China plans base on the moon to exploit mineral resources: report

AFP - spacedaily.com ^ | 19 May 02 | staff

[LarryLied]

Maybe they are doing nothing more than what we did in the 50s and early 60s. Remember all the neat stuff that was going to happen? "Free" energy from fusion, nuclear airplanes, mining the asteroid belt, building a new Panama canal with A-bombs--exciting time. Got a lot of kids interested in science and the country united behind the Mercury and Apollo programs.

[RightWhale]

Boeing should have no problem doing contract work for the Chinese Space Station and the Chinese Lunar Base so long as it doesn't involve critical military systems.

Space excitement is building in China. If they are not geared up for some of the mamufacturing as yet, they might indeed go out of house for some things.

[Apollo]

They would do well to load our MBA schools likewise.

Having just finished business school, I can say that they already have.

[A CA Guy]

I heard they were going up there to take back an old part of China. By force if need be.

[Semper911]

This is bullsh!t. They are up to something else.

[RightWhale]

The backyard smelters idea was interesting. China has tried many experiments with their system, but it's been like watching a child trying to figure out everything without the benefit of going to school. It seems like each nation is expert at something by nature. Americans are excellent mechanics, for example. Maybe China will be excellent at space exploration, it could happen.

[RightWhale]

Your ping.

[Poohbah]

China plans base on the moon

29 posts and no one's used the classic:

"All your base are belong to us now"

[Int]

Hey, we got first dibs on Mars.

Well, wasn't the first Mars touchdown by a Soviet craft? I guess the old legal argument could be made that Russia didn't officially take over the status of the Soviet Union but.... :)

[RightWhale]

They are up to something else

If they are just looking to exploit space resources that alone would suffice to deny the rest of us an easy progression into outer space. There are plums in space, juicy targets relatively easy to get to. The targets remaining if the Chinese get the easy ones first will be much more difficult. Space is huge and endless and full of resources, but economics dictate the order of development. We could be shut out. Those who are earth-centered are looking near-term, those who look to the rest of the solar system are planning for the long-term.

Could America, which has succeeded by exploiting natural resources on earth so well, find itself at a dead-end eventually by not carrying the pioneer spirit off-planet? The Chinese don't need to be up to anything else, this will do.

[green team 1999]

fast moving object near the surface,
the chinese will have to fight with the locals on the moon.

[RightWhale]

That would be interesting. :)

[Maitre_Z]

You're right - your analogy is much better. I was actually trying to think of the "Great Leap Forward" but my brain kept returning "Let 1000 Flowers Bloom" which I knew was way off in this context.

Chinese history is obviously not my forte.

[RightWhale]

the first Mars touchdown

That was Viking in 1976. Russia landed a Venera on Venus.

[Jorge]

"Our long-term goal is to set up a base on the moon and mine its riches for the benefit of humanity," the Beijing Morning Post said, citing Ouyang Ziyuan, an official with the Chinese space program.

Since when has China's concern for humanity extended beyond it's desire to oppress humans?
This is a joke right?

[RightWhale]

the benefit of humanity

Chinese humanity anyway.

[Centurion2000]

How many millions of dollars per ton will it cost to lug those (worthless?) rocks back to earth.

Set up a solar powered mass driver and it will be cheap as heck .... the capital investment will be high and take decades to pay off but the actual launches will fall to pennies.

Of course something like that can always become VERY powerful artillery as well.

[Int]

That was Viking in 1976. Russia landed a Venera on Venus.

I was thinking of "Mars 2" and "Mars 3" (1971). I guess 'crash landing' would be more appropiate than 'touchdown' in that case.