Slashdot Mirror
China Sets Sights on Comprehensive Lunar Survey
eldavojohn writes "Perhaps unsatisfied with the closeups that Google Moon has to offer, China has decided to survey the moon down to the 'inch'. In the second half of 2007, they plan to launch an unmanned lunar satellite to first orbit the moon, land on the moon & then return samples to earth for them to analyze. '"The moon probe project is the third milestone in China's space technology after satellite and manned spacecraft projects, and a first step for us in exploring deep space," the China National Space Administration head said. The orbiter represented the first phase, with a moon rover to be used in the second phase scheduled for around 2012, reports said. The plan for the third phase, scheduled for around 2017, was for another rover to land on the lunar surface and collect samples before returning to Earth.'"
I'm not jealous. Unlike the U.S., which I honestly believe is no longer capable of carrying out a project like this (hell, we can barely keep our 26-year-old space shuttle program afloat), I hope China has a real shot at making headway in the exploration of space.
Just because we can't do it doesn't mean that I hope it won't be done. If they can make progress where we can't, all the better!
There's no need to 'claim' it. If any nation or group can get there, and owns the only facilities that support human life there - they don't need to claim it, they own it until someone else develops the same capability. That's the reality of it, treaties and such are nonsense in this regard.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
Don't the Chinese use centimeters like everyone else? ;-)
you could find people that ignorant in any population of decent size.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
Good for them. We have no practical need to land humans on Mars. The bottom line is that it serves no real scientific purpose that can not be achieved better and cheaper with machines.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
It's what any sovereign nation does and has done. When they cooperate (which is seldom) they do so because they want to - or because they are forced to do so by some other country doing what it wants to do. The same works its way down to the individual level. Why should any nation do any differently?
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
Because the things that happen in those regions have an affect on the rest of us on this planet.
This guy's the limit!
I'm going to guess Elon Musk (of SpaceX). They have yet to make orbit, but test flight #2 was very, very close -- and it's obvious they know what to fix. They already have a heavier launcher and manned capsule well under way, with NASA contracts to demonstrate ISS flights.
A reporter once asked Elon whether he was creating SpaceX just so he could get a ride to orbit. He answered that if that was all he wanted, a ride on a Russian rocket would be cheaper. What the reporter didn't ask was whether he was trying to get a ride to Mars -- and creating SpaceX is probably the cheapest way to do that.
The question comes when the second party goes to land on the Moon, after China has established a secure foothold. What if, at any point during that other-nation mission, they make ANY sort of ownership-encumbered statement? It could be as simple as, "We grant you permission to land on the Moon at XXX location," presumably where the mission was landing, anyway. In fact, "granting exploratory permission" would be their best move, because in this case time would be on their side. Once "permission is granted," landing on the Moon could also be construed as tacit acceptance of China's authority to grant that permission. Landing without accepting permission or recognizing their authority to grant it is the diplomatic challenge. This also presumes that they're busy building on-Moon infrastructure and other nations are just sending footprints'n'flags missions. At the point where the next nation tries to establish a base, be it halfway around the Moon, is when we'd have to watch for some shooting. Incidentally, at this stage in the game it wouldn't take much in the way of weaponry to "own" the Moon. Anything installed there has serious advantages over anything Earth-launched or carried on a spacecraft from Earth.
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
You have no practical need to post on Slashdot. Get back to work!
In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
Yeah, lets see:
1. One of the two original space superpowers
2. The only space superpower left with a budget larger than that of all other space programs combined
3. Placed first man on the Moon
4. Was second in putting satellites and men up
5. First to flyby Mars
6. First to successfully land a craft on Mars that lasted longer than 80 seconds
7. Current has a fleet of spacecraft operating from Mars
8. First and only to explore Outer Solar System (with the exception of other organizations that joined in on a NASA mission)
9. Has safely operated RTGs
10. Set the standard for autonomous rover design
11. The only space program with a >100 tonne rocket in development
12. One of two countries to build a private space station and the major developer of the ISS
13. >40 years of manned spaceflight experience
14. Has an interplanetary communications network (and a Mars communications network)
15. >6000 sols of operational lander experience on Mars
Etc.
And the Chinese space program? Have they even done a rendezvous in orbit? Have they even done a single flyby of Mars?