CHINA SUCCESSFULLY SOFT-LANDS PROBE ON THE MOON

AP ^ | 14 Dec 2013 | AP

[mandaladon]

BEIJING (AP) -- China on Saturday successfully carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades, the next stage in an ambitious space program that aims to eventually have a Chinese astronaut set foot on the moon.

The unmanned Chang'e 3 lander, named after a mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, touched down on Earth's nearest neighbor following a 12-minute landing process.

[varyouga]

Yep

Russians were first to orbit and photograph the dark side in 1959.

Also first to land a probe and send back photos in 1966

Of course it was all eclipsed by the USA’s manned landing in ‘69. Also, the Russian “faxed” photos were no comparison to the film shots the astronauts physically brought back.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

And Americans voted to allow him to continue in 2012.

[PhiloBedo]

Thank you, Bill Clinton.

[Caipirabob]

Sorry all, but I think this is inspiring.

At least someone's reaching for the stars. The best Obama can muster in comparison is reaching for belly button lint...

[FoxInSocks]

Nope, I hadn’t heard that story! Thanks!

I’ve been very out of the loop for five weeks.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

Free traders didn’t help either. All of that money that could have gone into our space program went into China’s instead.

[dr_lew]

Russians were first to orbit and photograph the dark side in 1959.

That wasn't an orbit, but a fly-by. The trajectory was very simple ... they just blasted right by. Very clever as it required no manuevering at all.

As per Wikipedia:

The space probe passed within 6,200 km of the Moon near its south pole at the closest lunar approach at 14:16 UT on 6 October 1959, and continued on over the far side. On 7 October, the photocell on the upper end of the space probe detected the sunlit far side of the Moon, and the photography sequence was started. The first picture was taken at 03:30 UT at a distance of 63,500 km from the Moon, and the last picture was taken 40 minutes later from a distance of 66,700 km.

[Washi]

How long will it take China to claim it reached the moon first?

May as well have.

I'm betting that they are more capable, today, of putting a man back on the moon than we are.

What good was getting there first if we didn't keep advancing?

[FreeAtlanta]

Did you notice that comments on the AP article are disabled? I guess the lefties are tired of so many literate people in the country pounding on their child deity.

Obama killed our push to return to the moon due to 1). wanting to hurt our national prestige any way he can. 2). not wanting us to continue to advance in our space technology and the big one, 3). the damn muslims think they own the moon and they worship it. They wanted the muzzie, marxist, homo in chief to cancel it so he did.

I wonder if the muslims are all in a tizzy today? Good for China. I am glad someone is trying to get to back to the moon. I wish it was us. I hope the stupid muslims are in apoplectic shock.

[FreeAtlanta]

and the truly pagan Muslims worship the moon.

[usconservative]

They will have to dispute it with Russia.

Pass the popcorn, that should be fun to watch.

[The Great RJ]

I saw an interview with a low information voter who was somewhat insenced that China would land a probe on the moon before the US.

[autumnraine]

We have to hitch a ride with Russia just to get to the space station .

[skeeter]

A great achievement by the People's Probe.

45 years late, but still great.

[null and void]

Tell the truth here.

Were you disappointed that Neil Armstrong didn’t say:

“I claim thee for The United States of America!”

[null and void]

Obama killed our push to return to the moon due to 1). wanting to hurt our national prestige any way he can. 2). not wanting us to continue to advance in our space technology and the big one, 3). the damn muslims think they own the moon and they worship it. They wanted the muzzie, marxist, homo in chief to cancel it so he did.

EVERYTHING obama does either:

a) Weakens America
b) Distances America's allies
c) Strengthens America's enemies
d) Serves Islam
e) Harms Israel
Or some combination of the above.

I have yet to have anyone raise a single substantive counter example in several years of posting this.

[Errant]

Welcome back from your absence and hope everything is ok?

[FoxInSocks]

Yep, everything is fine, thanks!

It’s been the beginning of 14 training weeks at my dream job. We’ll be done around Valentine’s Day — not that I’m counting or anything . . .

[SueRae]

Communism never rests...it always has to expand its’ reach. Moon, Pacific, now they want to build a canal to rival the Panama in Nicaragua? And the hand at the helm and his minions are asleep.

[Steve_Seattle]

For years, the liberal refrain on the space program was, "Why are we spending so much money on space when there are so many unsolved problems on earth?" I guess they are just "anti-science". A list:

Opposing certain forms of stem cell research = anti-science

Opposing GMOs = not anti-science

Questioning the reality of anthropogenic global warming = anti-science

Opposing nuclear power = not anti-science

Opposing medical research using animals = not anti-science

Opposing space exploration = not anti-science

Opposing fracking = not anti-science

Opposing "Star Wars" technology = not anti-science

Notice a pattern? Attitudes critical of specific lines of scientific endeavor that are more commonly held by conservatives are labeled "anti-science," whereas attitudes more commonly held by liberals are NOT called "anti-science." Also notice that there are MORE areas of scientific research commonly opposed by liberals than there are areas of scientific research commonly opposed by conservatives.