Chapter 324: Burning No. 1 In The 60s Spacetime
“Lyndon’s problem is that he turned too late, the Vietnam War ceasefire came too late. If it had been half a year earlier, I really wouldn’t have been confident in beating him.”
Lin Ran asked: “What if the Star Wars Program succeeds?”
“What do you mean?” Nixon’s face became serious.
The moon landing gave Lyndon a huge boost. Kennedy got merit, and Lyndon got merit too.
If the Star Wars Program succeeds, Nixon felt this year’s election would turn from a sweet dream into a nightmare.
Lin Ran pointed to the sky with his finger and said: “In the next couple of days, we will launch a reusable rocket, sending the first batch of GPS satellites into space.
This time we will achieve one rocket with five satellites!”
This news made Nixon’s heart jolt. He said: “Professor, thank you for telling me this in advance.”
Telling him in advance meant he had time to prepare.
What else could he do? Anyway, blindly push the merits of the Star Wars Program and moon landing program onto Lin Ran.
Then publicly declare that if he is elected, he will still hire Lin Ran as NASA Director.
Let the voters know that as long as Lin Ran is in the White House, no matter who is President, America’s aerospace undertaking will be indestructible.
The Elephant Party can prepare public opinion propaganda in advance, write drafts and such ahead of time.
When the rocket launch succeeds and Lyndon keeps emphasizing his own merit in front of the public, then use the media to intensively report and dilute Lyndon’s merit.
Therefore, the time difference is very important.
Knowing early or knowing late makes a world of difference in effect.
Lin Ran said: “President Nixon, actually among the many candidates, I think the most highly of you!”
“Mr. Fred, actually among the many presidential candidates, the one I think the most highly of is you!”
NASA has already released the news to the media, saying it will launch the first reusable rocket in human history, Burning No. 1.
Martin Luther King’s body has been transported back to Atlanta, and the funeral is expected to be held on April 9 at the Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The rocket launch is on April 7. Lin Ran, as Martin Luther King’s close friend, was invited to give a eulogy at his funeral. Lin Ran claimed that this rocket launch is also his way of commemorating Martin Luther King.
Therefore, a large number of reporters and dignitaries rushed to Huntsville City to watch the rocket launch, hoping to witness history.
Fred was no exception. He brought his son Big T. Fred is also going on Big T’s program, so how could there be any rift between father and son.
Moreover, Fred demonstrated strong appeal in the primary. Even in places like Wisconsin, a state around the Great Lakes, not a southern state, he only trailed Nixon by a few percentage points. This forced Big T to reassess his father’s appeal.
Thinking that he himself doesn’t yet have strong enough wings, he still needs his father to help pull votes.
“!” Hearing Lin Ran’s words, Fred’s heart only had one exclamation mark.
I am indeed extraordinarily talented; even the professor thinks highly of me!
“Professor, thank you for thinking highly of me. If I am successfully elected, I will definitely let you play a bigger role in the White House, instead of being like the foolish Johnson, only coming to you for help after things go wrong and he can’t solve them.” Fred said.
Fred was extremely complacent, not only because he trailed Nixon by only a slight margin, but more because he was far ahead of Ronald Reagan in support.
Ronald Reagan is the Governor of California, and there was another potential candidate, Nelson Rockefeller, who is the Governor of New York State.
Fred’s support rate means that if he ran for governor, he could win in either California or New York State.
That way, he could vacate his Congressman position for Big T.
Fred himself would serve as Governor of New York State, and his son as New York State’s Congressman.
What a wonderful thing that would be. The T family would become a political family rooted in New York.
Fred saw the presidential position as nice to have but not essential. Participating in the Elephant Party primary was more of a political propaganda behavior.
Of course, after Lin Ran said he was the most likely, Fred’s heart reignited with hope.
Originally, he felt his chances were slim because Martin Luther King’s death was very unfavorable to him.
In electoral politics, the most effective tool for mobilizing votes is hate. Hate gives a group full motivation to vote.
And the black community’s disgust for Fred and Wallace was enough to leave them with nothing in this election.
Fred asked devoutly: “Professor, do you have any way to make me elected?”
As Nixon’s former good friend, having watched Nixon slowly climb out of the quagmire, Fred himself was a product supported by Nixon’s comeback. He knew all too well how astonishing Lin Ran’s brain was and how sharp his insight.
Last month’s US-Soviet peace talks and Vietnam War ceasefire further deepened this impression.
Fred urgently needed Lin Ran to find him a way to victory.
Lin Ran said without thinking: “You need to win the votes of Wallace supporters. You need to strive for conservative voters and working-class support. You need to convince Nixon’s opponents to support you.
Beyond that, there is no other way.”
After hearing this, Fred only had a rough concept. Just as he wanted to ask more, Lin Ran looked at his Patek Philippe watch and said: “Sorry, Fred, the rocket launches tomorrow. I still need to do the final checks.”
Fred said: “Of course, Professor, NASA’s work is the most important.”
When Lin Ran turned to leave and was about to open the door, Fred’s voice came from behind: “There is one surefire trump card, and that is if the professor publicly announces support for me.”
Lin Ran didn’t answer, just waved his hand and left the room.
Me publicly supporting you? Compared to Johnson and Nixon, do you have any advantages? Lin Ran thought to himself in the corridor.
This launch was not at the Cape Canaveral Launch Center, but at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.
The launch tower stood in the darkness, with spotlights at the top projecting blinding white beams, illuminating the reusable rocket named “Burning No. 1” below.
Burning No. 1—after Lin Ran set this name, everyone felt it was very fitting.
Everyone knew that the meaning of Lin Ran’s Chinese name was “burning,” so no one found it inappropriate, and no one knew the name had another layer of meaning.
It was the foundation of the entire Star Wars Program and also seen by Lyndon as the ace card to save his precarious election situation.
How is it precarious again?
The rocket is similar to Falcon 9, composed of two stages. The bottom first stage rocket is equipped with 9 TR-201C engines. These engines come from the descent propulsion system of the lunar module. Under von Braun’s leadership, they were modified to enhance deep throttling capability and heat-resistant coating to adapt to recovery landing in Earth’s atmosphere.
To say more, the concepts of reusable rocket and vertical takeoff and landing appeared very early, but were limited by materials science, control systems, and engine design.
Lin Ran’s prowess in orbital calculation solved the control system. From the engine level, currently only America can solve it.
Because the Apollo lunar module’s descent propulsion system used the TRW TR-201 engine, the only liquid rocket engine in the 1960s capable of deep throttling, continuously adjustable from 10% to 100% thrust range.
This is crucial for reusable rockets, as the landing phase requires reducing thrust to match gravity, avoiding hard landing or explosion.
In comparison, most contemporary engines could only do fixed thrust or limited adjustment, where limited adjustment means 65%-100%.
It also has multiple ignition capability, supporting restarts during flight for adjustments in the recovery process, whether hovering or correcting.
Lin Ran, Lyndon, and von Braun stood at the foot of the launch tower, their clothes flapping loudly in the night wind.
Von Braun was not far from retirement. His past in NAZI Germany had been dug up, so he had to stay at NASA to ensure his wealth and honor. Thus, he worked extra hard.
Lin Ran’s appearance caused the Jewish Group to develop much faster than in history. Von Braun had long been targeted by them.
Of course, Burning No. 1 was also his dream. Reusable rocket—such a wonderful term. With Burning No. 1’s completion, von Braun keenly realized that reusable rockets are the future of aerospace. He marveled at Lin Ran’s sharp sense of smell.
Under Lin Ran’s leadership, NASA keenly grasped the future.
Lyndon’s dark circles had worsened. Martin Luther King’s death was like a bolt from the blue for him, the worst possible news. Flames of fanaticism flickered in his eyes; Burning No. 1 was his last straw.
At this point, Lyndon had made up his mind: if tomorrow’s launch fails, he would announce he won’t participate in this year’s presidential election; if it succeeds, he would make a final push.
Engines originally for lunar landing were now clustered at the rocket’s base: nine engines in a ring— one in the center, eight around, forming a petal-like layout.
Each engine’s combustion chamber was reinforced with titanium alloy, throttling range expanded from 10% to 105%, allowing precise control of descent speed during recovery, avoiding turning into fragments in the ocean like previous expendable rockets.
“This is not just a launch,” von Braun thought, “this is the future. Recovery means cost, means we can conquer space faster. Cost is key.”
Team members gathered around, including propulsion engineers, structural engineers, control system experts, and more.
In the control center, real-time data scrolled on the IBM System/360 screens.
Workers pushed fuel trucks; the air faintly smelled of the chemical Aerozine 50 fuel, the bipropellant for TR-201C, storable at room temperature for easy multiple ignitions.
Lyndon stayed silent. He shouldn’t even be here at this time, but after he insisted and guaranteed he wouldn’t interfere with their work, Lin Ran allowed him to come. In the distance, White House photographers were recording the historic scene: the professor commanding the reusable rocket work.
The photographers had it tough; they had to find the right angle without Lin Ran in the photos.
When Lin Ran and Lyndon appeared together in photos, no one would think Lyndon was directing the work.
“Professor, throttle valve test completed,” the propulsion engineer said. “Nine engines at 98% synchronization.
The optimized TR-201 in simulated recovery can drop from full thrust to hover mode in 30 seconds.
Thrust-to-weight ratio 1.3, just enough to reserve 20% fuel for first stage recovery.”
Lin Ran nodded, his gaze sweeping over the rocket base.
Those engines were like nine silver beasts, nozzles opening downward, ready to devour the oxidizer N2O4 and fuel mixture.
Lyndon crouched down, touching a cooling line on one engine. The cold metal reminded him of the metallic feel of the car surface when Kennedy was assassinated.
Last time Kennedy’s assassination put him in the presidential seat. Could this rocket do the same?
“Mr. President, do you know what this means? If recovery succeeds, we can reuse the first stage rocket.
Costs drop to one-tenth or even lower.
At the same time, we will achieve one rocket with three satellites this time—three GPS satellites into orbit simultaneously, providing the Navy with global positioning accurate to within 10 meters, and also global monitoring.
This will be revolutionary on the battlefield.” Lin Ran said.
Lyndon was very excited; this was his last chance. “Professor, thank you. I’m leaving it all to you here!”
The structural engineer climbed down the ladder: “No structural issues, Professor. Landing legs reinforced with aluminum alloy, can withstand 5G impact. If wind speed exceeds 15 knots, the recovery platform is waiting at sea.”
Images of failure flashed in Lyndon’s mind: rocket tipping over on landing, the nine TR-201 cluster out of control, exploding into a fireball. He forced to announce withdrawal from the White House.
God, that’s unimaginable.
He glanced at Lin Ran, who was directing the structural engineer on final checks. He immediately calmed down. Right, I have the professor; how could such a thing happen!
“Tom, we have gyroscopes and basic computer control. What does that terminal show?”
The control center’s voice came over the broadcast.
“All normal, Professor.
Δv calculation shows total velocity increment to MEO orbit of 11 km/s.
After first stage separation, upper stage uses a single TR-201 variant to push satellites into orbit.
Satellite separation sequence programmed: first at T+15 minutes, second T+18, third T+21.
Payload total weight 2280 kg, within tolerance.
Even if recovery fails, our satellites can still reach the planned orbit.”
Lyndon inwardly complained: What kind of engineer is this? Doesn’t he know the professor never fails? How can you say ‘even if recovery fails’!
If the professor fails, it means I fail too. I’ve walked on thin ice my whole life; I don’t like hearing this.
The team fell silent for a moment.
Lin Ran stood up, looking around at everyone: “We lead in the moon race, and Burning No. 1 will succeed too.
Starting tomorrow, reusable rockets will no longer be a gimmick in science fiction novels; they will turn from fantasy into reality.
Von Braun’s work is outstanding. TR-201C can restart, throttle, and bring the rocket home.
Launch at dawn tomorrow. NASA will usher in a new beginning.”
Lin Ran’s words made the team members applaud one after another. Lyndon clapped the most enthusiastically.
The photographers waiting in the distance to snap shots were speechless.
“Isn’t this conversation supposed to be initiated by Mr. President? Why is the professor speaking and the president clapping?” White House photographer George complained to his colleague, because the president’s performance made their task impossible.
His colleague Jack said helplessly: “This is the aerospace center, the professor’s home turf. Plus, Mr. President might be in a bad mood, but it’s not important. We can always find suitable photos, or crop out the professor if needed.”
Their work was even harder than the distant engineers’, because in Huntsville, getting a photo with only the president and no professor was extremely difficult.
“John, remember to check the final fuel injection.” After saying this, Lin Ran walked to the console, others following behind him. Lyndon quickly stayed by Lin Ran’s side. Their footsteps echoed on the concrete ground.
An alarm sounded, and Lyndon hurriedly asked: “Professor, what’s wrong?”
Lin Ran said: “Don’t worry, this alarm is a minor issue. Our engineers can solve it.”
When they returned to the control center, an engineer came to report: a slight fluctuation in the fuel pump, just pressure variation; they were calibrating it.
NASA’s engineers truly felt the pressure from the president. In the past, such news only appeared in newspapers and television.
Meanwhile, Lin Ran chatting casually with Lyndon seemed so calm to the NASA engineers—like the sky could fall and he would still be unruffled.
Late into the night, the team continued working. NASA never followed an 8-hour workday. Lin Ran himself was the king of involution, with no reason to involute himself but not the engineers below.
America lags far behind in laborer rights protection. Even in 2020’s spacetime America, it’s far inferior to Europe, let alone now.
And how much a knowledgeable leader can involute everyone—NASA engineers felt it profoundly.
Launch countdown entered the final 24 hours.
“Burning No. 1” quietly waited, nine TR-201C engines poised to fire, carrying Lyndon’s last hope.
Rocket total height about 45 meters. Upper stage carries three GPS satellites, each 760 kg, total payload 2280 kg, target MEO orbit at 20200 km altitude, 55-degree inclination.
Lyndon stood on the control center’s outer platform, hands gripping the railing tightly, extremely tense inside.
Last night’s checks ended perfectly. Now only two hours to launch.
Today’s launch was so important to him that he hadn’t even had time to ask Lin Ran what he respectively chatted with Nixon, Robert, and Fred about.
Lin Ran glanced at his watch; he was very calm. This was just a replicate of Burning One Modified; failure was highly unlikely.
Nine engines ignited synchronously, blue flames surging out. The rocket broke gravity’s shackles with a 1.3 thrust-to-weight ratio.
First stage burned for about 150 seconds then separated, reserving 20% fuel for recovery landing; upper stage continued propulsion, releasing satellites one by one into orbit.
Everything smooth—this humanity’s first reusable rocket one rocket with three satellites feat.
Lin Ran had already arranged the script in his mind.
Before the final launch, Lin Ran led Lyndon around the launch tower. White House photographers captured this, showing the close rapport between the President and NASA Director.
The site was noisy yet orderly: technicians busy beside fuel pipes.
Then they entered the control center, the spacious room filled with dashboards and screens.
NASA’s engineers were already waiting inside.
Today Lyndon finally had some mood. He shook hands with each one, encouraging: “Guys, you are heroes.
Vietnam is bleeding, but space is our battlefield to win the Cold War.
These GPS satellites will let our bombers strike precisely, saving countless lives.”
The highly educated, inherently anti-war engineers felt a surge of disgust. They realized the Lyndon who said ceasefire in newspapers was performing; his real thought was precise bomber strikes.
30 minutes to launch; countdown begins.
The president and other White House senior officials sat in the VIP seats, looking through thick glass windows at the launch pad.
Lin Ran put on headphones. His voice echoed via broadcast throughout the Redstone Arsenal: “All systems go. Fuel loading complete.
TR-201C engines pre-chilled and started.”
Screens showed: nine engines 100% synchronization, thrust ready.
“T-10 seconds,” the announcer’s voice rang out. “9, 8, 7…”
Lyndon prayed inwardly, eyes unblinking.
“3, 2, 1… Ignition!”
Instantly, the nine engines roared together!
Blue flames erupted from the nozzles, ground shaking like an earthquake.
The rocket rose slowly, thrust-to-weight ratio perfect, accelerating into the sky just as Lin Ran predicted.
Cheers erupted in the control room. Lin Ran calmly said: “Monitor throttling, check if velocity increment is normal.”
Rocket pierced the clouds. After 150 seconds of first stage burn, separation signal came.
Upper stage continued, single TR-201C engine ignited, pushing the three satellites toward MEO orbit.
First satellite separated at T+15 minutes into planned orbit; second at T+18, third at T+21.
Ground radar confirmed: all satellite signals normal—one rocket with three satellites success!
Meanwhile, first stage rocket turned for recovery. Five of the nine engines reignited, throttled to 30%.
Rocket plunged back into the atmosphere.
Landing legs deployed, hydraulic systems hissing.
On the sea platform, the rocket landed precisely, impact only 3G.
Smoke cleared; “Burning No. 1” first stage stood intact.
The control room boiled over! Engineers hugged and cheered.
President Johnson stood, clapping forcefully yet slowly. He knew he hadn’t lost this election yet. He walked to the microphone.
Lyndon Johnson’s voice rang over the broadcast, excited and resolute: “Ladies and gentlemen, today we witnessed a miracle! ‘Burning No. 1’ not only launched three GPS satellites; it proved our innovative spirit.
Reusable technology will make space travel as economical as driving a car.
This is not the end, but the beginning.
In this turbulent era, gunfire still echoes from the front lines, but when we look up at the sky, we see new hope.
Thank you, Professor, and NASA’s engineers—you are the true heroes. You make America great! God bless America!”
