Chapter 28: Preparations Before Visiting Hong Kong

"I am quite happy at the Redstone Arsenal, so I am not considering a change for the time being," Haynes politely declined.

Inwardly, however, he couldn't help but scoff. The man was disgustingly wealthy; truly, the Morgan family lived up to their name. Whenever Haynes came to Huntsville to grab a bite, it was usually for a simple burger and milkshake at places like Gibbs BBQ or the Carter Restaurant. Even when dining with colleagues, the most extravagant they got was fried chicken or barbecue at a spot like the Greenbrier. A place like the Russell Erskine Hotel was somewhere he wouldn't visit in an entire year if he were paying out of his own pocket—unless Arthur Rudolph was picking up the tab.

A GS-9 level engineer at NASA started at an annual salary of about $6,435, which broke down to $536 a month. A single meal at the Russell Erskine could easily cost $30, and the business lunches John Morgan had the hotel prepare were even pricier. As for the clothing brands John Morgan had just mentioned, they were luxury items beyond luxury. Haynes only recognized the name Savile Row, and that was only because J.P. Morgan was known to fly all the way to London specifically to have his suits custom-made there. He had never even heard of the other two, Brooks Brothers and Chipp.

It was a stark reminder of the chasm between a middle-class American family like his and the old-money aristocracy.

"Very well, it is a pity that talent like yours cannot work for General Electric. I had imagined that if you and Randolph worked together, you would become a classic duo, much like Wernher von Braun and Ernst Stuhlinger," John Morgan remarked.

The two he mentioned were scientists brought over to America from Germany via Operation Paperclip. During the 1950s, they had worked together at the Redstone Arsenal, focusing on rocket technology development. Von Braun was responsible for the overall design and leadership, while Stuhlinger provided support in propulsion systems and electric propulsion concepts. Their collaboration led to the success of the Redstone rocket and the launch of America's first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. Stuhlinger’s theoretical work had been a crucial complement to von Braun's practical rocket designs.

Haynes felt a pang of envy. What a wealthy man—he had actually managed to poach Randolph Lin. When John Morgan had first consulted him about Lin, expressing an interest in recruiting him, Haynes had already seen countless news reports about Lin proving the Fermat Conjecture.

He had initially thought John Morgan was indulging in a flight of fancy. How could someone who had risen to fame in the mathematical world, hailed as the "Chinese Gauss" and tipped to be the next "Pope of Mathematics," possibly end up working for General Electric? Yet, to his surprise, John Morgan had actually pulled it off. It left him reflecting on the reality that in America, there was truly nothing money couldn't achieve.

"Randolph? His talent in the aerospace field is far superior to mine," Haynes admitted with a sigh. This was the consensus among every engineer in GE’s aerospace department who had worked with Lin: "Randolph is simply too brilliant; it is difficult to find anyone in aerospace theory who surpasses him."

It was precisely because of this endorsement from the entire group of engineers that John Morgan trusted Lin more and more. Morgan knew full well that in the current climate, there was only one way to make these white engineers truly respect a man of Chinese descent: the man had to be genuinely, visibly better than them.

"But Randolph has too much on his plate. He has to teach and conduct mathematical research; he cannot devote all his energy to GE's aerospace business. I need someone who can help me lead this work on the ground," John Morgan said. He had approached Haynes because Lin himself had mentioned that Haynes was a capable man.

Haynes felt a sense of relief—so it was only a part-time role. "I will consider it further."

John Morgan shifted the topic. "Haynes, I recall you mentioning what kind of person Randolph is. Could you describe him to me in more detail?"

"Before I met Randolph, I could hardly imagine anyone breaking the barrier between amateur and professional. As a GS-9 engineer, I have always focused on complex orbital calculations, and my professional ability is easily in the top 1% of the four thousand engineers at Redstone. Yet, the feeling Randolph gives me is that the difference between us is that my capacity is only this much," Haynes said, holding up a small glass to represent his own ability, "while he only chooses to exert this much," he added, gesturing to a large wine glass.

"For a long time, I doubted myself, until I saw the reports about him in the newspapers. He is a genius who proved the Fermat Conjecture at twenty-two. Isn't it only natural that there exists a massive chasm between us?"

...

John Morgan had omitted much regarding Lin's daily life in 1960. Beyond teaching, attending academic conferences, conducting mathematical research, and lecturing the aerospace engineers at GE, Lin had his own studies to attend to. Professor Horkheimer had provided him with a stack of books on critical theory, and they met for a fixed discussion every week. Then there was the preparation for his summer trip to Hong Kong.

According to public records, China would complete the test flight of the DF-1 this year. The DF-1 was designed based on the Soviet R-2 missile, using a mixture of alcohol and liquid oxygen as fuel. It had a range of only 550 kilometers and a payload of just 500 kilograms, suitable for short-range tactical use.

"The DF-1 will be shelved after this year's test. It is more of a practice run led by Qian Xuesen to prepare for the later, officially deployed DF-2 and DF-3. The DF-2 was developed quickly in '66, with a range increased to 1,300 kilometers, and the subsequent DF-3 reached 2,800 kilometers. All three missiles suffered from accuracy issues. If the ballistic trajectory of the DF-1 is optimized, the range can be improved. Essentially, what I need to do is provide some mathematical calculation methods that China can actually utilize right now. China lacks computers and relies entirely on manual calculation. Whether it is ballistic trajectory optimization, propulsion system design, structural mechanics analysis, or navigation, guidance, and aerodynamics, everything must be built upon the current foundation. Furthermore, I cannot reveal too much at once; after all, I am still in Hong Kong."

Finding suitable mathematical methods in the literature that were both practical and discreet, while ensuring Qian Xuesen understood how to apply them—Lin felt the task was daunting.

By the time June arrived, even before Lin had visited Hong Kong, the local media had already begun building anticipation. The Department of Mathematics at the University of Hong Kong had already begun recruiting for the Lin Ran Mathematics Seminar, opening applications to the general public.

"Recruitment Notice for the Seminar by Visiting Professor Dr. Lin Ran of the University of Hong Kong."