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Will China Beat the United States Back to the Moon?

Posted by Zonk on from the they'll-make-the-trip-from-the-earth-to-the-moon dept.

MarkWhittington writes "During an address on the space economy to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the space age, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin made the assertion that China would beat the United States back to the Moon. 'Americans will not like it, but they will just have to not like it. I think we will see, as we have seen with China's introductory manned space flights so far, we will see again that nations look up to other nations that appear to be at the top of the technical pyramid, and they want to do deals with those nations. It's one of the things that made us the world's greatest economic power. So I think we'll be reinstructed in that lesson in the coming years and I hope that Americans will take that instruction positively and react to it by investing in those things that are the leading edge of what's possible."'"

7 of 482 comments (clear)

  1. Long shot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Get to the moon? They can't even make toys!

  2. They SHOULD... by TomatoMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...they've got all our money.

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    -- http://frobnosticate.com
  3. Richard the Rocket Engine by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    You have to admit, red spaceships are going to be pretty cool.

    1. Re:Richard the Rocket Engine by RenderSeven · · Score: 5, Funny

      You have to admit, red spaceships are going to be pretty cool.

      Sure but how will they handle the recall when the Moon People find out there is lead in the red paint?

  4. There's one major difference... by Locklin · · Score: 5, Funny

    In space, lead PROTECTS you!

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    "Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns" -Journal of Political Econom
  5. They have an unfair advantage... by xednieht · · Score: 3, Funny

    They don't have to calculate everything in metric AND our system.

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    Hope is the currency of fools
  6. Send it back to the moon by WindowlessView · · Score: 4, Funny

    Great. Now we have to worry about deadly moon microbes in the pet food and toys.

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    Leave the gun, take the cannolis.