was doing study abroad consulting was confirmed by many Jiaotong University students on various social media platforms. Then netizens linked it to the closure of New Oriental's Jiaotong University campus in those years, saying that Lin Ran had ruined New Oriental's business.

In reality, it was just New Oriental moving; it had nothing to do with Lin Ran at all.

This also belongs to the legend of Jiaotong University after Lin Ran's rise to power, Lin Ran drove New Oriental away.

"If our boss had this ability to attract investment, we wouldn't have to go to work in fear every day."

The focus of the discussion was not Lin Ran's explanation of the significance of spaceflight, but rather how a single letter and phone call secured a $3000 million investment.

This 30 million was even all of Aldrin's wealth, which he had lost after going bankrupt.

In mid-February, the Apollo Technology rocket test center of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation was to conduct the first static ignition test of the Burn-2 modified rocket.

The purpose is to verify engine performance, structural integrity, and the functionality of the newly added recyclable system.

In the control room of the testing center, the lights are bright and the screens display real-time data streams.

Lin Ran, sitting at the front, said: "Each group, report your status."

Propulsion team: "Engine system normal."

Fuel crew: "Refueling complete, fuel tank 100% full."

The structural team stated, "The landing legs and grid fins are ready for deployment testing."

Lin Ran instructed, "Okay, let's conduct a static ignition test."

This is our first time testing a recyclable system, and everything must go perfectly.

Announcer: "T minus 10, 9, 8"

At T7, the seven YF-102 engines ignited, spewing flames with deafening force.

Lin Ran stared intently at the screen: "Engine pressure is normal, thrust level is within the expected range."

The alarm suddenly sounded.

The technician said nervously, "Professor, there's a fluctuation in engine number 4."

Lin Ran frowned, remaining calm: "Monitor closely. If it exceeds the limit, we may need to suspend operations."

The fluctuations are stable.

The technician breathed a sigh of relief: "Back to normal."

Lin Ran: "Continue, initiate the landing leg deployment sequence."

The screen showed the landing legs slowly extending and locking.

Lin Ran: "Landing legs deployed successfully. Now testing the grid fins."

The angle of the grille fins is adjusted to simulate descent control.

Lin Ran: "The grille fins responded well. Test complete. Engine off."

The engine was shut off, and applause filled the conference room.

Lin Ran: "Well done. This static ignition test was a great success. Now let's analyze the data to make sure there are no unexpected issues."

Throughout the ignition test, all seven YF-102 engines were ignited at full power for 130 seconds to verify thrust stability and the deployment of landing legs/grid fins.

Data collection included engine pressure, temperature, vibration data, landing leg locking force, and grid fin response time.

A grid fin is a special aerodynamic control device used to provide directional control and stability when a rocket re-enters the atmosphere. It first appeared on ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union in the 50s and was later used by SpaceX for reusable rockets.

They help the rocket adjust its trajectory and attitude during high-speed descent to ensure a precise landing.

The grid fins consist of a series of intersecting mesh-like structures. When air flows through these meshes, it generates lateral forces that help the rocket adjust its direction.

The grid fins are particularly effective in the supersonic and subsonic phases.

When a rocket is landing upside down, with the engine facing upwards, the grid fins can function like small wings, providing stability and control.

The grille fins reduce air resistance when folded, making them suitable for the launch phase, and provide precise trajectory adjustment when deployed.

At the same time, compared with traditional planar fins, grid fins are lighter and more heat-resistant, making them suitable for high-speed return environments.

(Close-up of the grille fins)

The Hyperbola-1 rocket, developed by the Chinese company iSpace in 2019, also includes four grid fins in its first stage.

The landing legs are mainly used to support the rocket in maintaining a stable attitude during landing.

The team remained calm and composed. In other teams, a successful static ignition test would have led to a hug and celebration.

The applause from the Apollo Technology team members was merely polite.

This is the confidence that the moon landing brought to the entire team.

After the data collection was completed, Lin Ran, who was preparing for the formal launch test of the Burning-1 modified rocket, never imagined that this rocket would play a huge role in the meat grinder of Eastern Europe so soon.

(End of this chapter)