Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 325 It’s a worthwhile trip
Lyndon Johnson's speech was passionate and inspiring.

However, his speech was not broadcast much on television that day. Instead, the footage of Burning One descending from the sky and landing steadily in its designated position was repeatedly broadcast by major television stations, which greatly diluted the pain brought about by the defeat in the Vietnam War.

The rocket ignites, lifts off, simulates the separation of the rocket and satellite, the rocket returns to the ground, flames ignite the ground, and finally comes to a steady stop.

Even in 2020, such a scene would be considered science fiction, let alone in 1968.

From Washington to New York, from London to Paris, every television station you can think of is talking about this.

For the American people, if they couldn't win the Vietnam War, winning in space exploration was a way to forget their pain.

“Joe, get me ready. I’m having a short press conference in Huntsville in an hour,” Lyndon Johnson said to his press secretary.

Joe Christian nodded in agreement: "Yes, Mr. President, would you like to be interviewed by reporters?"

Even for a press conference held on short notice, the press secretary has a lot of work to do, including notifying reporters and preparing the venue, which needs to be equipped with microphones, lights and broadcasting equipment.

Of course, the most important thing is to prepare potential questions and official answers for the president. Generally, at least 20 to 30 potential questions need to be predicted. If time permits, the press secretary will also conduct a quick and brief simulation exercise with the president and discuss the dress code during the breaks.

Lyndon Johnson nodded and said, "Of course."

Then Lyndon Johnson turned to Lin Ran and said, "Professor, get ready, you'll be participating with me."

Lin Ran said calmly, "Mr. President, I'm worried that if I participate, I'll steal your thunder. I think it might be better if I don't participate."

Lyndon Johnson was in a great mood. The rocket landed successfully, and he seemed to see in it a picture of himself landing smoothly and winning re-election without any major setbacks.

In the past, he might have thought, "Is your statement a provocation? What do you mean you stole my thunder? How could a NASA administrator steal the limelight from the president?" He would definitely harbor resentment.

Now, even if Lin Ran scolds him to his face, Lyndon Johnson will just smile and say, "You're right."

Political animals are so detached; personal likes and dislikes can be completely disregarded in the face of political future.

Is it a problem to deal with Robert, Fred, and Nixon? After so many years in Washington, couldn't the professor have made some political friends?
Lyndon Johnson's gloomy expression vanished, and he said amiably, "Professor, if you don't participate, the reporters' questions will still focus on where you are, and they will think there is a rift between us."

In reality, there will never be another partner as close as the professor and I!

Who is Lin Ran? He's dealt with the White House for so many years, doesn't he know what kind of person Lyndon Johnson is?
Upon hearing this, Lin Ran immediately understood Lyndon Johnson's intentions and the strategies he planned to employ in this year's election.

Lin Ran guessed from this sentence that Lyndon Johnson had already figured out how his election opponents would deal with the major achievement of reusable rockets. They would simply say that it was all thanks to the professor. They would also appoint the professor if they were in the White House. No matter who is president in the White House, it will not affect America's advantage in aerospace.

Lyndon Johnson's strategy was to emphasize the strong foundation of his past collaboration with Lin Ran.

The subsequent press conference was exactly as Lin Ran had expected.

When Lin Ran and Lyndon Johnson walked into the prepared press conference venue, the reporters present burst into enthusiastic applause, their faces filled with excitement.

If winning only means emotional value to the general public, then winning also means real money to journalists.

When newspapers are full of bad news, sales will initially increase. During major negative events, newspaper sales will rise due to the public's thirst for information. However, sales will then continue to decline. Nobody likes to read news about their country being constantly attacked, and the public will passively avoid such news.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to hold this press conference to announce that our Star Wars program has taken a major step toward success. We have successfully launched and recovered the Burning One reusable rocket, achieving the launch of three medium Earth orbit satellites into their designated orbits in one go. The Star Wars program is within reach."

I am confident that, during my next four-year term, under the professor's leadership, we will successfully complete the Star Wars program. Ten thousand satellites in the sky will make America a true empire on which the sun never sets—no, we will be a world where the stars never fall!

Lyndon Johnson was rousing and full of renewed fighting spirit and passion, a fact that was particularly noticeable to reporters covering the White House press briefing.

Joe Christian stood to their right, and after Lyndon Johnson finished speaking, he patted the microphone and said, "Now it's time for questions from the press."

The first question came from Associated Press reporter Merriman Smith: "Mr. President, Professor, good morning. I would like to ask what this reusable rocket means for America, how much the cost of a single satellite launch can be reduced, and whether this will help us reverse the current setbacks on the front lines of the Vietnam War."

Lyndon Johnson gestured for Lin Ran to answer first, and Lin Ran replied: "The scope of 'single satellite' is a bit too broad, because the launch altitude of satellites is different. For example, our launch altitude this time is 2 kilometers, while most of the satellites in the Star Wars program only need an altitude of 500 kilometers."

Meanwhile, the GPS satellite we launched this time is relatively heavy. The GPS nuclear-powered satellites to be launched in the future will be even heavier. At that time, we may only be able to launch 2 satellites at a time. However, I expect that we will be able to launch 30 or even more small satellites in low Earth orbit within three years.

Therefore, it's difficult for me to give you a specific standard.

I can only answer one point: compared to traditional rocket launch methods, reusable rockets are epoch-making. Compared to the past, they are like automobile production, which has changed from manual assembly to assembly line production, and have the same significant meaning.

The cost of launching a single satellite is only one-tenth of what it used to be, or even less, and as technology advances, the cost will only decrease.

I estimate the entire Star Wars program can be managed for ten billion US dollars.

When talking to Americans, you have to use the automotive industry as an example. The secret to Ford's rise was the assembly line. When McNamara was at Ford, he introduced a data-driven modern management system. Later, when the Japanese automotive industry rose to prominence, it built a more refined manufacturing system on this basis, which was called lean production.

In short, the progress of the automotive industry and the rise of automotive powerhouses will bring about new manufacturing production methods.

Lin Ran used Ford's assembly line as an example, which immediately brought the reporters in the audience back to reality from the scene of science fiction, and everyone could better realize the significance of this scene in the times.

Of course, this scene will be brought up again and again after Starlink appears.

While Lin Ran was answering, Lyndon Johnson had already gathered his thoughts and replied, "Gentlemen, this means we will always have an information advantage on the battlefield."

Tens of thousands of satellites mean that we have countless U-2 reconnaissance aircraft constantly bringing us information.

We will gain an unprecedented military advantage, an advantage even more pronounced than the advent of tanks, airplanes, and submarines.

On the front lines of the Vietnam War, we didn't need to send soldiers to clear jungles one by one; we just needed enough ammunition to clear the site under satellite guidance.

We call ourselves a nation on wheels, and I believe that in the future we will also be a nation blessed by satellites.

We will not repeat the embarrassing situation of the spring offensive.

Lyndon Johnson was beaming.

The reporters in the audience sensed that the other side still wanted military adventures.
Journalist Hayes wrote in her notebook: "President Johnson treats the advantages brought by the professor as advantages he created himself. The Vietnam War has become a constant nightmare for him. He is always thinking about how to get revenge in Vietnam. Will this armistice really be the beginning of peace, as insiders in the White House say? I am skeptical. Perhaps the day Lyndon Johnson leaves the White House will be the true beginning of peace."

"Professor, is the name Burning One a tribute to yourself? What is your response to the criticisms that the name is an attempt to brand NASA with your own mark, a form of personality cult?" asked Joseph Elthorpe, a reporter from the New York Herald Tribune.

This journalist was a conservative who had worked in China in the 40s and later returned to China with Nixon during his visit.

Having worked in China in the 40s, Lyndon Johnson's statement that China should return to GATT demonstrates the journalist's stance.

Lin Ran laughed and said, "Is renaming this place the Kennedy Space Center also part of the personality cult?"

Or is it that only white people can engage in personality cults, while Asians cannot?

Or is it that if white people do things that Asians do, it becomes a personality cult?

Lyndon Johnson slammed his hand on the table: "This reporter, if you ever ask such pointless questions again, I will urge Christian to revoke your White House press pass."

Lin Ran leaned close to Lyndon Johnson's ear and said, "I want it revoked immediately!" Lyndon Johnson nodded, then said sternly, "Please ask this reporter to leave the room!"

The atmosphere at the scene became solemn, allowing reporters to witness Lin Ran's power and also to see a side of him that they wouldn't normally see.

"The professor has always had many images in the public eye: a genius scholar in the public eye, a top politician in the eyes of journalists, a speaker on television programs, and a tyrant in the eyes of NASA employees. We have rarely seen the last image. Today's press conference, Johnson's question, brought out a rare tyrannical side of the professor. Of course, more importantly, in the relationship between the professor and the president, the balance of power between the two has become abnormal, and the professor has taken control of the relationship." Helens wrote in her notebook with a pen.

These will all be published as her White House memoir after her retirement, becoming important historical materials for future research on Lin Ran.

"Professor, I would like to ask when you predict the Star Wars program will be completed?" asked Helen Thomas, a reporter from The Washington Post.

"I predict that within five years, our progress will far exceed expectations," Lin Ran said.

Lyndon Johnson added, "Once we have completely occupied low Earth orbit, it will be very difficult for others to launch another 10,000 satellites into low Earth orbit because the space available in the orbit is limited."

Meanwhile, we will develop jamming satellites to ensure that if the Soviet Union were to launch a similar "Star Wars" program, we could interfere with their ability to complete observations.

Lin Ran was a little confused. How come he had never heard of such a thing as interfering satellites?

Lyndon Johnson thought to himself, what he needed now was to hype it up, to hype it up to the skies, whether he could actually deliver or not, but in short, to make the people of America feel like they had won.

CBS News reporter Dan Rather asked, "Professor, what's your take on the past rumors of discord between you and the President?"

As soon as the question was asked, all the reporters, including White House staff, perked up their ears.

What could be more explosive than asking this question in front of both of them?

Lin Ran succinctly stated: "Nonsense."

Lyndon Johnson said seriously, "This is absolutely a fabrication, a rumor spread by people with ulterior motives. During President Kennedy's time, as Vice President, I was already the professor's direct superior. The professor often talked with me all night in the White House about his ambitions for space, and I was his most steadfast supporter!"
Later, when I became president, I continued to support the professor wholeheartedly. It was I who promoted him from the position of Special Assistant for Space Affairs in the White House to the Director of NASA!
Together we accomplished the Apollo moon landing and advanced the Star Wars program. There is no better partner than the professor and me!

To those who spread rumors and try to drive a wedge between me and the professor, I want to say that you are delusional.

Lyndon Johnson's words left the reporters in the audience thoughtful, because what he said was indeed correct.

After Lyndon Johnson reassigned James Webb to the Treasury, leaving the position vacant, he nominated Lyndon Johnson. The Senate vote, including the nomination, was reported by the media at the time to be persuaded by conservative Southern state legislators within the Democratic Party.

Many reporters in the audience smiled knowingly. They had guessed where the news came from. Who else could it be besides Nixon and Fred?
After listening, Lin Ran thought about two things. First, he had never had a long talk with Johnson all night. This was either an exaggeration or a rumor. Second, if he were to publicly say that he was working for China and providing China with technical information, the White House would be the first to jump out and say it was fake news.

If someone from China were to flee to America and then accuse him of providing intelligence to China, Lyndon Johnson would probably immediately order that person to be silenced.

Lin Ran smiled slightly as he thought of this, which was captured by the photographers in the audience and interpreted by the reporters as him agreeing with Lyndon Johnson's statement.

"Professor, at the beginning of this year you helped the White House complete peace talks with North Vietnam. In your past speeches, you have repeatedly shown your yearning and pursuit of peace. But you are also personally building an unprecedented war monster like the Star Wars program."

Isn't this somewhat contradictory? What are your views on peace and war?

Lin Ran said, "The monster of war is for a better peace, so that all parties can exercise restraint."

I have always been a staunch advocate of peace. I believe that our competition after World War II, through the Cold War, demonstrates that peace is a consensus among all nations.

Lyndon Johnson chimed in, "The professor is right. When the Star Wars program is completed, peace will come. America's missiles will bring even greater peace."

Joe Christian was speechless. No, Mr. President, why do you always have to add to what the professor has said before a reporter asks him a question? That's the job of the White House press secretary.

The way you're doing this makes it sound like you're the professor's press secretary.

The audience was packed with reporters and cameras, so Joe Christian couldn't find an opportunity to remind Lyndon Johnson.

Helens, a reporter from the Hearst newspaper, asked: "Professor, this year is the presidential election, and it is well known that you maintain good personal relationships with several potential candidates. Among these potential candidates, who do you support the most?"

Helens, a former White House correspondent for United Press International, was supposed to stay there until the early 21st century, becoming one of the oldest and most senior reporters on the White House press corps.

But after meeting Jenny, Helens left United Press International for Hearst, becoming the editor of Hearst's political news.

With her relationship with Jenny, becoming editor-in-chief in the future will be no problem.

The question caused an uproar in the audience, and camera flashes went off.

Lin Ran smiled and said, "I support President Lyndon Johnson, but I also respect the final will of the people."

That was an impeccable answer.

Throughout the press conference, Lyndon Johnson received very few questions, but he couldn't resist adding his own dramatic flair.

Finally, Clark Molenhof, a reporter from United Press International, gave the president some face: "Mr. President, at this time, is there anything you would like to say to the people?"

"I'll conclude with a quote from a professor he once told me in private: Our journey is to the stars and the sea!"

Thank you everyone, God bless America, goodbye.” Lyndon Johnson stood up, waved, and left.

Lin Ran followed closely behind.

Joe Christian said, "That's all for today. The transcript of the interview will be available to you soon. Thank you."

He felt that Lyndon Johnson had gone mad. The last reporter was someone he had arranged to save face for Lyndon Johnson, and yet you're still here mentioning the professor.

Why didn't you just say it directly without mentioning the professor? Why did you say it was the professor who said it?

(This quote is from Reinhard von Lohengramm, Emperor of the Galactic Empire, in Yoshiki Tanaka's science fiction novel *Legend of the Galactic Heroes*, 1987.)

Joe Christian thought that either Lyndon Johnson was so badly affected by the Vietnam War crisis that he had lost his mind, or the professor's reality distortion aura was too strong.

Lin Ran's existence means that even if there is no news about him, there will be many reports about him, and even unfounded speculations can become a report.

A psychology scholar wrote an article titled "The Professor's Reality Distortion Halo," which actually discusses a serious academic issue: that successful people can influence people's cognition and that the views of successful people outside their professional fields are also reliable.

Even successful people themselves think so.

Musk's success in business made him feel that he could also wield political influence.

But most readers won't pay attention to your professional content; they'll only remember the professor's distorted reality aura.

Joe Christian was very impressed with this.

The press conference ended, and polite applause rang out from the audience. Lin Ran and Lyndon Johnson left the stage amidst the applause.

All the journalists who visited Huntsville felt their trip was worthwhile.

(End of this chapter)