Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 308 Top Diplomats
America's representative, Arthur Goldberg, quickly patted the microphone to correct him: "Sorry, we do not believe the crash prediction from the Soviet Union. We do not trust the Soviet Union's technology. We need the Soviet Union to provide all the technical details of its nuclear-powered satellites and all the relevant parameters of this crashing satellite. NASA will complete the crash prediction under the professor's guidance."

These words immediately brought the Maple Leaf Country representative, Robert McDonald, to his senses: "That's right, we don't want the Soviet Union's crash predictions, we want professors to conduct crash predictions!"

Time is running out; please provide the relevant data to the Soviet Union as soon as possible.

Goldberger corrected, "Not related, but all!"

What does it mean to have only one seat but countless mouthpieces?

Even now, with Trudeau in power and Canada having a certain degree of autonomy, they still blindly follow America's lead.

Because of the urgency of the situation, McDonald and Goldberg did not exchange pleasantries privately.

But that doesn't matter. Even in the meeting room, Goldberg could freely direct McDonald to say what he should and shouldn't say.

"Yes, the Soviet Union must hand over all the data and technical details! That would be a truly responsible act!"

McDonald gave up on the idea and simply repeated Goldberg's words, "Since I'm a puppet, why should I exercise any initiative?"

Fedorenko slammed his fist on the table: "The Soviet Union's technology in the aerospace field cannot be slandered by any country! I acknowledge the professor's expertise in the aerospace field, but that is not a reason to question the Soviet Union!"

Even if the professor were here in person, he couldn't force us to hand over all the technical details.

We will fulfill our international obligations and provide necessary information, but this is not a reason for America to force us to provide non-critical technologies such as technical details, much less a reason to use this opportunity to attack or slander the Soviet Union!

Fedorenko took a hard line.

If Nikita were still in the Kremlin, he might not have been so forceful, but since it was now Leonid who had come to power hastily, his authority was not yet secure at this point in time, and to some extent he still had to share power with Kosygin, Podgorny, and others.

Leonid must be tough; only by being tough can he demonstrate his legitimacy, especially now during the Vietnam War.

In a sense, Kosygin's visit to America in the middle of this year, and Lyndon Johnson's visit, were actually traps deliberately set by Leonid for Kosygin.

After the Gettysburg Conference in the middle of this year, the Soviet Union will hold the Prague Spring next year. By 71, Kosygin will have completely lost his influence in the diplomatic field.

Fedorenko, a veteran diplomat active on the front lines of the confrontation between the two sides, knew a principle well: weakness may win applause for a time, but toughness is the only way to remain invincible forever.

If he were to be "weak," it would have to be an order from Moscow via telegram, not something he had to do himself.

The speculation about Fedorenko's personal inclinations here stems from his background and his speech at the United Nations during the Prague Spring; he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies.

Goldberg chuckled dismissively: "Ha, the Soviet Union's space technology? Does it mean that after Korolev's death, they could no longer land on the moon alone? Or does it mean that after being reminded by the professor, they insisted they were fine until the satellite crashed and they hastily notified the international community?"

If such space technology is something to be proud of, then America's space technology must be alien technology.

"Next time I go to Washington for a conference, I'll have to ask the professor if he has any contact with aliens."

Goldberg's words drew laughter from the liberal representatives. Clearly, the representatives appreciated his remarks, which both embarrassed the Soviet Union and showcased Western humor.

Fedorenko knew the facts were clear and that continuing to dwell on this point would do them no good, so he changed the subject, saying, "I have already emphasized that the Soviet Union will provide all the necessary data, and I believe that with the professor's abilities, he can calculate the satellite's crash location using the data we provide."

Goldberg's expression changed from joking to serious: "The professor's ability is beyond doubt, but the problem is that the reason we insist on the Soviet Union providing complete data and specific technical details is because we are worried that there may be some omissions in the data provided by the Soviet Union."

We need these things for cross-referencing to ensure the accuracy of the data used to calculate the final impact location. Nuclear contamination is no small matter, and satellite debris falling to Earth is even more so. We are not coveting Soviet/Russian satellite technology, not even nuclear-powered satellites; their value to America is very limited.

Fedorenko, his face ashen, said, "The Soviet Union would never provide misleading data! We are fully aware of the seriousness of this matter, so we notified the UN Secretary-General immediately and convened an emergency meeting."

Goldberg was equally adamant, saying, "I'm sorry, I spoke with the professor just yesterday, and I fully consulted him."

This was his instruction.

He stated that while the Soviet Union might not provide incorrect data, neither he nor the Kremlin could guarantee the accuracy of the data provided by the Russian Space Agency. The fact that they launched nuclear-powered satellites, and ten in just one year, indicates that the Russian Space Agency had complete confidence in the satellites and therefore overlooked potential problems.

The explanation given by the Russian Space Agency for this crash is certainly that it was an accident. Once they provide complete technical data, I might discover that it was not an accident, but rather a design error or other problem. In that case, the Kremlin would find that the report provided by the Russian Space Agency contained discrepancies. I will not speculate further on whether these discrepancies were due to work errors or deliberate intent.

From this perspective alone, and considering the likelihood that the Soviet space agency would provide problematic data to cover up its operational errors, there is a very high probability that it did so. We need complete data to ensure that the data is sufficiently coupled. Problematic data can be analyzed using principles of physics and mathematics to ultimately pinpoint the precise location of the nuclear-powered satellite crash.

After Goldberg finished speaking, he paused for a moment. "These are the professor's exact words. He has been reminding the Soviet Union since the beginning of the year. Both I and President Lyndon Johnson have full confidence in the professor's judgment. The professor's judgment is based on both professional knowledge and insight into human nature. Therefore, I will urge the Soviet Union to provide complete data here."

The delegates whispered among themselves, because there was indeed some truth to it.

Even the representatives of the Soviet bloc, though silent, felt the logic in their hearts, because they were all cut from the same cloth and knew each other well.

McDonald added, "Ambassador Goldberg, please convey my sincerest gratitude to the professor from the Maple Leaf Country. Secondly, I believe that the Soviet Union must provide complete data. This is not just a matter for the Maple Leaf Country, but for the whole world."

The Russian space agency said it would most likely crash in Canada, but what if it doesn't? What if the Russian space agency's estimate is wrong and it crashes in another country? What if that country is unprepared? How many casualties would that cause? And how much uncontrollable pollution would it create?
We need more professional people to provide accurate judgments.

The opinion of the Canadian side is that we only trust the professor's judgments and predictions.

Goldberg nodded: "Hopefully, Soviet Russia will fully fulfill its obligations as it claims."

Instead of running away and facing problems only when they arise, we need to take action before problems occur.

Fedorenko had regained his composure: "Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, this was a technical accident, not an intentional act. We have demonstrated a responsible attitude. America and the Maple Leaf representatives are politicizing this matter without limits. To achieve this, they have even brought out professors to corroborate their claims."

However, considering the Outer Space Treaty and a responsible attitude towards the international community, Moscow will further discuss the Canadian proposal and will give a final response as soon as possible. I hereby call on the international community to remain calm and work together to address this challenge.

A good diplomat understands one principle: you can't always be on the defensive. Since the current battlefield is clearly unfavorable to you, you must know how to create a new battlefield and launch an attack on it.

Offense is the best defense.

Diplomacy, debate, and public opinion warfare all share many commonalities at their core.

Fedorenko was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding diplomats of his time; he quickly identified points where attack was possible.
"Furthermore, I need to emphasize that the fall of a satellite can cause such a huge reaction, and according to America and the representatives of the Maple Leaf Country, it seems to be a devastating blow to the Maple Leaf Country."

As you all know, at this year's annual meeting, President Lyndon Johnson of America proposed the Star Wars program, which aims to launch 10,000 satellites to fill our skies.

These 10,000 satellites are far more numerous than the satellites we launch, and their risk of crashing is also far greater. These 10,000 satellites are like missiles hanging in the sky, always in danger of crashing.

Therefore, I urge America not to use defense as a pretext to carry out dangerous actions and disregard human safety. According to the professor's statement at the press conference, America will also launch nuclear-powered satellites.

If America's reusable rocket technology is successfully developed, it's hard to imagine that there will be 10 nuclear-powered satellites in the sky.

Even if a nuclear-powered satellite does not crash to the ground but disintegrates in the atmosphere, nuclear radiation will still spread globally with the airflow, causing global nuclear radiation and pollution.

I hereby call for the establishment of an international technical committee to fully assess nuclear technology in space, establish safety standards, and ensure transparency in the space activities of all nations.

You want me to go public? Then you have to go public with me.

I happen to be very interested in the reusable rockets and nuclear-powered satellites you're developing.

Fedorenko immediately grasped the crux of the problem and turned the tide.

He knew all too well that even within the free camp, not everyone was on America's side. Leaving aside the emasculated Germany, would England and France even want to see America's so-called Star Wars or Iron Curtain successfully built? Obviously not.

The Suez Canal dispute was only ten years ago, when the US and the USSR joined forces to force England and France to hand over control of the Suez Canal.

England and France have long wanted to cause trouble, but they just haven't had the chance before.

Now that the Soviet representatives have given them a perfectly legitimate excuse to cause trouble, they're bound to cause as much trouble as possible.

Representatives from England (Lord Hugh Caladen), France, and West Germany, among others, spoke out, stating that the Soviet Union should release detailed technical data and specific parameters, but America's Star Wars program should also be subject to oversight within the framework of the United Nations.

This change caught Goldberg off guard.

The two issues have been linked together; let's see if you can handle it. "Sorry, our Star Wars program is in the professor's charge, and there will absolutely not be a situation like the Soviet Union's. We have full confidence in ensuring the safety of Earth."

Goldberg keeps repeating the same old line: "Let's talk about the Soviet Union first. We have professors, and professors will absolutely not cause any problems. We won't cause the satellite to crash."

The scene became extremely chaotic.

Indian representative Ramesh Singh suggested that India could lead the establishment of an international technical committee to prevent the US and the Soviet Union from influencing the committee's fairness and impartiality.

The UN press room was packed with reporters after the meeting concluded, with flashbulbs going off everywhere.

The United Nations held a press conference in an attempt to quell the controversy.

Fedorenko: "Ladies and gentlemen, Cosmos 250 is a satellite used for scientific research, which has gone out of control due to an unexpected malfunction."

The Soviet Union, acting responsibly, has notified the United Nations and the Maple Leaf Country and will provide technical support.

We call on the international community to remain calm and to unite in addressing this challenge.

Goldberg then stated: "We have communicated with the Soviet Union to ensure they provide complete satellite data. The professor's team will calculate the impact point to ensure that the nuclear-powered satellite's impact can be predicted in advance, avoiding casualties. After the satellite falls, we will launch Operation Dawn to remove the nuclear radiation it emitted."

Fedorenko corrected, "It's possible nuclear radiation."

Goldberg stated bluntly: "Sorry, it's nuclear radiation."

When other countries proposed to disclose their technologies for oversight, the US and the Soviet Union quickly reached an agreement: the Soviet Union would provide the complete parameters of the nuclear-powered satellite, while America would be responsible for predicting the crash site.

The opinions of other countries are not worth mentioning.

The shadow of Soviet Russia lingered for so long that, sixty years later, Russia's blitzkrieg turned into a stalemate, and yet some still advocated for its inclusion on the UN Security Council.

The press conference sparked heated discussions among global media outlets.

The Washington Post headline read: "Russian nuclear satellites threaten North America."

Pravda countered: "America used the accident to smear Soviet Russian technology."

Lin Ran has once again become the focus of public discussion, with the people of Canada and America eagerly awaiting the location of the fall.

The Redstone Base in Huntsville, now known as the Marshall Space Flight Center, is filled with massive IBM System 360 computer clusters that occupy most of the room. And this is no ordinary room.

The concept of computer clusters has been deeply integrated into IBM's computer design.

(IBM System 360)
This is the latest version of System 360. Compared to the first version released in 1964, this IBM mainframe not only supports dynamic resource response but also introduces cache memory, making the computer's data processing capabilities 12 times stronger than before.

The machine hummed softly, punched cards piled up, and technicians busily entered data.

IBM's technical engineers were also present. Their task for the day was to prove that the latest System 360 was more powerful than the professor's in terms of computing power.

The advantage of computers lies in their computing power. It's one thing that they can't beat professors in critical instantaneous calculations, but after so many years of development, they should be able to surpass them in the calculation of massive amounts of data.
For IBM, if it could defeat Lin Ran in computing head-on, that would be a significant piece of news. On Wall Street, it would greatly boost IBM's stock price.

Lin Ran, along with NASA's orbital mechanics experts and IBM engineers, were waiting for the specific data to be sent from Washington.

Once the data arrives, both parties will officially begin the calculation process.

The atmospheric resistivity and solar activity data for the past two weeks have been recorded on the blackboard.

The first thing that arrived was a telegram, with data provided by the Soviet Union including an inclination of 65°, a perigee of 200 km, an apogee of 300 km, and a launch date of September 18, 1966.

This is simplified data.

Complete data was delivered by a dedicated plane.

Once the data arrived, the engineers combined the Soviet/Russian data with observations from NORAD's SPADATS space exploration and tracking system and input it into the computer.

IBM engineers stared at the results the printer was spitting out.

Thompson reported, "Preliminary calculations show that the satellite's orbit is rapidly decaying. The reentry date is expected to be around June 15, with an error margin of plus or minus 24 hours."

NASA orbital mechanics expert Foster frowned as he stared at the world map on the wall.

He drew a wide area with red chalk, stretching from the Pacific Ocean all the way to the North American continent.

Foster: "Atmospheric density models are key."

This model is not accurate enough; we need to assume the worst-case scenario.

Thompson, adjust the drag factor, taking into account the satellite's cross-sectional area and mass.

They worked through the night to reintroduce the Jacchia atmospheric model and estimate the density of the upper atmosphere.

Even with the latest System 360, it takes two hours to calculate orbital decay, and that's assuming IBM engineers are on-site to troubleshoot and fix any problems immediately.

Lin Ran's answer was already written in a thin letter, which he placed on the table before going off to attend to his work.

Lin Ran gave the answer in just half a day in his office.

When he walked into the room filled with the hum of machines and placed the answer on the table, the IBM engineers felt a strong sense of frustration.

They only need half a day, while they huff and puff for half a day, and when asked about the accuracy, it's 5,000 kilometers, plus or minus one day.

George Green, the head of the IBM engineering team, smiled wryly and said, "Professor, this will make the new guys on the team lose confidence."

Everyone was quite confident this time; our new System 360 uses a lot of new technologies. You're moving a bit too fast."

Lin Ran has many identities, including NASA Administrator, Columbia University Mathematics Professor, and IBM Chief Scientist.

This identity cannot be made public. The federal government explicitly emphasized in PL 87-489, which came into effect in 1963, and the Memorandum on Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Standards that senior federal officials cannot hold positions in corporations.

But rules are rules, and practice is practice. IBM used to have a chief scientist position, and after 1963, the position still existed, but there was no one in the position and no name was given.

After 1965, Jenny Hearst appeared on IBM's board of directors.

It's an open secret that Lin Ran is IBM's chief scientist.

Like the future stock market guru of Capitol Hill, she won't admit it, but everyone knows it.

Lin Ran smiled and said, "It's good for the young man to experience some setbacks. This is a necessary path for IBM engineers working at NASA. After all, I don't participate in calculations for everything, so it's still very necessary for you guys."

George Green gave another wry smile and asked, "Professor, when do you think computers will be able to outperform you?"

Lin Ran said without turning his head, "Soon, George, you will definitely see that day come."

An engineer who had been working there for five years, standing next to George Green, remarked, "The professor said the same thing five years ago."

George Green turned and patted his head: "Everyone, cheer up! We can't be too much slower than the professor!"

The new engineer opened his mouth and muttered, "Boss, I think what the reporters said makes sense!"

George Green asked, "What did the reporters say?"

(End of this chapter)