[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-technology-invades-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-technology-invades-the-modern-world-technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-77":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Technology Invades the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269561,4430,"Chapter 77: Creating History","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>On May 5, at the Cape Canaveral launch site in Florida, NASA was preparing to execute its first manned space mission—the launch of the Freedom 7 spacecraft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the Americans, this was also a landmark moment in American space history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although slower than the Soviets by just a step, being second in the world was still an honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the night before launch, an unexpected decision by NASA Administrator James Webb completely altered the course of history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry, but I feel uneasy—NASA has had too many failures in the past, and I fear this launch will fail too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the past, rocket failures only involved the rocket itself, but this time we have human astronauts. For safety’s sake, my suggestion is to replace the astronaut with a gorilla,” said James Webb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>James Webb frowned, looking as if he had given the matter serious thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior NASA officials exchanged glances—tomorrow was launch day, and now you’re telling us to swap in a gorilla?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gagarin was already in space a month ago; aren’t we in a hurry?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t we need a successful manned mission to boost morale?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, you’re saying this now—where are we supposed to find a gorilla in one day?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This godforsaken place, Cape Canaveral in Florida, doesn’t even have a zoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meeting wasn’t just marked by heated debate—everyone opposed Webb’s proposal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They strongly advocated proceeding with the original plan, arguing that delay would damage America’s international reputation and dismissing Webb’s concerns as nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Kennedy’s voice rang out through the room via telephone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I fully support James Webb’s opinion. This decision rests with him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after James Webb had military personnel wheel a gorilla into the meeting room did everyone realize Webb had planned this all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had long known NASA’s leadership had changed, and the White House had sent a Special Assistant for Space Affairs—internal personnel shifts were inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet two months had passed, and neither James Webb nor Lin Ran had moved a muscle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had assumed Washington was satisfied with NASA’s work, never imagining they were being waited out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hearts sank—what if it truly failed? Would that not be slapping their faces on the ground?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of NASA’s risk controls couldn’t outweigh James Webb’s instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meeting’s outcome spread rapidly through NASA; the decision struck like a thunderclap, shocking everyone—especially Shepard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the first astronaut slated to enter space, Alan Shepard had endured months of rigorous training, filled with anticipation and pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet hours before launch, he was summoned to Webb’s office. Webb, grave-faced, explained: “Alan, I know this is hard to accept, but the rocket carries potential risk. I cannot let our astronaut take that chance. We’ve decided to test safety with a gorilla.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shepard had already heard rumors, but hearing James Webb say it to his face still stirred a storm of emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not comprehend Webb’s sudden decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an astronaut, his sense of honor and duty made it unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dream—becoming America’s first man in space—seemed stolen by a gorilla.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced himself to suppress his emotions and replied calmly: “Administrator, I believe I can complete the mission. I am ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Webb insisted this mission demanded caution; if the gorilla’s launch succeeded, Shepard would soon get another chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the office, Shepard returned alone to his room, his inner turmoil raging. He felt anger and disappointment, even a tinge of humiliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On launch day, media from all over gathered at Cape Canaveral in Florida, including European newspapers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had heard of NASA’s last-minute decision over breakfast; by the time the pre-launch press conference began, the room erupted in uproar, reporters firing question after question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Webb explained at the press conference: “We must ensure the rocket’s safety—it’s our responsibility to future missions. The gorilla’s launch will provide critical data.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran stepped forward at the right moment, placing a transparent glass box on the table, then pulling a letter from his suit jacket pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to witness me placing this letter into this transparent box.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This letter explains why we replaced the human astronaut with a gorilla.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the launch concludes, you will all open it together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Lin Ran slipped the letter into the box. The room erupted into louder discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone present were seasoned journalists—they had never seen anything like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>NASA’s engineers were even more panicked, unsure what strange scheme the new administrator and the Special Assistant for Space Affairs were hatching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire morning, the launch site was tense, heavy, and eerily strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shepard stood in the observation area, staring at the Redstone rocket carrying the gorilla.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hoped the launch succeeded—to prove the rocket was safe and he could regain his chance soon; yet he also sensed something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 9:34 a.m., the rocket ignited and lifted off, its roar deafening. It ascended smoothly to an altitude of 187 kilometers, then the automatic control system began to malfunction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just two minutes and fifteen seconds into planned orbital flight, the spacecraft began an uncontrolled left roll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bad! The spacecraft is rolling left at approximately one degree per second—ASCS cannot correct this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Roll rate is increasing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speed has reached ten degrees per second—ASCS is completely out of control!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There must be a component failure in the control system!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re done!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ground control descended into chaos; they helplessly watched from real-time monitors as Freedom 7 lost control, burned up upon reentry, and disintegrated in the atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the spacecraft couldn’t maintain the correct attitude for atmospheric reentry, the heat shield could not protect it—the craft would burn or break apart under extreme heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Robert Gilruth in the control center was numb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spacecraft really had failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the news, James Webb announced loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, NASA’s control center reported: the Freedom 7 launch has failed. The spacecraft burned up during atmospheric reentry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should be able to find photos of its mid-air disintegration from space enthusiasts soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or you may wait for NASA’s official photographs to be released.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Webb continued: “Our timely intervention prevented a tragedy and protected the astronaut’s life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, Professor Lin will explain the full story of this incident—it’s time to open the letter we prepared at the outset.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1040,"2026-06-19T21:37:46.551Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e4c8095d26f6aa57d41e055e57cb6e0667677b147b3b917faa6f90e0010610a7","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-78","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-76",162,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftechnology-invades-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]