china - manned spaceflight

alokmohan · 2003-09-17 05:58:45

space daily com informs china to send manne spacecraft after National day.

Shaun Barrett · 2003-09-17 07:58:54

Suits me fine ... bring it on!
Anything to light a fire under the rest of the world's space programs.
:;):

alokmohan · 2003-09-18 04:21:27

competition with USA MAY YIELD IMPROVED RESULTS LIKE IT DID AT THE TIME OF COLD WAR AS A RESULT OF WHICH MAN LANDED ON MOON.THIS TIME IT MAY BE MARS?

Shaun Barrett · 2003-09-22 05:12:34

I HOPE SO, TOO !!!

Bill White · 2003-09-22 11:18:56

How about this?

The source perhaps justifies a skeptical eye but "what if" the Chinese really do intend to initiate permanent settlements as early as 2020?

And, how about this for a motto:

"First Steps" don't mean "Jack" unless we go back!

alokmohan · 2003-09-24 02:49:54

If usa desires it may go one step ahead by going to mars.

TJohn · 2003-09-24 06:38:57

The US will definitely need to launch a Mars Direct type mission to retain it's dominance in space technology.

clark · 2003-09-24 09:28:55

I think the US will have to launch a Mars-something in order to pay for it's dominance of space.

alokmohan · 2003-09-28 04:03:33

GOING MARS WILL BE HISTORICAL NECESITY AS MUCH APPOLO WAS THAT TIME.

alokmohan · 2003-10-03 06:14:57

I think the US will have to launch a Mars-something in order to pay for it's dominance of space.

Excellent.

Euler · 2003-10-07 23:57:24

USA Today says that the flight will take place on October 15.

alokmohan · 2003-10-08 05:36:14

USA Today says that the flight will take place on October 15.

Many websites tell the same thing.No official confirmation.

Josh Cryer · 2003-10-08 11:27:22

State owned papers make the claim, too. I think it's really on. Here's hoping for the best.

alokmohan · 2003-10-09 06:59:35

State owned papers make the claim, too. I think it's really on. Here's hoping for the best.

yahoo today states that everything is secretive including launch site.

Josh Cryer · 2003-10-10 15:18:39

Unfortunate, NASA has been, in my very humble opinion, one of the most open organizations in our government. Science should, again, in my opinion, at least when paid for by taxpayer money, be as open as possible. China, being so secretive, isn't doing anyone a favor.

It's possible that China is developing long term plans (as their site claims is their ultimate goal; long term sustainablity) for habitation in space. They're keeping it secret for obvious reasons; they want to prove themselves, and show the US that they are 'greater.'

If China beat the US to building a moon base, it would have extreme implications.

dickbill · 2003-10-10 16:52:27

bah...for me all that is too much excitation. I doubt the NASA rovers on the moon will ever be activated in combat mode by the odor of the fried feet chicken. OK, I agree, the chinese have a plan to go to the moon, but what is their purpose exactly, is that a "flag and prestige" mission ? a "military mission" ? probably both. IMO "flag and prestige" + "military" don't make a sustainable, durable, efficient, space policy exploration. They did in 1970, not any more. They are just punctual spectacular show without any consequences for the future of space exploration. The media will make a big show of it for 3 days and that's it.

I sincerrely hope that the occidental world has enough maturity to overcome these ephemeral motivations. What we need if we really want to go far, on MArs for example, is a steady interest in the sciences, the space things and a spirit of conquest and curiosity, not motivated by military concept such as "space dominance", "national prestige" etc.

What is the real interest of the chinese crowd for the space exploration ? does the chinese worker or farmer feel part of this grand advanture or does he feel it's a "governement thing" and has no much interest for it ? I'd like to know.

dicktice · 2003-10-10 17:52:25

Anyone: If you've seen the October 2003 Scientific American, there is a brilliant disclosure article "China's Great Leap Upward" by James Oberg, which not only describes the "Shenzhou 5" spacecraft stack, launch sequencing and Jiuguan Satellite Launch Center launch site, but the entire program through eventual "Mir style" space station assembly in LEO. The improvements on the "Soyuz" spacecraft include Solar panels on the orbital module, which is intended to continue orbiting uncrewed after command module separation for re-entry--one of the "brilliant" improvements on the Russian module which, having no Solar panels, is being allowed to burn up with all its instrumentation still working. That they elected to use ISS/Soyuz-compatible docking mechanism was another smart move, which I predict we'll all be thankful for when they are in regular service (even, though reluctantly, by our own shortsighted Western politicos). What most interested me, aside from the cleverness and practical hard-headedness of their rocket science and engineering, was the following statistic (quote from the article): "The $2.3 billion that China has reportedly spent on the Shenzhou project over the past decade is a little more than half of what NASA spends on the space shuttle every year." My comment regarding this is simply: Private enterprise could do the same starting right now, if profit-taking (as opposed to direct costs and subsistance) were postponed, until commercial operations were under way. Think about it, folks!

alokmohan · 2003-10-11 05:05:10

Undern similar circumstnces Kennedy planned and funded man on moon by end of that decade.agOVT CAN DO IF IT TAKES SERIOUSLY.

dicktice · 2003-10-11 08:13:19

Re. The upcoming China crewed launch, I can't resist adding what Buzz Aldrin is reported to have said (Google News):

SHENZHOU: LIFEBOAT FOR ISS?
?I don?t think we need to have a knee-jerk reaction,? Aldrin said. ?I think we calmly welcome them into the orbital flight regime. We should offer to work out some mutually attractive means of advancing both of our interests.?
Aldrin said the United States could engage the Chinese in supplying Shenzhou spacecraft in 2006 as a lifeboat for the international space station. Presently, U.S.-purchased Russian Soyuz vehicles serve in this capacity.
The Chinese could make for good module-mates at the space station, Aldrin said.
Given China?s burgeoning human spaceflight effort, Aldrin looks through a visionary viewport as to where the Chinese might be headed. He said that the multisection Shenzhou craft?s design is novel. He points to the Chinese spacecraft?s forward-mounted orbital module that remains circling Earth for months, long after the crew-carrying module re-enters.
That segment, sporting its own solar panels and maneuvering rockets, is seemingly a building block for their own space station, Aldrin said. ?It would dock very nicely with the ISS, so I understand,? he said.

[Generosity, and unprejudicial: You've gotta love that guy!]

alokmohan · 2003-10-12 04:44:42

Useful information.Thank you.

Bill White · 2003-10-13 13:30:45

According to this news article, it seems China seeks economic exploitation of space resources. As a practical matter, how can that happen without permanent settlements? Neither the US or Russia have exploited space resources, other than LEO satellite networks, despite having almost a 50 year head start on the Chinese.

So what are the Chinese thinking? What is their plan?

Gu Yidong, director-general and chief designer of the space application system under China's manned spaceflight program, told Xinhua that the manned space program's ultimate goal for China was to explore outer space and make a good use of the rich resources of space.
"With the further development of space technologies, outer space application will turn out to be an important driving force for China's economic and social development," Gu said.
Gu, who is also director of the Space Science and Application Research Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the universe was abundant with energy and resources, while mankind, on its way to self-improvement and development, must constantly seek new channels to acquire more resources.

My observations on these issues have been presented before.

The solar system is indeed abundant with naural resources and once the ability use those resources is developed (CELSS) those resources can be readily harenssed to fuel a massive population explosion among whatever group of people gets "out there" first.

Is this good or bad? I don't know. But, IMHO, its inevitable.

And, how about this quote?

"Just as England went to North America and made it British, China needs to stake its claim in space," says Xu Shijie, a spacecraft designer who has worked on the Shenzhou.

OKay its from Time magazine (online) but a quote is a quote.

After all, the Spanish went to South America and tried to export gold back to Mother Spain. Good while it lasted but after a few centuries, Spain lost its empire.

The English sent settlers to the less gold-rich North America and in WW1 and WW2 the descendants of those settlers came back to Europe to help. Who? The Brits. Not as subjects but as friends.

Read the quote again. Just as the British went to North America and made it British, we Chinese need to get into space and make space Chinese. Thats what it says, right? Or am I wrong about that?

And here is more:

He said humankind can do a lot with resources in space, including creating a physical world unimaginable on earth, discovering new materials, conducting new experiments, gaining further insight into the origins of life and the universe and developing infinite living space and new life styles.
From land, to the sea and into the sky, every move into the new frontier has significantly pushed forward human civilization. With the first launch of Chinese astronauts into space, it is safe to say China is accelerating its race toward space.

Infinite living space? Article link here.

dicktice · 2003-10-13 16:17:04

Bill White: That sounds just like NASA and the U.S. in 1960-70. First-time enthusiasm for Space. Their only advantage: They know what works and doesn't work, which puts them only about five years behind, instead of twenty if they had to start from scratch as we did (would have been less if those darned Soviets had let us in on the secret of their intitial successes). Don't you start to feel a slight tingling tug inside you, to catch up with the Russian and now the Chinese flexibility to adapt their launch systems . . . that we never had to begin with?

alokmohan · 2003-10-14 05:10:42

The matter will take sense of national pride and we will go to mars eventually.

clark · 2003-10-14 20:19:27

well, they did it.

alokmohan · 2003-10-15 06:31:15

Bill White: That sounds just like NASA and the U.S. in 1960-70. First-time enthusiasm for Space. Their only advantage: They know what works and doesn't work, which puts them only about five years behind, instead of twenty if they had to start from scratch as we did (would have been less if those darned Soviets had let us in on the secret of their intitial successes). Don't you start to feel a slight tingling tug inside you, to catch up with the Russian and now the Chinese flexibility to adapt their launch systems . . . that we never had to begin with?

OMPETITION BROUGHT MOON SUCESS.lET US HOPE A NEW FRONTIER MAY OPEN.

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#1 2003-09-17 05:58:45

Re: china - manned spaceflight

#2 2003-09-17 07:58:54

Re: china - manned spaceflight

#3 2003-09-18 04:21:27

Re: china - manned spaceflight

#4 2003-09-22 05:12:34

Re: china - manned spaceflight

#5 2003-09-22 11:18:56

Re: china - manned spaceflight

#6 2003-09-24 02:49:54

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#7 2003-09-24 06:38:57

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#8 2003-09-24 09:28:55

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#9 2003-09-28 04:03:33

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#10 2003-10-03 06:14:57

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#11 2003-10-07 23:57:24

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#12 2003-10-08 05:36:14

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#13 2003-10-08 11:27:22

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#14 2003-10-09 06:59:35

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#21 2003-10-13 13:30:45

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#22 2003-10-13 16:17:04

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#25 2003-10-15 06:31:15

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