Slashdot Mirror
Japan Moon Probe Snaps First Photos
mrcgran writes "Space.com reports, "Almost one month after Japan's successful launch of the Kaguya lunar probe, the unmanned observatory has begun its first major activities in orbit around the moon. In addition to snapping its first lunar images, the probe jettisoned one of two 110-pound (50-kilogram) "baby" satellites that will help create a detailed gravity map of the moon." The major objectives of the "KAGUYA" mission are to obtain scientific data of the lunar origin and evolution and to develop the technology for the future lunar exploration. "KAGUYA" consists of a main orbiting satellite at about 100km altitude and two small satellites (Relay Satellite and VRAD Satellite) in polar orbit."
There already is.
Why don't people think of the soviets?
The one country on earth that desperatly wanted usa to fail.
The one country that had the technology to check if there really was a spaceship flying to the moon.
If there was anything even remotely fishy about the moon landing they would complain to no end.
And still they said nothing. They diden't even *try* to discredit the moon landing.
And that is the key. Defeated enemies tend to become the strongest allies when you take the time to stick around and rebuild the country so that it is nicer than it was when you first showed up. Japan is an ally because we were allowed to finish the job and did not "cut and run".
Oh for crying out loud, the thinly veiled reference to Iraq is ludicrous.
We didn't unilaterally invade Japan. They were at war prior to our involvement with them.
Japan wasn't harboring long term resentment over American oppression and manipulation at the individual level the way many Iraqi's 'hate america'.
Japan wasn't already on the point of a civil war due to multiple mutually hostile internal factions that were barely being contained by the brutal dictator we installed and propped up.
So it was largely the government that was at war with the US, not the 'people'.
So when Japan surrendered after the nuclear weapons attacks, and the government was dissolved and reformed they really did surrender, and the whole country especially the average civilians were pretty unified in their desire to get on with the rebuilding. Iraq has gone a completely different direction; with multiple competing hostile factions that were there all along going at each other with America caught in the middle of it.
Even if the US manages to ultimately succeed, it will be by siding with one of the factions and helping them become dominant and rebuilding with them... this will only alienate the other factions who will just become even more hostile to the US, and they will gather with allies in Afghanistan, Iran, etc.
At -best- its going to be Israel all over again. Sure we have a great ally in the faction we helped dominate and claim and rebuild the space, but at what cost? perpetual war and festering anti-american sentiment from the displaced/neighboring factions.