Chapter 660 of the main text: How to deal with the aftermath?

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"Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm Steve Larson, the head of the Catlinna Sky Survey System!" A few moments later, a scientist in a white lab coat was connected to the video conference, and it was seen from the information displayed on the big screen that this Mr. Steve Larson had multiple PhDs and had been the head of the Catlinna Sky Survey System for many years.

"It doesn't seem appropriate to say I'm glad to see you in this situation, so let's get straight to the point! Excuse me, Dr. Larson, can you tell us what kind of system the Catlin's Sky Survey is, and why you didn't see that meteorite until a few minutes before the disaster?" asked Trump, leaning forward.

"The Catlina Sky Survey system originated from the NEO observation program delivered by the US Congress to NASA in 1998, and the main task of this program is to identify at least 90% of NEOs larger than 1 km in diameter. To accomplish this mission, we have deployed three Schmidt telescopes near the summit of Mount Limmond and Mount Bigino in Arizona, as well as at the Sedin Springs Observatory in Australia! Over time, we have surpassed the Lincoln NEO research team to become the most prolific NEO and potentially threatening asteroid discoverer. Dr. Steve Larson gives a general overview of the Catlinna Sky Survey system.

"In 1998? I remember there seemed to be several Hollywood blockbusters about meteorites hitting the Earth?" someone in the conference room whispered, perhaps the Catlin's Sky Survey system was formed by the influence of these films?

"Very well, Mr. Doctor! I think we have understood the role of the Catlin's Sky Survey System!" Trump slammed his fist on the table and looked at Steve Larson with fierce eyes, "But can you tell me why with such an agency, the United States still doesn't get enough warning time?

"Your Excellency, if you could understand what I just said, you wouldn't have such a question. Dr. Larson was not intimidated by him, "We only have three telescopes that are not so powerful, and it is unrealistic to want to monitor such a vast starry sky! And taxpayers don't give us as much money as you think, and in 2012, our observation center in Saidyn Springs, Australia, was almost closed because of the $30,000 a year in maintenance costs! I don't think this tragedy would happen today if Congress could take a tiny fraction of that huge military budget every year!"

"The distance between the near-Earth asteroid and the Earth is not far away, which has caused great trouble to our early warning; on January 1, 2014, we found Xiaoxing 2014aa, but it hit the Earth on January 2 and burned up over the Atlantic! On February 15, 2013, a meteorite crashed in the Chelyabinsk region of Lucia, and this time no observatory in the world could observe it in advance!"

"Besides, the main mission of the Catlinna Sky Survey System is to observe and monitor asteroids with a diameter of more than 1 kilometer, and this asteroid definitely does not meet this standard!" Dr. Larson's remarks left everyone speechless, because you can't ask too much for an organization that is struggling with a $30,000 funding gap.

"So, Doctor, was this meteorite out of your surveillance before, and do you think it was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster?" Trump asked one last question.

"There are too many near-Earth asteroids! And the number of new asteroids we can discover every year is only a few hundred, and unfortunately this one is not within our observation range!" Regarding the latter question, Dr. Larson hesitated for a long time before slowly replying, "According to my shallow knowledge, I think that with the current level of human technology, there is absolutely no way to control asteroids so precisely! Moreover, the United States is the most vulnerable country in the world to meteorite impacts! This event is more likely to be a natural disaster!"

"Okay, thank you very much, Dr. Larson! Now you can go ahead and do your research! If you make any new discoveries, please contact the White House immediately!" Trump said, and Dr. Steve Larson's image disappeared from the screen!

"Now that the possibility of this disaster being man-made has been preliminarily ruled out, then we can put aside the worry of the second attack for the time being, and focus the meeting on how to deal with the aftermath!" Dr. Larson's words made them breathe a sigh of relief, since it was not the work of a hostile country on the earth, there was no need to worry about the danger of war!

"The most urgent task at the moment is to evacuate the citizens of the Norfolk metropolitan area urgently to prevent them from being damaged by nuclear radiation!" the Secretary of Civil Affairs could not imagine how they would have faced the anger of the people and the impeachment of Congress if the matter had not been dealt with in a timely manner!

How strong is the radiation now, how much will it rise in the future, and will it really affect the health of the people? Such words are surging in everyone's hearts, but no one dares to say such things! Because even if there is really no impact, the officials who ask such words will immediately be branded by their political opponents as ignoring the safety of people's lives, and will be completely knocked to dust.

"I will immediately block the transportation lines near Norfolk and let everyone except government rescue personnel come out and not enter! and immediately mobilize the nearby National Guard, police, and firefighters to assist the city of Norfolk in the evacuation work!" said a staff member.

"Immediately notify the local government in Norfolk to cooperate with the work! and immediately carry out an airdrop of paratroopers to maintain local order!"

"Set up temporary camps in the surrounding urban areas for the evacuated residents to rest! We need a lot of tents, prefabricated houses, food, water, and other necessary materials! Should we contact China? No country in the world is better at building prefabricated houses than them!"

"We also have to prepare mobile phones, tablets, chargers, and wifi signals for them!

"Our warships are still burning in the sea, and the soldiers are still wailing in Norfolk! What are they going to do?" Hearing the crowd begin to discuss the residents who are still safe, Air Admiral Paul Selva asked dissatisfiedly, "If no one cares about them, you don't have to think that you will be able to recruit people for the next conscription!"

We're going to go to the area where the fires are burning, the explosions are loud, and the radiation is huge! God, you'd better let me die! )