The tale about conversation between Nicolaus Copernicus and Isaac Newton. (From the Collection "Two Tales of Four Technical Revolutions").
October, 1899.
Nicolaus Copernicus has caused Isaac Newton by phone.
- Hello, Mr. Newton. How is a weather? Does wind fill the sails?
- Good afternoon, mister Copernicus. Excellent weather. The sun shines. Apples fall.
- The theme of my call, Mr. Newton, is the creation of the aviation- and rocket- and open space industries. Your participation in creation of an electrotechnical industry has led to the accumulation of experience and makes very useful discussion and generalization.
In Russia, Mr. Nikolay Zhukovsky and Mr. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky are working actively now.
Certain achievements - are results of creation of gentlemеn Alexander Mozhaysky and Vladimir Vernadsky.
Perhaps, in the context of our exchange of views, Mr. Alexander Chizhevsky deserves mention.
Mr Zhukovsky considers himself as a scientist, researcher, Creator of a scientific theory, founder of a scientific-technical school.
But he seems to deliberately avoid the organizational, human risks which are connected with usage of concrete models of aircrafts.
It is possible to recognize it as a right, faithful line of behavior - he has no entrepreneurial experience.
Responsibility for finance and human life - separate, individual task.
Those businessmen who are active in Russia now ... They or are far from science, or - certain vigorous people - not up to the end understand the volume of risks and challenges and difficulties which they could face, having begun mass production of planes and rockets.
Experience and readiness of the Russian business environment for formation of an avia- (air-) and the space- and the rocket industries now, on the border of the XIX-XX centuries, - cause large questions.
Mr. Tsiolkovsky ... Sometimes it seems, that he than more poorly, the more of genius. Romantics and disinterested persons ...
Mr. Tsiolkovsky has made great scientific developments.
Genius! Scientific intuition!
I expect the excellent scientific future for Mr. Sergei Korolev.
There are all grounds to expect from him not only good scientific creativity but also excellent organizational capabilities.
However, neither mister Tsiolkovsky, nor mister Korolev will have no entrepreneurial experience.
Here situation: there are resources, there are knowledge, there are creators of new scientific directions. Question: how to start? And delay - undesirable.
- Indeed, Mr. Copernicus, the creation of the electrotechnical industry has become a fact. One of the evidence - our telephone conversation.
By the way. Remember the Napoleonic Wars, the Continental blockade! The cessation of the importation of fat and candles forced the British people to look for new ways of lighting of apartments and streets (gas for lighting).
And the problem of lighting came to new level, it became object of activity of researchers, scientists, inventors ... The electric bulb illuminated the ways for the world electrification.
Mr Thomas Edison has the necessary energy, great intuition, good stability at risky situations, enough entrepreneurial experience.
"The Book of Faraday's experiments" has been in due time provided to him.
It is clear, that he worked and works not alone.
Certainly, numerous and talented personnel were necessary.
They were directed from Europe: both from Germany, and from Austria-Hungary (for example, from the Military Krajina), and from other countries. The scientific and engineering staff prepared in America have joined in business, have been included in the process of electrification.
A significant part of the young people of the new continent tend to switch from work on farms, sawmills and grocers for highly skilled work in modern buildings of electrotechnical companies.
Financiers, bankers have realized that society is ready to a new type of lighting, to usage of electric motors. Decided to risk money. And made investments.
A power station was built on the Niagara Falls.
I will formulate my assessment of the duration of the period that was required for the emergence of the electrotechnical industry: approximately 10-20 years.
As for the future of aviation- and aerospace- and rocket industries...
It would be irrational to turn into waste the scientific, experimental, human potential, which is formed in Russia by the efforts of the Mr. Zhukovsky and Mr. Tsiolkovsky (and will be formed in the future by the efforts of the Mr. Korolev).
Moreover, the natural resources and terrestrial spaces are unique and adequate to the task of Human being's exit into open space.
The time has come to complement the industrial revolution of the 18th century and the electrification of the 19th century with the space revolution of the 20th century. If you like the terms "Cosmication", "Cosmization" ("kosmization"), "to cosmicize" or similar - why not use them?
The staff is available. A considerable part of youth not against to change work in farms, shops, mines for highly skilled work.
Very useful and the emergence - a sudden if by historical standards - of high-level intelligentsia in the vastness between of the Dnieper river and the Far Eastern coasts of Pacific ocean.
The countries that voluntarily entered into the Commonwealth state - Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - are the first, or almost the first, holders in Europe - depending on how to formulate the criterion of "primacy" - written constitutions and official documents issued by kings and official authorities that protected the legal status of the person, the "liberty" of the individual.
People were formed over the centuries; the people which had rights and freedoms.
It is clear that in no society consumption of blessings, goods, including the blessings legal (benefits of legal, legal goods, the boons legal, legal advantages, advantages of law), can not be equal for all.
Nevertheless, the emergence of a new human being, new abilities, new opportunities has been and still remains mass.
Civilizational investments gave civilizational income.
You, mister Copernicus, know.
The community of very peculiar politicians can soon get power on great terrestrial spaces.
In this community, by the way, there are people with religious education.
In the end, the stormy and turbulent and controversial political activity of this group of peculiar politicians can be completed - also ambiguously. And will be a relatively long period of vigorous economic development.
And in such development of one of the main tasks there can be a creation of the aviation and space-rocket industries ...
Problems of Economics and Finance? Can't these questions be solved by the government?
Risks of accidents? And risks for lives?
The state can also assume these issues.
Dreams about "new society" can be complemented with a dream about the apple-trees growing on Mars ...
The potential was created and is creating by Messrs. Zhukovsky and Tsiolkovsky will receive opportunities for practical implementation.
I will express my opinion about the time frame.
In the middle of the 20th century, very significant events will occur.
I suppose: the first artificial satellite of the Earth - the second half of the 1950-ies, is a space rocket with a human aboard - the early 1960-ies.
What will you tell, mister Copernicus?
- I can tell, Mr. Newton, that there are no guarantees that on Mars an apple won't fall on the head of the ingenious scientist.
- This will not contradict the principles of the heliocentric concept, Mr. Copernicus. Do you hint at a possibility of a personal meeting on Mars?
- Thanks for the discussion, Mr. Newton! I believe that the Geo-Martian technological revolution of the 21st century, and our meeting on Mars, can be characterized as very probable prospects. To meeting on Mars!
- It's nice, Mr. Copernicus, to feel that the scientific revolution is continuing.
The practice will be to show whether the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, the Electrification of the 19th Century, Cosmic revolution of the 20th century will be followed by the Geomartian Revolution of the 21st century.
We will meet on Mars!
February 15, 2017 - March 26, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: 24.09.2017 17:10
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Сказка о беседе Николая Коперника и Исаака Ньютона". (Из Сборника "Две сказки о четырех технических революциях")