China launches first manned space flight

Reuters ^ | 10-14-03

[Brian S]

Wed 15 October, 2003 02:07 BST

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has launched its first manned space flight from the Gobi desert, Xinhua news agency says, in its bid to become the third country to put a man in orbit after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

The Shenzhou V, or "Divine Ship V", was expected to orbit the Earth 14 times before returning after about 21 hours.

Xinhua said the craft carried astronaut Yang Liwei, 38. The launch on Wednesday, 42 years after the Soviet Union put the first man into space, marked a milestone for China's secretive space programme, which analysts say has its sights set on a manned mission to the moon.

[RightWhale]

Yeah, they could. But they have gone far beyond that. It would be a mistake to think that the Chinese lack engineering talent. The future in space is China, on the moon, in orbit, and on Mars. If anyone is to blame for anything, Congress has lacked vision to task NASA with anything of the slightest interest to science or to the taxpayer.

[Monty22]

DU is celebrating this like it's a huge victory against the USA, which it is.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

HOPEFULLY THEN THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL. NASA DOES NEED PROJECTS WITH REAL GOALS NOT NAMBY PAMBY INTL SPACE STATION. THATS ALL WE NEED IN A UN IN SPACE.

[hispanarepublicana]

It'll take them 45 minutes to an hour to get there. Will you be paying by check or cash?

[RightWhale]

the beginning of the Chinese Era...

America could still beat them in any way you name, but it is up to Congress. There should have been an American base on the moon for the past 30 years, and a base on Mars for the past 10 years. It didn't happen, and the average American doesn't care.

[CHATTAB]

Thank you.
I am so sick of hearing how China is going to slowly transform into a quasi-democratic country. Whether they transform into a democratic society or not, it will be at the expense of the US economy.
By the way, China is quite different from Japan of 20 years ago (or Japan today)... China has all the natural resources it needs within its own borders.
We can bomb the living crap out of anyone anywhere, I know, but does anyone here really think we have sustainability?
Could we really go toe to toe with China in another decade or so?

[RightWhale]

Agreed, it should wake people up. It won't, though. Can't say it's over, but we're going to have to work to get moving again.

[zook]

Gosh. This sounds like "Sputnik" all over again! And we all remember the awful things that followed *that* historical fiasco!

(sarcasm off)

[Luke Skyfreeper]

"Godspeed, Yang Liwei."

[Tree of Liberty]

They confirm orbit, the most dangerous part is over.

No it isn't. The most dangerous part of any flight is the landing.

[Centurion2000]

They confirm orbit, the most dangerous part is over.

Re-entry's the hardest part. One bad weld or seam and Yang Liwei becomes Mongolian BBQ in about 5 seconds.

Besides, if I don't see the splashdown or landing and see this guy climb right out of it, then the odds are better than even that he was killed on landing and then replaced.

[yonif]

Associated Press:

First Chinese astronaut in orbit reports in: `I feel good.`

[CHATTAB]

Up to Congress? When it comes down to it, its up to each and every one of us, as Americans, to stop this self-induced hemorraging before our economy/society slips past the point of no return. Maybe it just has to "break" before we can fix it.

[Centurion2000]

I'd like to know why any of these US companies think that once China has enough of our technology that the Chinese aren't going to thank them for their stupidity and explain to the that those factories now belong to the Chinese military

They AREN'T thinking about that. They are out to make a quick buck, stash the golden parachute and retire after about 54 years of milking the stock prices. Let the other schmuck that takes over after they are gone worry about that.

[Momaw Nadon]

[RightWhale]

killed on landing and then replaced.

China will be upfront if this happens. Even if they have a disaster, they will only be delayed. Conquering outer space is a big deal for them.

[GeronL]

Private citizens will have to compete with them!

[John H K]

Whether they transform into a democratic society or not, it will be at the expense of the US economy.

The idea that economics and wealth is a zero-sum game I would think would only be confined to Democratic Undergrond.

Leftists are the ones that believe that if someone or some group becomes wealthy, it must be done at someone elses' expense.

[GeronL]

Russia gave them a lot of technical help

[RightWhale]

Congress sets the budget and the goals. Our duty is to make Congress respond to long-range needs of the country. They rarely get a program with a time horizon longer than 4 years, much too short a time to conquer outer space. We can still run away with everything in a space race with China or anybody, but we have to get moving before the space plums are picked by someone else.