Report: China to Orbit Human on Oct. 15

yahoo.comnews ^ | October 8, 2003 | Ted Anthony

[Fitzcarraldo]

In the end, both men decried the current absence of passion for space travel that had accompanied America's Cold War moon race against the former Soviet Union

The Moon Race was compelling because it had a well defined goal and endpoint in time. Those responsible for approving the funding thought in the short term.

The long term space enthusiasts then had to arm themselves with "space resource" arguments because manned space exploration in and of itself was a no-sell in Congress. The ideas of Gerard K. O'Neill is an example of an attempt to develop an economic component to manned deep space activity.

If the space resource arguments fail from flawed economic calculations or rely on undeveloped technology, manned space exploration schemes falter.

Since unmanned space exploration benefits from advances in electronics and communications, it remains the only practical means of science exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

What the Chinese are doing here is notable only in that they need to recapitulate history: put on a demonstration of their technical capabililites to show off their industrial prowess to the world. The spokesman of the Chinese effort may spin tales of space conquest, but rest assured the chinese leadership who controls the purse strings are concerned only for the propaganda value at the current moment.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think we can do more, cheaper, better and sooner that way.

[Xenalyte]

Was it forty or fifty years ago that we accomplished this goal?

We haven't. All our orbiting spaceflights have been geared toward orbiting around planets or moons, not humans.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

So you believe the only reason the Chinese are going with the manned fight is because of it's propaganda value? I guess it does ignite the flames of nationalism, spurs excellence in math and science, opens imaginations, energy and dreams like machines never will. I guess they're on to something.

Add to that, man's instincts, intuition and ability to sieze on the inconspicuous occurrence that will make them the ones to conquer the moon and move out into space. They will use robots and technology but they will never be replaced by machines.

[Fitzcarraldo]

The Chinese are bound by economic constraints even more daunting than ours, and they are in competition with India and South East Asia.

Just as America in the 1960s was spurred to graduate more engineers and scientists to meet the challenges of the space race and cold war, China creates this shining example of their progress to encourage their people and international investors, as well as poke the eye of their competitors.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'm sure there is much to what you say but the communist Chinese are not restrained by economics when they can pour billions into the military/space program and have a cheap and plentiful labor force.

[Fitzcarraldo]

If a Chinese communist leader has any Clarkian, Asimovian, O'Neillian or Von Braunian notions about the space frontier, I would be surprised.

The motivation for this quest of the Chinese may be nothing more than a higher up criticizing a lower level official for lack of technical parity with the West.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I believe they have higher and more dangerous ambitions.

[Redwood71]

Was this human one of those they were going to use for body parts anyway?

[Cap Huff]

"So---does this vindicate quidam?"

Well, quidam said it would be during the 50th anniversary of the revolution, which was (I think) 1999. I was wondering whether anyone remembered quidam's prediction about the Chinese!

[Redleg Duke]

"China's space technology has been created by China itself. We may have started later than Russia and the United States, but it's amazing how fast we've been able to do this," Sina.com quoted Xie Guangxuan, director of the government's China Rocket Design Department, as saying.

Yeah, tell me how you haven't read any of the books on space travel, information stolen by your spies or sold to you by the Clintons.

[Poohbah]

Knowing the quality of ChiCom manufactured goods...

I would NOT want to be the poor shmuck who has to sit on top of the stack.

[Lakeside]

Ahh the good old days! So quidam was a little off--but I can remember he was laughed off the board for claiming this.

Yeah, I know I just registered today but I've been around lurking since Jan. 1998. Is that a record?

[theFIRMbss]

>Knowing the quality of ChiCom manufactured goods... I would NOT want to be the poor shmuck who has to sit on top of the stack.

As opposed to the
poor schmucks who ride our shuttles
that get holes from foam,

and are managed by
genuises that declined spy
photos of damage?

[Poohbah]

Space travel is dangerous.

Given a choice of American or ChiCom hardware, I'll roll my dice with the American stuff.

[Cap Huff]

As far as lurking goes you've got me beat by a long shot. I started lurking about mid summer 1998 when the impeachment process was going strong. I finally registered a couple of years ago. Still mostly lurk --- virtually every day --- but once in a while I post a comment or two when I have something to say. I can't very well welcome you to FR since you've actually been around longer than I have, but it is nice to see that you've joined the registered crowd.

Ah, quidam. Those were the days!