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Another Taikonaut Launch This Week
JPThorne writes "BBC Online is reporting that China will launch a manned space mission sometime between Wednesday and Sunday of this week. Two as yet unnamed Chinese Astronauts will undertake the mission." From the article: "The launch comes almost exactly two years after China's first manned space flight, which made astronaut Yang Liwei a national hero. Unlike the last mission, Xinhua said a live broadcast of the launch would be provided to foreign media. Analysts say the fact the authorities are being more open about this launch may indicate that they are more confident of its success. "
I read "Take Out Naut".
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
Meanwhile, back in the US, the Republicans claim they want to take us back to space but aren't willing to put their money where their mouth is (though they're quite happy to cut funding for robotic exploration in order to free up the funds!), the Democrats seem to be opposing space exploration on the grounds that the Republicans are for it, and NASA's manned space division doesn't seem to be able to get its act together enough to actually give us a safer orbiter, never mind something that can take us to the Moon or Mars.
Dontcha love partisan politics?
I guess this means that since China can now afford to send (two) ships into space, it doesn't need any more Foreign Aid from the EU, Japan or the US.
The whole reason he wants to go back to the moon is so Red China can't control all the green cheese.
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Having been back from China, I can tell you that the government is just a paper tiger when it comes to "mankind" missions. This is just a PR move to jumpstart the publics love of the government. Fact is, the people there (at least in Shanghai) see everything as a "government issue" regardless if it's good or bad. I bet that China will land man on the moon a few times and never go back. Basically, it's pure politics and not science. ...been there, done that.
Life is not for the lazy.
Here is one thing I don't understand. Why doesn't NASA cooperate with other countries in exploration, technology etc? Why not get Russia, China and even India involved in design a new space orbiter? When they share costs and brain power wouldn't it be cheaper and faster? What will Democrats have to complain at that point. This lone ranger philosophy has got to stop. It is only hindering us.
Then we will have a real AUSTRONAUT
Can we please decide on a single term for those persons who travel into space? Must we have a unique term for every national space program? Cosmonaut, Astronaut, Taikonaut. Its one thing for speakers of a language to refer to an equivalent English term by their own unique word, but why must we (we being English speakers) adopt a different term? Its silly. We generally do not do this for any other nouns. We don't call a Russian sailor by the Anglicized Russian term for sailer, do we? Sorry. Pet peeve.
Trolls: The high-tech version of those morons that scrawl obscenities in public bathrooms.
From the Article:
Shenzhou VI, like Shenzhou V, is based on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, a model developed in the late 1960s.
TFA (The F-ing Article) reads as if they are working with 1960-s era technology. I would suggest that this is biased reporting based on a premise that the Chinese technology is from the 1960's and they're using it now because that's the best they can do.
Instead, I would suggest that they are probably using a derivative of the Soyuz technology updated with modern materials and techniques. The U.S. is using Delta launch vehicles which had their roots in the 1960's as well, but we don't advertise that a rocket was a "Delta-IV, a model developed in the early 1960's" because most of the innards have been updated and redesigned with techniques and materials that are the latest in rocket design.
The Chinese program may not use as advanced a technology as the U.S. Delta and E.U.'s Ariane programs, but that doesn't mean the rocket was designed in the 1960's and they're stuck still using that level of ability.
Space reporting should not be politically biased.
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Considering NASA's safety records (http://www.airsafe.com/events/space/astrofat.htm) , maybe they should copy someone else's software. Then again, 26 people to the Chinese is like 1/100th of an American.
-Ming
The problematic word is "share". It probably sounds a bit too socialist, if not downright communist, for many American politicians to accept.
Besides, such cooperation is quite easily shot down with accusations of such activities being "dangerous to national security".
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
From a technical aspect China is in somewhere between Gemini and Apollo. An individual with enough money could do the same thing. The reality of this endeavor does not really justify any fears of space/technology domination by China.
It good, however, for the general public to see this kind of headline. It reminds them that space exists and that the U.S. doesn't run the show up there anymore. Hopefully this leads to funding...
Thank you Dave Raggett
And, of course, despite all the hype the SpaceShipOne flight really wasn't comparable, being suborbital with no reasonable extension that would make it orbital.
Negative. China's Yang Liwei flew before Mike Melville, by about 1 year. The current order (SS1 being retired notwithstanding) of successful manned space access is: Russia, China, Burt Rutan, NASA. Russia is of course the 800-lb gorilla in this equation.
Check out America's Space Prize for something that might beat NASA back to indiginous American orbital flight. The current ASP award date beats the first manned CEV flight NASA is planning.
I'd really like to see a private, American effort beat everyone else back to the Moon.
Josh
gigantino.tv - Heavy but weighs nothing.
Except that the Chinese Government did it before Rutan. And Rutan's never put anyone in orbit.
I bet that China will land man on the moon a few times and never go back. Basically, it's pure politics and not science. ...been there, done that.
Just like the US...
If we'd been interested in going to the moon for the sake of exploration and science instead of just getting there before the Russians did, we'd probably still be there.
Going to the Moon may be just a PR stunt (it pretty much was when the US did it), but the technologies and expertise gained from that are enormous, and China is taking its rightful place as the third space power. It's a few decades behind, but moving fast, and say what you like, the Kremlin and the White House will very much be watching when a Taikonaut steps off the land on to the surface of the Moon.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Q: Why the secrecy?
A: It's China.
Really, what more information do you need?
The differences are with the ideologies. But ask yourself this: Do you own your ideology, or does it own you?
An alien visitor to earth would probably say "take me to your leading meme".
"If the Chinese go to the moon, I don't think it will be just a publicity stunt-I expect they'll develop a real economic presence there. Stuff like a Lunar space elevator could be a highly profitable enterprise"
Please, explain the profitability. Where are they going to get the revenue that pays off the capital expenditure? A space elevator could perhaps be more cost-effective than an surface-launch based space program, but it's not even close to profitable.
If you believe that other governments (such as the US) would base their space program on leasing time on a Chinese space elevator, think again... there is no way that the US would give China the direct power to handicap our space program.
Joint ventures? Quite possible, but still not likely to be profitable for China. No space venture is directly profitable -- the profits derived are in national pride and perhaps technological development.
I can easily see China having a physical presence up there -- more satellites, etc. Or perhaps even (gasp!) a military presence. But an economic presence? There is no economy up there, nor is there likely to be, until there are profitable enterprises in space. Even the farfetched ideas circulating now are still dependent upon an earth-based economy. We've a long way to go, baby, and 15 years is a blink of an eye.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
'Chinese officials say they want to land an unmanned probe on the moon by 2010, and also build a space station.'
this reminded me of the quote:
"That's no moon, its a space station."
Many insights to the moon could be gained from a new and sophistacated moon probe, I am not as sure about the benefits of the space station other than for scientific experiments and spacedocking practice.
The question now is: Should the US, Russia, EU, Japan and China all be obligated to share individual research and information acquired from each mission in the hopes to further the overall objective of creating reliable space travel?
Also, once some country lands on the moon, can they just claim it as territory and start building on it in any fashion?
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Wanna bet China reaches the moon before we go back
Yes, I would. If China succeeds in there next mission they will equal the result of Gemini 4. That puts them only 40 years behind. Remember that they got a jump start too by buying Russion Soyuz spacecraft. Their booster is similar to a Proton. When China produces a real innovation I'll take notice. In the meantime they are also rans.
Meanwhile, back in the US, the Republicans claim they want to take us back to space but aren't willing to put their money where their mouth is (though they're quite happy to cut funding for robotic exploration in order to free up the funds!)
What??? NASA's budget continues to grow in real terms. Robotic exploration of the solar system has never been in better shape. You have the wildly successful Cassini. We have two excellent orbiters circling Mars with a 3rd more powerful one on the way. The Mars rovers are arguably the most successful robotic exploration mission in history! There is another huge rover headed there in 2009, a new Lunar Orbiter... What are you talking about?
and NASA's manned space division doesn't seem to be able to get its act together enough to actually give us a safer orbiter, never mind something that can take us to the Moon or Mars.
NASA has proposed a very workable and exciting exploration plan with the CEV. The major launch components are already there. Where is the risk in its design? NASA kept the wheels on the shuttle program admirably. Nobody can make it safe. The CEV goes back to what works. Real skepticism is healthy. Your nihilism is not.
an ill wind that blows no good
As stated, the Shenzou capsule is based on the Russian Soyuz (the most robust and reliable craft ever) - this means, interestingly that China have the technological potential to dock with the ISS. But would the US would ever allow them? Politically, no, but it is an INTERNATIONAL space station, and arguably given Russian have been keeping it alive for the past two years, they should. be presured into it. Maybe after the US have pulled out, China could go up there.
Sure it does. This way you can indefinitely detain them if they touch down anywhere outside China.
It's an 'enemy combatant' type of thing.
Looks like they have made it up! Good for them.
Excuse me?. China can already do that, and has had that capability for a while. Sending ICBMs and sending men into orbit are completely different things. So, how does this new knowledge make you feel, huh?