Chapter 28: Preparations Before Visiting Hong Kong
“I’m very happy working at Redstone Arsenal and am not considering it for now,” Haines politely declined.
At the same time, he inwardly complained that rich people were too wealthy, as expected of the Morgan family.
He usually ate in Huntsville at places like Gibbs Barbecue or Carter Restaurant, having simple food like hamburgers and milkshakes.
Even for gatherings with colleagues, it was at most places like Green Rose Restaurant for barbecue and fried chicken.
Places like the Russell Erskine Hotel, if he paid himself, he wouldn’t come once a year, unless Arthur Rudolf was treating.
A NASA GS-9 level engineer’s starting annual salary was about 6435 US dollars a year, equivalent to 536 US dollars a month, while a meal at the Russell Erskine Hotel could cost 30 US dollars, and the business meal ordered by John Morgan at the hotel was even more expensive.
And the clothing brands that John Morgan had just mentioned were luxury among luxuries.
Among them, Haines had only heard of the name Savile Row, and that was because JP Morgan liked to fly by airplane specifically to London to get suits custom-made at Savile Row.
He had never even heard of the other two names, Brooks Brothers and Chipp.
To know that Haines’s family was also considered middle class in America.
The gap between middle class and old nobility was just that big.
“Alright, it’s a pity that talent like you can’t work for General Electric.
Originally I thought that you working with Randolph would become a classic partnership like von Braun and Ernst Steininger,” John Morgan said.
The two he mentioned were both scientists that America had brought from Germany through Operation Paperclip. In the 1950s, they worked together at Redstone Arsenal, focusing on rocket technology development.
Among them, von Braun was responsible for overall design and leadership, while Steininger provided support in propulsion systems and electric propulsion concepts.
Their cooperation led to the success of the Redstone Rocket and launched America’s first satellite “Explorer 1” in 1958. Steininger’s theoretical work provided important supplementation to von Braun’s practical rocket design.
Haines felt even more sour; what rich people, he could actually poach Randolph Lin.
Before, John Morgan had come to consult him for information related to Lin Ran and shown intention to recruit Lin Ran. At that time, Haines had already seen a lot of newspaper reports about Lin Ran proving Fermat’s Conjecture.
He had originally thought John Morgan was daydreaming; someone who had already become famous in the mathematics community, hailed as the Chinese Gauss, and possibly the next Pope of Mathematics, how could he possibly go to work at General Electric.
In the end, unexpectedly, John Morgan had really done it.
This made him inwardly sigh that in America, indeed, there was nothing money couldn’t do.
“Randolph? His talent in the aerospace field is much better than mine,” Haines sighed.
This was also the consensus among all the engineers in General Electric’s aerospace department who had dealt with Lin Ran: “That guy Randolph is too amazing; it’s hard to find anyone more formidable than Randolph in aerospace theory.”
And it was precisely because of the endorsement from the entire group of engineers that John Morgan trusted Lin Ran even more.
John Morgan was very clear that in the current environment, to make this group of white engineers truly convinced from the heart by a person of Chinese descent, there was only one possibility: that the other party was really better than them, visibly so.
“But Randolph has too many things to do; he has to teach, do mathematical research, and can’t put all his energy into General Electric’s aerospace business.
I need someone who can specifically lead this work for me,” John Morgan said. He had come to poach Haines also because Lin Ran had mentioned that Haines was good.
Haines now felt balanced inwardly; it turned out to be part-time: “Let me think about it some more.”
John Morgan changed the topic, “Haines, I heard you talk before about what kind of person Randolph is; can you describe it to me in detail again?”
“Before meeting Randolph, it was hard for me to imagine someone who could break the boundary between professional and amateur.
As a GS-9 level engineer, I have always focused on complex orbital calculations, and my professional ability absolutely ranks in the top 1% among the four thousand engineers at Redstone Arsenal.
However, the feeling Randolph gave me is that the gap between us is that my ability is only this much, while he only wants to do this much.”
When Haines mentioned the gap in abilities between the two, he first raised a small glass to indicate this was his ability, then raised the large red wine glass to indicate this was Randolph’s ability.
“For a long time, I was doubting myself until I saw newspaper reports about Randolph.
The other party was a genius who proved Fermat’s Conjecture at the age of 22; isn’t it perfectly normal that there is a huge gap between us?”
Regarding Lin Ran’s daily life in 1960, John Morgan said little too much.
Besides teaching, academic conferences, mathematical research, and lecturing to General Electric’s aerospace engineers, Lin Ran himself also had to attend classes.
Professor Horkheimer had prepared a pile of critical theory books for Lin Ran to read, with fixed weekly exchanges.
Additionally, there was preparation work before going to Hong Kong during summer vacation.
In public information, at this time, China would complete the test firing of DF-1 this year. DF-1 was designed based on the Soviet Union’s R-2 missile, using a mixed liquid fuel of alcohol and liquid oxygen as propulsion, with a range of only 550 kilometers and payload of only 500 kilograms, suitable for short-range tactical use.
“After DF-1 completes its test firing this year, it will be shelved, more like a practice work led by Qian Lao to prepare for the subsequent formally deployed DF-2 and DF-3.
Soon after, DF-2 was developed in 66, with range increased to 1300 kilometers, and later DF-3 increased to 2800 kilometers.
These three missiles all had precision issues, and among them, DF-1 could have its range improved through ballistic trajectory optimization.
Essentially, what I need to do is provide some mathematical calculation methods that current China can use.
Current China lacks computers and can only rely on manual calculations. Whether it’s ballistic trajectory optimization, propulsion system design, structural mechanics analysis, navigation and guidance systems, or aerodynamics, all must be built on the existing foundation.
Additionally, I can’t reveal too much at once, since I’m still in Hong Kong after all.”
Finding suitable mathematical methods from the information, while having disguise, and making Qian Xuesen realize how to use it, Lin Ran felt the task was arduous.
After time entered June, before Lin Ran even visited Hong Kong, Hong Kong media had already started preheating in advance.
Because Hong Kong University’s mathematics department had already begun recruitment for Lin Ran’s mathematics seminar to the whole society.
“Hong Kong University Visiting Professor Dr. Lin Ran Seminar Class Recruitment Notice”
