China's Next Space Mission on Oct. 13

SHANGHAI, China - China announced plans to launch its second manned space mission on Oct. 13 and return five days later.

The launch of Shenzhou VI is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Base, in the Gobi desert in northern China, the state-run China News Service reported on Sunday.

The military-backed space program is a major prestige project for the communist government. China hopes to land an unmanned probe on the moon by 2010 and operate a space station.

China's first manned space flight in October 2003 made it the third country able to launch a human into space on its own, after Russia and the United States.

Col. Yang Liwei, a former fighter pilot, orbited the Earth for 21 1/2 hours aboard the Shenzhou V capsule before landing in China's northern grasslands.

Next the Chinese will tell us they didn't use stolen technology to do it.

We need to get serious about space and security. First we need to get out of any absurd treaty that prevents private property in space, if you put your feet on it first and lay claim, then it's yours. Second we need to prepare for the idea that the next major conflict may well be Land-Sea-Air-Space. Third we need to find a way to get all those would be lawyers and a good portion of those would be business managers to be engineers instead.

What ever happened to the great American spirit of imagination and innovation. My guess is new thought is slowly strangling the life out of it. We as a country have for some reason become very averse to taking any risk. I wonder how many people realize just how many of our ancestors died crossing the Atlantic, or forging a new home, or heading into the wilderness. Anything great usually involves a risk. My guess is lawyers with lawsuits ready to go on a moments notice stifle a lot of it.

Wouldn't it be funny if it was on Friday the 13th LOL. Anyhow enjoy, And keep watching the sky you never know what may fall on your head.

Might be nearly as funny as the Challenger...or Colombia...ie not at all. Good luck to the astronauts, regardless of nation.

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