Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 303 The professor returned to his loyal Washington.
If there is such a thing as a "top influencer" in this era, then Lin Ran is undoubtedly a top influencer, not only in America but also globally.

The higher the level of education a person has, the greater their recognition of Lin Ran.

Washington, D.C., undoubtedly has the highest average level of education in the United States.

Nine out of ten people who get into the NBC Washington studio are fans of the professor.

"Professor, this is the second time I've interviewed you. The first time was after the US-Soviet joint moon landing, when I interviewed you and Yuri Gagarin in New York."

Although it was the second time, I felt just as excited and nervous as the first time.

This is an exclusive interview, and there has been a lot of discussion surrounding the professor recently. We just completed our manned lunar landing. In short, there are many important events both domestically and internationally that we need to discuss.

I believe that not only I, but also the audience here and those watching on television, are just as eager as I am to hear the professor's thoughts and opinions!

The studio was designed to be slightly dark, with incandescent lights on the ceiling to give viewers the illusion of watching a live broadcast when the show airs at night.

"Professor, President Kennedy made a promise during his 1961 Moon Address to complete the moon landing within this decade, and finally, under President Lyndon Johnson and NASA, you led the historic achievement of a manned moon landing."

We are also the first country in the world to successfully land on the moon and return alone. What are your thoughts after the successful moon landing?

As an NBC news anchor, Cronkite was reluctant to offend Lyndon Johnson, and his speeches were characterized by impartiality.

The original moon landing speech took place in 1962, but Lin Ran moved that timeline forward in the altered timeline.

Lin Ran said earnestly, "This is not only a victory for President Johnson and me, but also a victory for all Americans. We have the world's best manufacturing workers, the most innovative group of engineers, and the most outstanding group of scientists. Together, we have accomplished this miracle of landing on the moon, sending mankind to the moon, 38 kilometers away."

The guests in the audience all felt honored, as the professor was praising us!

It's worth mentioning here that, compared to Lin Ran, the original Von Blaine rarely appeared in public. He only gave one television interview, and that was before the Apollo moon landing, not after.

He has a dedicated spokesperson, Ed Buckby, who is also the author of "Chasing the Moon," who speaks on his behalf.

This was because von Braun's past work for NAZI Germany led to both East and West Germany pursuing him relentlessly. In December 1968, before the Apollo 8 mission, with the lunar orbit imminent, the West German court forced him to go to West Germany to face prosecution.

They found three former SS members from the Mittelburg-Dora concentration camp as witnesses. These camps had provided slave laborers for the production of the V-2 ballistic missile, and Wernher von Braun had been the technical director of the project at the time.

Under pressure from West Germany, von Braun finally went to the West German consulate in New Orleans in 1969 to be questioned.

As a former SS officer, von Braun's handwritten "Führer!" was also unearthed by East Germany as evidence to attack his NAZI records.

(Von Bryan's application for a marriage license to Himmler, which included his handwritten "Führer!", is kept in the American National Archives.)

Throughout the 60s, East Germany relentlessly pursued von Bryan and Rudolf, reporting on their connections to the Mittelburg-Dora concentration camp.

So it wasn't that von Braun couldn't, but that he didn't dare; he simply didn't dare to frequently appear in public, which is why he couldn't snatch the glory of the moon landing from the White House.

Lin Ran is completely different; having no past means having no stains.

“But this is not the end, it’s just a new beginning, Cronkite. Do you remember what I told you last time?” Lin Ran asked in return. He was an expert in interviewing techniques and knew very well how to control the pace of the interview and how to keep the whole rhythm in his own hands.

Cronkite nodded, a look of recollection on his face: "Of course I remember. During the last interview, you told me that you would make it possible for ordinary people to travel to space, or even to the moon."

Lin Ran said, "That's right. As humanity moves from planetary life to cosmic life, NASA is always on the way and will be the biggest help on this journey."

Cronkite leaned forward slightly, his tone firm: "If anyone else had said this, I would have doubted it, but if the professor says it, I will believe it unconditionally. The professor always manages to create one miracle after another."

So, Professor, compared to the last moon landing, what were the challenges of this moon landing?

"We have developed the most powerful rocket ever. There were many challenges in the development process. The Saturn V is far larger than any of our previous rockets."

Lin Ran gestured with his hands to emphasize its size.

"We need to solve problems such as engine design, fuel management and structural integrity. For example, the thrust requirements of the F-1 engine are extremely high. We have conducted countless tests, failed and improved."

But each failure brought us closer to success; through rigorous testing and repeated iterations, we eventually overcame these obstacles.

Von Bryan, who later watched the program, was quite unhappy. "The Saturn V was clearly my achievement. You only came to provide technical guidance a few times. How did it become your achievement? When it comes to taking credit, how are you any different from the White House?"
However, circumstances were beyond his control. The White House couldn't take away Lin Ran's credit, but his contributions were easily erased. Not only could von Bryan not express his dissatisfaction, but he also had to say that it was indeed the professor's credit.

His status as a former German scientist at NASA is too sensitive, and it's even more sensitive now that the moon landing is complete. If NASA didn't protect him, he would have been back in Germany and imprisoned long ago.

He'll go back to Germany to be imprisoned; the Jews are waiting for him.

With just one sentence from Lin Ran, von Braun is destined to suffer the same fate as Rudolf.

Cronkite asked, "Now that we've landed on the moon, what's next for NASA and space exploration? Reusable rockets?"

Because this concept was proposed by Lin Ran, the concept of reusable rockets has become very common in space science articles in recent years. NASA's press conferences have also mentioned that a reusable rocket called Falcon 9 is under development.

Lin Ran's eyes lit up with enthusiasm: "Of course, this is just the beginning! We plan to carry out more Apollo missions to further explore the moon."

I envision building a space station in Earth orbit as a springboard for deep space exploration, followed by a human base on the moon. Ultimately, our goal is to colonize Mars and terraform it into a habitable planet, thus expanding humanity's living space from one planet to two.

Cronkite asked, "That sounds incredibly ambitious, a Martian city? It sounds like something out of science fiction. Do you think these goals are achievable in our lifetime?"

Lin Ran glanced at Cronkite and said, "I think we will definitely see human cities built on Mars in my lifetime. Cronkite, you are older than me, and I'm not sure if my lifetime will cover yours."

Cronkite sighed, "Indeed, every time I see the professor, besides his brilliant mind, what impresses me most is his youthful appearance."

Every time Lin Ran travels through time and space, he makes a point of observing his own appearance. In the 2020 timeline, he even frequently takes selfies to compare the changes in his appearance.

However, he found that even though several years had passed in the 1960s, the changes in appearance in 2020 were minimal.

Therefore, he suspects that his lifespan is not the sum of 100 years in both timelines, but rather that each timeline has its own separate lifespan calculation mechanism.

Lin Ran plans to explore the specifics further later.

Lin Ran continued, "The success of the Apollo program has provided us with valuable experience and technology. More importantly, we have built a strong team. NASA is the best research institution and high-end manufacturing organization. As long as we maintain our investment and determination, I believe that within the next 20 to 30 years, we will be able to see small bases on Mars become a reality, and within 50 years, small cities will appear on Mars."

Lin Ran paused, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. He was thinking about the 2020 timeline, the timeline he hadn't changed. NASA scientists after the Apollo moon landing might have been just as ambitious about future space exploration missions as he was now.

Lin Ran thought about it again and realized that his upcoming meeting with Lyndon Johnson was extremely important.

He hoped to secure the remaining two years from Lyndon Johnson, and then it would be Nixon's turn. The worse the Vietnam War went, the more confident Lin Ran would be in gaining Nixon's support.

Cronkite looked longingly at him: "Thirty years, I'll be young then!"

He then turned slightly serious: "Some people question the cost of the space program, arguing that it is too expensive. What is your opinion on these criticisms?"

Lin Ran replied, "I completely understand these concerns, but the returns of the space program far outweigh the costs."

It has driven countless technological advancements, such as satellite communications and medical devices, which have improved our lives. More importantly, it has inspired young people to pursue careers in science and engineering.

When children see footprints on the moon, they will believe that they too can create miracles; investing in space is investing in the future of humanity.

Lin Ran thought to himself, once Starlink Internet appears and the Cyber ​​God on the moon delivers his divine decree, no one will doubt the significance of exploring space.

Cronkite then asked, "Speaking of motivation, what advice do you have for young people who dream of becoming scientists or engineers?"

Lin Ran said, "I want to say that you should follow your passion. Science and engineering are fields that can change the world. Don't be afraid to dream big and strive to achieve them."

The moon landing proves that anything is possible with determination and teamwork; you will be the explorers of the future.

This is the same logic Humphrey uses to persuade Jenny; Lin Ran's intelligence is so high that his words are less persuasive. Cronkite asked, "In the past, we achieved a joint moon landing with the Soviet Union. At that time, people felt that peace was coming, and that America and the Soviet Union would work together to land on the moon. But now it seems that peace only lasted until the moment Gagarin appeared on the moon. The space race has always been a contest between America and the Soviet Union."

Now that we have successfully landed on the moon, do you think this will promote international cooperation? Will there be joint moon landings or joint development of Mars in the future?

Lin Ran sincerely said, "I hope so. Competition has driven our achievements, but space exploration is a common cause for mankind. The challenges and opportunities in space require global cooperation. The universe belongs to all mankind, but the gravity of reality is so heavy that I think it will be difficult for us to achieve true peace."

As for joint space exploration, I'm sorry, that was a decision made by the White House, not me.

Cronkite's tone became excited because he knew he was about to ask about the gossip that the American people were most concerned about recently: the mystery of the discord between NASA and the White House: "Professor, recently we have been reading in the newspapers that there have been news reports about the rift between you and President Johnson. There are rumors that the White House is wary of you and hopes to focus attention on the White House after the successful moon landing. This is a victory for the White House."

What are your thoughts on this? What is your relationship with President Johnson like?

Lin Ran smiled and shook his head: "There is a slight discrepancy between the outside speculation and the actual situation. I have read Jenny Hearst's report. The description in it is true, but there are also fictional elements."

I did not attend the celebration at the White House because I had been working too hard and wanted to take a long vacation to recharge and reflect. President Johnson granted my request immediately upon hearing this.

This was my initiative, not something President Johnson deliberately did by not inviting me to the celebration in an attempt to ignore me.

President Johnson and I have worked very well over the past three years, and I believe that no matter who the president is, we will not have any disagreements.

Lin Ran's words already contained enough subtext.

Nixon, Fred, Humphrey, and others who later saw the "live broadcast" smiled knowingly.

Knowing that as long as he offered enough incentives, he had no worries about the professor turning against him.

Cronkite concluded, "Professor, thank you for sharing this with us. It was an exciting conversation!"

Lin Ran arrived at the White House at 1 p.m. The atmosphere at the White House was a little different from the past. The White House staff were still enthusiastic when they saw him, but there were some subtle changes in their enthusiasm.

"Come in." A Texas accent came from the Oval Office after a knock on the door.

Lin Ran's expression was grave: "Mr. President, it's been a long time. I've cut my vacation short and returned to Washington because I have some terrible news to tell you."

Lin Ran requested a maximum leave of two months from Johnson, which roughly means that Lin Ran can take a maximum of two months off, and can terminate the leave at any time in the middle. If there is something going on at the White House, he will have to return in advance.

The current situation is that Lin Ran has voluntarily ended his vacation.

Johnson's expression also turned serious. You're not going to tell me you're going to resign and go support Fred, are you? If you really do that, I'll never let you get away with it!

Johnson said, "Professor, please speak."

Lin Ran took out a stack of papers from his briefcase, which contained the latest data from NASA satellite observations and his manually calculated charts, and handed them to Lyndon Johnson's desk.

He took a deep breath and pretended to be very nervous.

Lin Ran first opened a chart showing the trajectory of the cosmos 367. "NASA's satellite observation team conducted detailed monitoring of this satellite, which was launched on October 3 last year, and the results showed that it is very likely nuclear-powered."

Upon hearing this, Lyndon Johnson frowned and leaned forward involuntarily; if he hadn't leaned forward, Lin Ran would have doubted that he was Johnson himself.

"Nuclear power? In space? That's a bold speculation, Professor. How did you come to that conclusion?"

Lin Ran pointed to the two curves on the chart: "Look here, the blue line is the actual orbital altitude change of Universe 367, and the red line is the decay curve I expect based on a typical solar-powered satellite."

You'll notice that the actual rate of decay is much lower than expected.

Lyndon Johnson picked up the chart from the table, his gaze shifting between the blue and red lines, trying to understand its meaning: "What does this mean?"

"Let me explain," Lin Ran said. "Cosmos 367 operates in a low Earth orbit at an altitude of about 250 kilometers, where atmospheric drag is significant."

The orbital decay rate of any satellite is related to the ratio of its cross-sectional area to its mass, also known as the ballistic coefficient.

If this satellite uses solar panels to power its radar system, assuming it requires 2 kilowatts of continuous power, given the current technology of the Soviet Union and Russia, their solar cell efficiency is approximately 12%, requiring about 20 square meters of solar panel area. This would significantly increase drag, causing the orbit to decay by about 1 kilometer per month.

“But our observations show,” Lin Ran continued, pointing to the blue line, “that the decay of Cosmos 367 is only 0.1 km/month, which indicates that its cross-sectional area is much smaller than expected, consistent with the design of a compact power source like a nuclear reactor.”

Lyndon Johnson squinted, trying to process the technical details.

His mind flashed back to the various actions of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and he became secretly wary: "Professor, do you mean that the Soviets replaced solar panels with nuclear reactors? Is there any other possibility, such as more efficient solar energy technology?"

This is actually in line with the Soviet Union's style of using nuclear energy for everything, and they had also worked on nuclear-powered satellites before, but they didn't continue launching them.

Lin Ran shook his head, his tone firm: "We've considered all possibilities, and solar cell technology cannot provide such a high power density without using large panels."

Moreover, by using radar reflection data, we estimated the size and shape of the satellite and confirmed that it does not have a large solar array.

Nuclear reactors not only provide a continuous power supply but also allow satellites to maintain radar operation in both sunny and shadowy areas, which is crucial for the Soviet Union's desired objectives: large-scale ground reconnaissance missions.

Lyndon Johnson paused for a moment, then stood up, walked slowly to the window, and gazed at the White House lawn outside.

He was filled with complex emotions, realizing that this was an unprecedented and rare opportunity.

The Soviet Union's launch of nuclear-powered satellites into space to monitor America's activities underscores the necessity of the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

He turned around, his voice low: "If you're right, what does this satellite mean for us?"

Lin Ran replied, "I'm sorry, it's not just one. According to my calculations in Hawaii, they have launched a total of eight nuclear-powered satellites since last year."

The existence of these nuclear-powered satellites indicates that the other side has made a breakthrough in space nuclear technology, and they will most likely be used for military purposes, such as continuous maritime surveillance and enhancing their naval intelligence capabilities.

Worse still, if the satellite were to malfunction and re-enter the atmosphere, the nuclear reactor would release radioactive material, posing a serious environmental and safety threat if it were to crash into a populated area of ​​America.

He paused, then said, "Although we haven't seen similar accidents yet, the risk is real."

When the SNAP-9A satellite, launched by the Air Force in 1963, re-entered the Southern Hemisphere, it scattered radioactive debris.

The radioactive debris scattered by the re-entry of the SNAP-9A satellite was also a major reason why America subsequently suspended the launch of nuclear-powered satellites.

Lyndon Johnson asked, "Professor, what do you think we should do?"

“Although there is no immediate risk of the Soviet/Russian satellites falling into the ground, the possibility cannot be ignored,” Lin Ran replied. “I suggest that we immediately strengthen the monitoring of such satellites, paying particular attention to how they are disposed of at the end of their missions, such as whether the reactors will be ejected to higher orbits.”

In addition, the security issues of nuclear technology in space could be discussed with the Soviet Union and Russia through diplomatic channels, in an effort to reach an international agreement.

The upcoming outer space treaty, which is being pushed for signing at the United Nations, would be a great opportunity.

This was also a test for Johnson by Lin Ran, to see whether the other party cared about the people of America or about the presidency.

Although Lin Ran knew that the other party would care about the latter one 100%.

Lyndon Johnson nodded, his gaze returning to the charts: "I will report this to the National Security Council for discussion, but you will need to prepare more data for further discussion."

Secondly, Professor, remember to keep this a secret. Don't tell any reporters, not even Jenny Hearst.

Lin Ran said, "Okay, so Mr. President, what do you plan to do?"

Lyndon Johnson said quietly, "Of course, it's to get the Soviet Union to sign the Outer Space Treaty, and then use these nuclear-powered satellites to prove the Soviet Union's ambitions, its unreliability, and the necessity of the Cold War."

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(End of this chapter)