Chapter 206: If The Professor Were White
“Oh my God, what am I seeing!
Hello, audience friends in front of the television, welcome to the live broadcast of the CBS Television news program, I am your old friend Cronkite.
As you can see, sitting in front of me is the top-tier talent in the world.
One is renowned for intelligence, the person recognized as having the highest IQ in the world, in whose presence there is no difference between anyone, everyone is a monkey—Randolph Lin!
The other is the one who accomplished countless miracles, from manned spaceflight to moon landing, the first time for humanity in aerospace is all related to him, the synonym for human courage, Yuri Gagarin!
Let us welcome the two with the most enthusiastic applause!”
After Cronkite’s opening remarks, he clapped with all his might to show welcome.
The studio also erupted in enthusiastic applause.
The audience who could enter the Columbia Television Washington D.C. studio live are all either rich or noble, almost all celebrities in Washington D.C.
Even for them, the simultaneous appearance of Lin Ran and Gagarin is extremely rare, possibly only once in a lifetime.
Most of the audience present brought the poster attached to that issue of Time Magazine’s moon landing special issue, hoping to get signatures from the two greatest contributors to the moon landing in front of them.
With the signatures of the two, this poster is no longer a simple souvenir; placed decades later, it is a witness to humanity’s peak engineering, it is a cultural relic!
In later generations, posters signed by the two can fetch sky-high prices of over 100,000 US dollars at auctions.
And they will only become more valuable as time goes by.
“I am extremely excited. When I learned I had the opportunity to interview the professor and Mr. Gagarin, my mood was even more excited than the single night before my wedding.
This is the most honored day of my career.
Let me thank the two again for coming.”
Cronkite turned to face Lin Ran and Gagarin, clasped his hands together and nodded to express thanks.
Then the formal visit of the day began.
“Welcome Mr. Gagarin back to Earth. We all know that after completing such a complex moon landing mission, what you need upon returning to Earth is rest and recuperation, and the first country you visit after rest and recuperation is America.
I want to ask, how are you feeling now?”
After hearing this, Gagarin smiled and said: “I feel great. Actually, it’s not rest and recuperation; my body itself has no problems.
Rather, I need to undergo medical examinations and isolation quarantine to avoid bringing viruses from space back to Earth.
In the past two months or so, I have mostly been cooperating with the Moscow Space Agency on this work.”
Cronkite looked shocked: “Oh my God, does the universe have other life besides humanity?”
Gagarin looked at Lin Ran; he obviously only knew to do this, but he couldn’t explain the reason.
Lin Ran organized his words and said: “We are worried about the possibility, in case there are viruses in the universe.
If there are viruses and they are brought back to Earth by astronauts, it would be a threat to all humanity.
Regarding the possible existence of life in the universe, it can be traced back to 1904 when the famous Swedish chemist Arrhenius proposed that the source of Earth life might be bacterial spores disseminated in space through radiation pressure, meaning spores travel from one planet through space to another planet.
Cronkite promptly added: “So Earth life comes from the universe?”
The audience below let out timely gasps of surprise.
Lin Ran nodded and said: “Correct, there is that possibility.
After the spores arrive on Earth, through long evolution, they formed the Earth we see now.”
Arrhenius was also a pioneer of Earth warming; he was the first scientist to use physical chemistry principles to estimate the degree of surface temperature rise on Earth due to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
“Based on this hypothesis, the moon might also have germs.
Therefore, in manned spaceflight related work, quarantine has always been a very important research topic.
What if space viruses are brought back to Earth by astronauts, causing massive human casualties?
We need to minimize the risk in every possible way.
Obviously, Moscow has done very well in this aspect.”
After hearing this, Cronkite had an expression of gaining knowledge: “As expected, we need professionals to hear such substantial knowledge.
So Mr. Gagarin, during these two months of rest, do you keep reliving the moon landing process?”
Gagarin showed a reminiscing expression: “Of course, I will never forget that feeling.
This is a feeling that countless simulations cannot compare to.
Before the moon landing, we used various facilities to simulate the moon environment. I underwent countless simulation trainings in such environments, but the gap between simulation and reality is huge, an insurmountable chasm.
The feeling of stepping on moon soil, one-sixth gravity of Earth, looking at Earth from the moon, executing tasks on the moon.
This experience, I will savor for a lifetime.
I think, probably before I die, lying on a hospital bed, I will still be thinking about the scene of my moon landing.”
Gagarin finally showed nostalgia.
Lin Ran thought to himself, with the gate, I can go to the moon for a spin anytime.
The fuel tank is still up there.
You savor it for a lifetime, but I casually go for a stroll.
He also felt that this is like becoming famous young; when your life’s highlight moment is forever stuck at that point, the future is all downhill, not sure if it’s fortune or sorrow.
“It sounds wonderful. I hope in my lifetime I can also go to the moon to see.
Professor, do you think we can achieve moon travel in our lifetime? Can every ordinary person go to the moon?” Cronkite asked.
After pondering for a moment, Lin Ran said: “Of course, space tourism is absolutely feasible.
Besides the manned moon landing mission, NASA is now working on space station and reusable rocket.
Reusable rocket means recovering and reusing most components of the rocket after launch, so whether entering space or moon landing, only fuel is needed.
The cost can be reduced to one-tenth, one-hundredth, or even one-thousandth of now.
Our moon landing now costs 100 billion US dollars; reduced to one-thousandth, it only costs 100 million US dollars.
100 million US dollars can send many people to the moon.
Going to the moon, besides high cost, could be as simple as flying from New York to London.
At that time, one space shuttle trip sends ten people up, each only needing 10 million US dollars, which many rich people can afford.
For those not so rich, they can consider our space station project.
Space station, you can think of it as a house orbiting Earth in space. The moon is 320,000 kilometers from Earth, space station height is 100 kilometers; the launch cost might be 100,000 US dollars per person, which many people can afford.
Able to go to space for tourism, overlooking Earth from the space station.
And NASA can transform from an institution that purely burns national budget into one with profitability, able to break even, even a profitable institution.”
Cronkite’s mouth gaped open, “Professor, can we really do it?”
The prospects Lin Ran depicted were too beautiful.
You know, in 1962, an American Media survey showed that most of the public had opinions about NASA, feeling this institution only burns money, burns a lot of money, better spent on improving public welfare and treatment.
Precisely because of this trend of thought, later NASA had to conduct science popularization activities covering from elementary students to university students to ordinary people nationwide, just to prove it is useful and necessary to keep NASA.
Lin Ran’s description not only shocked Cronkite but also made the Washington celebrities in the audience yearn for it.
No one can resist the temptation of the sea of stars.
“Brown, do you think we can really achieve space travel in our lifetime? Really, as the professor said, 100,000 US dollars for a trip to space?” the white woman asked her male companion; 100,000 US dollars sounded as light as 10 US dollars.
The male companion replied: “If someone else said it, I would doubt, but it’s the professor saying it, I believe it’s possible, I believe the professor can do it.”
This was everyone’s consensus.
Others say the public would think it’s science fiction novel; Lin Ran says it, everyone feels it’s depicting a visible future, depicting within lifetime.
“Professor, can you introduce reusable rocket in detail?” Before Cronkite could speak, Gagarin was already impatient.
He knew this was a very important concept.
Both because it came from Lin Ran’s mouth and the cognition of old aerospace people.
Reusable rocket is absolutely not some new thing; 1965 literature and projects like Nexus, Spiral, and BAC Mustard all show that the concept of reusable rocket was already known to America and Soviet Union.
America dug up the Dyna-Soar project from Germany; this project sought reusable spacecraft, hoping to reach Earth orbit and return.
Germany developed part during World War II; America spent 660 million US dollars and failed, ultimately canceled.
Of course, its research and development was not without value; later used in other spacecraft.
At that time, both America and Soviet Union confirmed through experiments that parachute and retro-rocket can be used for recovering rocket stages, feasible under the technology level then.
So Korolev was not too surprised by the idea of reusable rocket when meeting Lin Ran.
Even in Soviet Union’s Venera-72 mission design, they envisioned some reusable modules.
(Venera-72 launch concept diagram)
But under the Cold War background then, under technical conditions then, technology development priority tended toward rapid launch rather than long-term investment.
But now Lin Ran proposed a brand new concept in a public interview, revisiting reusable rocket and NASA’s operation and profitability as an institution.
Naturally, Gagarin wanted to ask more.
Lin Ran nodded and said: “Of course, rockets are staged; I think it can absolutely be made reusable, and I think I have found the secret to rocket recovery.
But specifically how to do it, that’s a secret.”
The audience erupted in applause; from Gagarin’s reaction, everyone saw the importance of this technology; from the professor’s answer, they saw America’s leading advantage in this aspect.
Gagarin showed a regretful expression, “I hope we can also achieve cooperation in this aspect.”
Lin Ran smiled and said: “That should be cooperation negotiated between the White House and the Kremlin, not us.”
Cronkite timely pulled the topic back to the interview: “I am already looking forward to NASA’s space tourism project.
If it’s only 100,000 US dollars, I will definitely go, I swear.
So professor, approximately when can it be achieved?”
Lin Ran thought: “Ten years, within ten years we can achieve it.”
This time everyone was shocked; ten years is too short.
From the current perspective, routine space tourism in ten years is really unimaginable.
Cronkite shook hands with Lin Ran and said: “Professor, if within ten years, NASA launches manned space tourism project, I hope when I interview you then, it’s in space.
Our program team would surely be willing to spend that money.”
Lin Ran added: “My round-trip expenses need reimbursement.”
Cronkite laughed: “Naturally.”
He continued: “I hope by then, we can also invite Mr. Gagarin to jointly witness our ten-year agreement.”
Gagarin nodded: “Of course, I would be happy to participate.” What he didn’t say inwardly was to see the Kremlin’s opinion then, and whether Americans would be willing to let him go up.
Cronkite then asked: “Mr. Gagarin, there is a rumor that during the process of returning to Earth, it was the professor personally commanding you throughout; is that true?
And at that time, did you feel worried, afraid the professor’s command mistake would prevent you from returning to Earth?”
Gagarin said: “That’s the case.
After the command module launch, command authority was transferred to the professor.
Although this visit to America is my first meeting with the professor, the professor and I share a bond of life and death; I am extremely familiar with the professor’s voice. During the return process, he told me specifically what to do more than once.
As for whether I worried about the professor’s command mistake, I never worried!”
Gagarin’s final answer was resolute.
Gagarin continued: “Do you know?
On the moon, all alone, whether I could successfully complete the task was unknown.
Inserting the national flags of Soviet Union and America, transmitting photos back to Earth, excavating moon soil; after doing these, I felt solitude and a trace of worry.
I only knew America’s fuel tank would come, but when it would return, whether within my line of sight, and if within my line of sight, whether during subsequent task execution I could bring the fuel tank back to the command module side as planned to successfully complete the task—all unknowns.
When America’s lunar module appeared in my line of sight, that feeling was like being saved.
America fulfilled its promise; support across 300,000 kilometers arrived as scheduled.
Right in my line of sight—what a feat.
Humanity at this moment is inseparable; this both proves human cooperation can overcome all difficulties and proves NASA’s ability.
Therefore, when command authority was transferred to the professor, the fuel transfer was already completed; I had no reason not to trust the professor.
During the return to Earth process, the professor’s command was exaggerated; even before the Göttingen miracle, we thought the professor was the smartest person in the world.
Before witnessing the professor’s calculation ability, it was hard to imagine humans could have such exaggerated calculation ability.”
Gagarin’s expression was very sincere, naturally convincing the audience of what he said.
“We need tools, need computers, because the reaction time left to you is limited; you can only calculate according to established program.
But the professor uses his brain; he can perform real-time calculations based on actual conditions and parameter changes.
Comrade Korolev once sighed internally that the gap between the professor and us is even greater than between humans and gorillas.”
Such praise obviously made American public feel inwardly refreshed.
Praise from the enemy explains the issue best.
Of course, some conservative public in the southern states, while watching the live television broadcast, felt a bit regretful that the professor is not a white person but a yellow person.
Now Lin Ran’s power is limited to within NASA, that is, the field of aerospace.
Actually, McNamara more than once wanted to package the Air Force’s research and development projects from the Department of Defense to Lin Ran together, giving him a senior advisor role in the Department of Defense, letting him deeply participate in Air Force-related scientific research projects, that is, various bombers, fighter jets, early warning aircraft, radar and such projects.
But it was blocked.
Even though Lin Ran’s past performance proved him trustworthy.
But because of his yellow person identity and publicly expressed identification with China, this prevented him from accessing national defense industry.
If Lin Ran were a white person, even a South African white person, he could take over America’s massive scientific research system with a word.
Even with his youth, he could hold that position for forty years no problem.
Forty years—what concept is that; president at most eight years, he could span eight presidents.
From Vietnam War to Gulf to Afghanistan, a living fossil.
Therefore, if Lin Ran were white, his fame could multiply by 10; besides fame, actual power could be even higher than the president.
This is actually a manifestation of America’s race.
Of course, if Lin Ran were Jewish, he could become the actual head of the deep state, with actual power even more exaggerated than the president.
Possibly America’s history would become: professor supports Fred, professor overthrows Fred, professor supports Fred’s son, professor overthrows Fred’s son.
Back to the studio live, after hearing this, Cronkite sighed: “Worthy of the professor, always creating one miracle after another.
Professor, we are also curious, why can you do what others cannot; in your growth process, do you have any secrets to share with everyone?”
Lin Ran said: “I want to say interest is the best teacher.
Our education should not do this kind of exam-oriented education; exam-oriented education is too stupid, students trained this way only know how to do problems, it kills students’ talent in the cradle.
I think our current education system is a failure!”
Lin Ran was about to make a bold statement.
We are America, how can America do exam-oriented education!
We should do happy education!
Happy education combined with this lost generation during the Vietnam War, simply invincible power.
Begging for monthly tickets! Woo woo woo, give crow some monthly tickets!
