Chinese to Launch Manned Spaceflight Next Week

[mindseye]

Originally posted by Azazel
coming-of-age as what?

Dude, have you read this thread? Coming of age as a major player in the international community, complete with modern technological expertise.

(Note: I edited my previous post while you were posting. Sorry!)

[Az]

Well, I always considered China a major player in the International community. Of course, this step gives them lots of prestige, and respect, since it's an obvious great achievement. HOWEVER, it still doesn't change two facts: China is still not an alternative superpower, nor does it fit into the 1st world living criteria ( and yes, I know that many people live there as if they were 1st worlders )

I think his point was that the US entry into space was not accomplished solely trough American expertise, just as China used technical expertise from elsewhere. As he said, this did not tarnish the American achievement, and neither should it tarnish China's.

What do you mean by 'tarnish'? Of course, all knowledge is based on previous knowledge. It does however render it marginal, since no actual progress was achieved. Nothing new or exceptional was done.



Look, people, I am not saying that this isn't great. I am very happy that China got a person in space. HOWEVER, I am saying that there is nothing amazing in it.

Btw, did Japan try to launch a person into space or am I mistaken?

[Dis]

impressive

even if they did copy off the russians

[Q Classic]

japan has never tried on its own. it's sent 'em up on other countries' rockets.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by mindseye

I think his point was that the US entry into space was not accomplished solely trough American expertise, just as China used technical expertise from elsewhere. As he said, this did not tarnish the American achievement, and neither should it tarnish China's.

Yeah, don't forget that the US profited mightily from the cancellation of Canada's Avro Arrow Program.

[Ben Kenobi]

Japan, Germany, UK, France, to name a few

Eh, Canada has a space program.

[Dis]

What I'm most interested in, is what China has planned for the future.

This flight doesn't interest me that much. But what do they plan on doing now they can reach space?

[Drake Tungsten]

coming-of-age as what?

A world power, circa 1950.

Within a generation China went from world's foremost seapower to being defenceless against marauding Japanese pirates who raided at will.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Within a generation China went from world's foremost seapower to being defenceless against marauding Japanese pirates who raided at will.

Actually, the "Japanese Pirates" where Chinee on Taiwan.

[Drake Tungsten]

Actually, the "Japanese Pirates" where Chinee on Taiwan.

Some of them were, but there were also actual Japanese pirates, operating out of Kyushu and the Inland Sea.

[ixnay]

Originally posted by Dissident
What I'm most interested in, is what China has planned for the future.

This flight doesn't interest me that much. But what do they plan on doing now they can reach space?

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/10/14/space.race/index.html

If all goes well with the early manned flights, the Chinese plan to launch a satellite to the moon within three years. After that, China plans to launch a space station. The goal is to establish a permanent outpost on the moon within 15 years.

[The Mad Monk]

Congratulations to China on the successful trip, and welcome to the club!

[Dis]

well if they make a manned flight to the moon, I will be very, very impressed.

I may even move to China

Trips to the moon require a much bigger rocket and a lot more complicated operations. Reaching orbit is actually fairly easy now days. But getting to the surface of the moons is still not routine.

[The Mad Monk]

I am dearly hoping that this will encourage us to get off our asses and back into it.

We really have to get off this rock.

[Curiosity]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

America has slid back in recent years... they're really about where they were in the late '50s in many respects. If that.

Don't remember those late 50's space stations.

Remember Skylab, built using Saturn V hardware? Yes, 60's rather than 50's... but there were no technological leaps in between. And the Saturn V was pretty much the pinacle of US orbital launch technology.

For a comparison with the 50's - remember the X-15 project? The recent X-34 was extremely similar, yet it failed utterly where dragging a piece of hardware out of a museum would have fulfilled most of the project requirements.