China to Launch Solar Telescope

Dirak writes "China plans to launch the world's largest and most advanced space solar telescope (SST) into 735-kilometre-high earth synchronous orbit in 2008. Japan and the United States are also jointly developing an SST, coded as SOLAR-B, now scheduled for launch in the September of 2005. But with a diameter of 0.5 metre, SOLAR-B has half capability in optical resolution than that of the Chinese-made solar telescope."

Comments

Re:USA Subsidizing Chinese Space/Military Programs

[justanyone]

IMHO, the truth is more complex.

Forces on China include:

• Very rapid urbanization from population migration;
• Rapid economic growth
• Poor banking & financials regulations & enforcement
• Poor government and corporate transparency (enables wise investments), leads to poor use of capital;
• poor court systems - rapid growth in new commercial lawsuits, no infrastructure;
• vast environmental damage that won't really hit for 20 years but when it does it will be very, very bad;
• poor roads and rails infrastructure (political not market driven locations/sizes);
• little democratic traditions on local levels (feeding county/state/federal governmental structures' elected officials)
• history of totalitarian regimes - "never underestimate the ability of a country to act the same as it has in the past";
• strong pressure to limit political change ("those that disallow little peaceful revolutions invite big violent revolutions")
• unstable authoritarian bordering regimes (North Korea and others);
• educational systems based on rote learning instead of independent questioning;
• increasing instability in currency markets from rapid growth & partial convertability of Won to Euro/Dollar/etc.
• Internet technolgies uncapping info wall keeping electorate in dark about bad government actions without allowing corresponding social networks of interested reformers to push for change legitimately

Just a couple of items on China's plate right now. Of course, a space program gains prestige. But it also takes the minds of your citizens off the fact that their lives are rapidly changing, and too-rapid change coupled with social dislocation breeds for backlash (examples abound).

And you wondered about the role of China in the world economy. Their space program is a (possibly helpful) diversion and may be worth the money even if the only thing it does is inspire the kids of 1.x billion people to think about tech change in the engineering terms of 'gradually building on the shoulders of giants' instead of 'fearsome magic wrought at our expense'.

And all I know is what I read in the Economist. Just think what the World Bank's experts know. Let's hope they know enough to help.
-- Kevin J. Rice