"Hogan, James P - The Genesis Machine p174-259" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

УThe pictures youТve just seen are pretty crude because weТve only got a first-attempt lab lash-up instrument that was never designed for that job in the first place,Ф Morelli answered. УHow far we could push it, we donТt know yet. ThatТs one of the main things we mean to find out.Ф
УThe whole thing reminds me of the first crude spark-gap experiments of Hertz,Ф Cleary declared,
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sounding impressed. УAnd that led to the whole science of radio, radar, TV, and electronic communications. Have you got any ideas what kind of technology might grow out of what youТre doing here?Ф
Morelli launched into a vivid account of the possibilities of gravitic engineering that he never tired of discussing, especially with Aub. The questions poured out incessantly all through lunch, all of them positive, imaginative, and obviously prompted by genuine desires to learn more.
УCould there be a way of focusing artificial gravity into some kind of beam that could be directed remotely,Ф General Perkoffski asked Clifford at one point, Уso that you could direct it at a target?Ф
УItТs too early yet to say,Ф Clifford replied. УWhat did you have in mind?Ф
УI was wondering if you could use it to disorientate a missileТs inertial guidance system,Ф Perkoffski said. УIt wouldnТt need to be too powerful.Ф
УSay, I never thought of that angle,Ф said Arwin Dalby, who had been following from the opposite side of the table. УA localized gravity beam . . . if it was possible, I wonder how strong you could make it and how localized.Ф
Clifford was about to reply when Robert Fuller broke in: УTo hell with screwing its guidance system. If you can make the beam strong enough, why not simply pull the whole damn missile down?Ф
УOr even stop it from getting off the ground in the first place?Ф Dalby suggested. УYou know . . . the more I think about this, the more I like it.Ф
УPerhaps we could even bring down an ORBS satellite,Ф General Straker joined in. УThat would really be something to shout about.Ф He reflected on the idea for a moment, then had another thought. УOr
maybe bend spacetime to divert it away into space permanently. How about that?Ф

For the first hour after lunch the visitors saw the GRASER running and crowded four at a time into the monitor room to sit spellbound in front of the display screen of the detector. The image did not tell them much, but the very thought of what it meant was enough to keep them speechless for many minutes.
After the demonstrations, they returned to the Conference Theater to listen to Aub. Morelli had devoted most of his time to recounting the history of events and developments that had culminated in the then current state of the art. Aub allowed himself to plunge ahead and speculate on some of the things that might follow.
УThe GRASER that you have all just seen produces
a strong output of hi-waves,Ф he said. УIn other words,
itТs a transmitter. The detector that youТve looked at is
a receiver.Ф He gazed around the room, inviting them
to fill the rest in for themselves.
УWeТve got both ends of a communications system,Ф someone observed after a second or two. The visitors were joining in and interactingЧa good sign.
УYes indeed,Ф Aub agreed, nodding with satisfaction. УBut this communication system is unlike anything thatТs ever been dreamed of before. It uses a transmission medium that is utterly undetectable by any means known to contemporary science. Also, there is no means known to contemporary science by which any disturbance can be impressed upon that transmission medium.Ф He dropped the formal language that he had been using up to that point and put it another way: УNobody else in the world has a way of listening in on it or a way of talking through it.Ф
УCompletely espionage-proof,Ф Franz Mueller corn-
mented, nodding vigorously. УThe perfect military communications vehicle . . . absolute security.Ф
УAnd jam-proof,Ф Perkoffski added. УThatТs what you were getting at, isnТt it, Dr. Philipsz? ThereТd be no way anybody could jam it . . . or even interfere with it?Ф
УJust that,Ф Aub confirmed.
УThatТs all I need to hear,Ф Perkoffski remarked with a smile. УJust tell me where to sign for a system like that. IТm sold.Ф
УBut more than that,Ф Aub resumed. УIt also has zero transmission delay, remember. Now imagine what we could do if we could add control functionsЧfeedback, that isЧto the data-communications capability that weТve been talking about. Now, IТm sure you can all see immediate possibilities for a feedback control technique that has zero time delay in the loop
over any distance!Ф He paused again to let them think about it. After a second or two, low whistles of surprise came from the audience. Excited muttering broke out on one side.
УLong-range space probes!Ф a voice exclaimed suddenly. УHoly cow, we could monitor them and control them in real time from right here on EarthЧinteractively.Ф
УThat means that Earth-based computers could be used for all kinds of things involving fast-response processing in remote places,Ф a second came in. УHow about a Mars-Rover being driven directly by a PDP64 sitting right here? I donТt believe it!Ф
УYes, thatТs the kind of thing I had in mind,Ф Aub said when the buzzing had died down. УBut why shouldnТt we look a little further ahead than that as well . . . just for a second? Suppose I were to suggest that one day the arrival of the first robot starship might be witnessed and controlled from a mission-
supervision center here on Earth . . . second by second, as it was actually happening, light-year~ away!Ф He surveyed the wide eyes around him. УWhy not? The basic techniques to do it are already with us. YouТve seen them today.Ф
Before they could recover, Aub used the large screen to bring up again the hi-wave image of Earth that they had seen that morning.
УAnd finally, think about this,Ф he said. УThat image was generated from a kind of wave that emanates from every object in the universe, large or small, to a greater or lesser degree. Visualize then what it might look like if we were to develop ways to refine the image, to resolve more detailЧdetails of the surface, for instance. Suppose we could select any part of the surface and zoom in instantly on any place we chose
or any place above the surface . . . or below it or maybe on the Moon. . . .У Aub reeled off the
possibilities slowly, one at a time, dangling each for a few seconds tantalizingly before the mindТs eye of his listeners. The expressions on their faces told him they were with him all the way.
УAll that and more, from a single point somewhere, say, in the U.S.A.,Ф he concluded. УWhat kind of impact would that have on the global strategic balance . . . ? Just imagine, gentlemen, a radarЧif you wish to think of it that wayЧthat can СseeТ below the horizon, through a mountain . . . even right through a whole planet!Ф
When Aub was finished, Peter Hughes spent ten minutes summing up the major items of the day, then ended with a flash. УAs you are all aware, the International Scientific Foundation chooses to conduct its affairs independent of government backing and involvement. In view of the extremely important nature of the things that my colleagues have described today,
it is our considered opinion that an exception to this general rule is clearly called for. The potential that we have heard explained impinges directly on the future not only of this nation but of the whole of the Western world. To realize this potential, however, it is clear that a great amount of further development will be necessary. Time is not on our side, and to use effectively what little there is, it is imperative for this field of research to be supported and furthered vigorously and without delay. To progress we need backing on a scale that only the nation can provide.Ф
After a brief muttered conversation with his aides, William Foreshaw, the Defense Secretary, looked up at where Hughes was still standing. УThank you, gentlemen. I donТt think we have any further questions at this point.Ф He cast an inquiring eye round the faces from Washington just to be sure. УBefore we commit ourselves to any kind of formal reply, weТd appreciate a half-hour or so to talk a few things over among ourselves. I wonder if your people would be kind enough to leave us alone in here for a while, please?Ф
УCertainly,Ф Hughes replied. He gazed toward the Sudbury personnel at the back of the room and inclined his head in the direction of the door. They ified out and Hughes followed. Outside in the corridor they all found they had the same thought in mind and made their way toward the coffee lounge a few doors farther along for some badly needed refreshment. Fortyfive minutes later, they were still sitting there, the conversation having degenerated to a few spasmodic syllables as their impatience began to make itself felt.
At last Aub got up and ambled over to join Clifford, who was staring morosely out of the window and who had not spoken since entering the room. УCheer up, Brad. It all went pretty well. DonТt you think so?Ф
УIt went okay.Ф CliffordТs voice was neutral.
УSo whatТs eating you, man? You look kinda bugged.Ф
Clifford turned his back to the window and braced his arms along the sill, at the same time emitting an exasperated sigh.
УJust remind me, Aub, why are we doing all this? What are those people doing here anyway? Christ .