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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."
It still is.
When the Chinese can fly their own SR-71, we'll talk again.
Or scramjet.
And one day, they might actually have an aircraft carrier.
On the other hand, research from multiple countries in space exploration is good to foster views from different angles and with different motives (the chinese solar telescope will certainly not be the "baby" of the US Air Force).
Anyway, this post is full of doo, so I'll go back to sipping on my brew.
Coffee--brew. Jees.
"Piter, too, is dead."
Science projects like this have taken a back seat to "Bush's dream for Mars."
Don't get me wrong, going to Mars would be a great achievement and I think it should get support, but it is highly unlikely that it will occur anytime in the next 20-25 years. We shouldn't slack off in all unmanned science in space until that point.
While it is true that the US is is still the leader in technological developments, there are some trends that make it a distinct possibility that this will not be the case for much longer.
The dual trends of cutting school budgets and funding only scientific projects that are 'christian-approved", can quickly destroy the academic infrastructure that got us the lead in the first place. Americans are NOT genetically more intelligent than other people.
It's simple: I demand prosecution for torture.