George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 158

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“The space business is inherently a long-term endeavor. Some people are misled by the space race with the Soviet Union, but I’m genuinely glad you, Mr. President, aren’t one of those short-sighted businessmen.”

He was referring to those businessmen who demand immediate results. While the Federal Assembly and the President ultimately control the purse strings, this President seemed to favor pushing NASA, perhaps out of genuine passion.

NASA, accustomed to scrutiny from previous administrations, couldn’t help but appreciate Bush’s approach: investing generously and patiently awaiting results. However, even if he felt this way, it would have been more appropriate to simply acknowledge it internally. Instead, he voiced it aloud, seemingly fishing for a reaction. One might even call it presumptuous.

“If humans were a little more adaptable to space, like insects, we could save a considerable amount of the budget.”

With current technology, humanity’s reach in space is limited. Our only habitable zone beyond Earth is confined to space stations like the ISS. The reason for this cramped existence is simple: despite our advanced brains, humans are fragile beings dependent on atmosphere and water.

If a god exists, that lazy bum must have designed humans while half-asleep. Placing the trachea and esophagus in the same location was a particularly egregious design flaw.

Currently, the United States is investing heavily in building a ‘Lunar Base,’ a concept frequently explored in science fiction.

“Still, aren’t humans the first species in Earth’s history to develop the technology to travel to space and send living organisms there? The mind is more important than the body. The mind.”

He tapped his head with a finger, resembling a laboratory monkey, which made him look rather comical.

“Oh, maybe it was dinosaurs instead of humans. Who knows if they hitched a ride on debris from a meteorite impact or volcanic eruption, broke through the atmosphere, and drifted into space?”

“Ah, that’s scientifically impossible.”

‘Damn it. This is why I dislike science majors.’

Bush resisted the urge to rub his face, displaying remarkable patience. This wasn’t the time to get bogged down in irrelevant tangents.

“So, what caused the rocket you were testing to explode?”

“There was a minor miscalculation in the dimensions of the parts.”

“Is the imperial [yard-pound] system to blame?”

“The metric system is to blame.”

Bush was taken aback, expecting immediate agreement. Most NASA employees were well-versed in the metric system, the international standard. In fact, they were familiar with all SI units and could effortlessly convert between systems mentally. This was because everyone working there, from researchers to janitors, possessed a high level of education.

Furthermore, NASA officially used the metric system.

“The problem was the rocket used a combination of Russian and American parts. If we standardize everything with domestic components for the next rocket, there won’t be any issues. We have sufficient funding to do so.”

“Are you saying we’re setting off fireworks with taxpayer money?”

Even he couldn’t answer that question with pride. The fact that a sum of money unattainable in his lifetime had vanished in 0.1 seconds was undeniable.

“I’ll let it slide this time, but ensure the rocket doesn’t explode for the same reason next time.”

Mixing the metric and imperial systems is incredibly difficult, bordering on disastrous. It’s a recipe for chaos. The British imperial system is a mess, and the American system is even worse.

The extent of the problem is evident in NASA, where brilliant minds managed to blow up a rocket. A prime example is the events of 2018.

At the General Conference on Weights and Measures, they refined the definition of the metric system using the ‘Planck constant,’ bringing it closer to perfection. Previously, they relied on a platinum-iridium alloy ‘mass prototype’ as a standard, but this physical object’s mass inevitably changed over time.

This meant the ‘reference point,’ intended to remain constant, shifted arbitrarily. This was a serious issue, resolved by using the Planck constant.

Now, for the imperial system. Specifically, the American system of units. The key point is that the American system celebrated the metric system’s advancement, not just as a formality, but genuinely.

The reason was:

‘Since 1 inch is defined as 2.54 cm, doesn’t the American system become more accurate as the metric system improves?’

Imagine Kim Gap-hwan’s bewilderment upon hearing this anecdote. He dismissed it then, but now, facing the consequences of mixing metric and imperial units, the story was seared into his memory.

Bush wanted to abandon the American system immediately and switch to the metric system, but he lacked confidence in managing the cost. He settled for using both concurrently, though he wasn’t truly satisfied. But what choice did he have? This was reality.

The ‘cost’ encompassed everything from wrenches gathering dust in garages to overhauling the legal system.

For example, hypothetically, if he declared an overnight switch to SI units, what would happen?

An ordinary man wakes up, checks the weather or traffic on TV, and starts his day. He understands the sun and rain, but what are 24 degrees Celsius and 18 km/h?

The world has changed while he was at work. He goes on a business trip, but his son updated the navigation system, claiming the latest version is best. The updated system displays distances in kilometers, which he doesn’t understand, so he relies solely on the arrow and barely reaches his destination.

Upon arrival, everyone is speaking in SI units, leaving him completely lost. He stumbles through the meeting.

The gist is: they need to order new machines, but the changed laws require matching the new SI units. Existing nuts and bolts are fine, but other parts are a problem.

With the adoption of SI units, some machines, except for basic ones like milling machines, are obsolete and need replacement. This increases the company’s order volume, which is good, but the factory workers struggle to adapt. Previously, the government encouraged metric system adoption with incentives, but now it’s legally mandatory, leaving even the pot-bellied bosses with no choice.

Time to go home. He stops for gas, but what is a liter? Fortunately, the pump hasn’t changed, so he relies on instinct and fills the tank moderately.

He faces similar issues at home, struggling to grasp the new units. Even the news uses unfamiliar measurements. The United States has begun to transform strangely, with SI units disrupting his understanding.

But what can he do? These units are essential for navigating this new world.

These men are widespread across the United States, except for Louisiana, which already uses the metric system. They will cause chaos and confusion, leading to a period of adjustment lasting at least one or two years, setting society back several years.

That’s why change is difficult.

Still, Bush is trying to integrate SI unit usage into elementary and secondary education and diligently submitting a bill to Congress mandating SI unit labeling on all products.

“Let’s forget about that damn rocket explosion and tell me the progress in detail.”

In short, nothing significant had been achieved.

“You’ve poured so much money into it, surely there’s been some progress, even if minimal, right?”

“Everything the President instructed is being designed. We’ve made progress on rockets we were researching previously. The weight ratio has improved by 18%, and we’ve reduced production costs by a significant 5%.”

A 5% reduction might seem small, but saving ‘5%’ from an astronomical budget that dozens of ordinary office workers could never earn in their lifetimes was a remarkable accomplishment.

“That’s good.”

“The research isn’t directly related to us, but solar technology has advanced, increasing the number of electronic devices that can be mounted on satellites.”

“Are you talking about panels?”

“Panels are outdated and no longer used on satellites. Those are just prototypes. Solar cells for satellites cost at least $40,000 for a palm-sized one.”

He paused, then asked:

“What about space guns?”

“Is there such a thing?”

He pulled a pistol from his waist.

“Glock 18C. It’s a model with a compensator. It’s a ported barrel type, with a polymer frame and a burst function, holding seventeen 9mm rounds. It’s hard to find a more effective firearm for close combat.”

“Does your finger even fit?”

“Ah, I hadn’t considered that.”

“Is that all?”

“Didn’t I say the space business is a long-term endeavor and requires thorough preparation? We recently wasted a lot of money, so we shouldn’t rush things, or the money will disappear again.”

He made a ‘Phew-‘ sound, then startled Bush by saying ‘Bang!’

“I understand. Please stop talking nonsense.”

“Ah, thank you for understanding.”

“Are you really the director of NASA? The NASA director I remember was a bit… more serious.”

“Then would I be an alien?”

In truth, Bush had a hunch. Excessive work and stress had caused him to lose control, pushing him to the brink.

“I’ll have you come back when you’re thinking clearly.”

Bush felt a pang of sympathy, seeing a reflection of himself in the NASA director’s instability caused by overwhelming stress.

“Still, that’s that, and we have to work.”