Author
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Topic: China'll be on the moon before the US is again
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Rodina Member Posts: 836 From: Lafayette, CA Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 01-02-2003 12:22 AM
Just watch. Taikonauts in Q3 of 2003. http://europe.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/01/01/china.space/ |
Rizz Member Posts: 1208 From: Upcountry, Maui, Hawaii Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 01-02-2003 03:51 PM
Looks like their leader has the right idea, asking all involved to "redouble their efforts and work in a pioneering spirit to make more contributions to the peaceful development of the outer space". We symbolically sent an olive branch up to the moon, maybe they can send up a 'Bush'. Rizz [This message has been edited by Rizz (edited January 02, 2003).] |
Paul Member Posts: 201 From: Duluth,Ga. Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-02-2003 03:52 PM
A trip to the Moon by the Chinese will really impress the younger generation...many of them think that we're still sending American astronauts to the Moon, thirty years after the fact... I find that kind of sad! Paul |
pad leader Member Posts: 101 From: swadlincote, derbyshire uk Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 01-02-2003 04:25 PM
hey maybe its the dawn of a new space race usa v china. |
BigWaveDave Member Posts: 202 From: Waikoloa, Hawaii, USA Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-02-2003 04:59 PM
Ahhh ........it's all being faked. The Chinese are just brushing up on their Hollywood skills.
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BigWaveDave Member Posts: 202 From: Waikoloa, Hawaii, USA Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-02-2003 05:10 PM
......on the other hand this could be a great time to get in on the ground floor of Chinese Space Flight memorabilia. Has anyone sent off for items listed by ASTD? Is this considered supporting a communist regime? If it supports space exploration,should we even care?Dave |
Rodina Member Posts: 836 From: Lafayette, CA Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 01-02-2003 06:54 PM
I'm fond of pointing out Chinese successes around here not because I want the Chinese to beat us back to the Moon for its own sake, but 27 years of international cooperation in space (since, say, ASTP) has gotten us nowhere compared to 12 years of international hostility (Sputnik to Apollo 11) --- I'd much rather feel threatened a Chinese moon base (assuming it would get us back up there) than feel all internationally-fuzzy by knowing the first ever Astronaut from Andorra is going up to the ISS.I despise everything about the government in Beijing - its systemic abuse of religious freedom and its bellicose attitude toward the people of Taiwan - but I'll stomach a few wins by them if it will get us back into space in a big way... so, right now, nothing would be better to kick start our space program than to have the Chinese go to the moon and claim it -- and I'm hoping for nothing short.
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bruce Member Posts: 916 From: Fort Mill, SC, USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 01-02-2003 08:14 PM
Maybe we should just give the Chinese a respectful nod and a wave as we pass by their lunar base on our way to Mars. |
Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-04-2003 11:59 AM
Nice topic, certainly if we consider how fast things moved for the Chinese space program ... It was officially announced in July 199 and since then already 4 launches took place of the SHENZHOU spacecraft ( " Divine vessel " ) from the JIUQUAN space launch centre; 20 NOVEMBER 1999 + 09 JANUARY 2001 + 25 MARCH 2002 + 29 DECEMBER 2002 ... Next launch might certainly be a Manned vehicle carrying 2 " Taikonauts "Read more at this excellent link; http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shenzhou.htm [This message has been edited by Philip (edited January 04, 2003).] |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2003 12:18 PM
If you believe what is being reported by Sing Tao Daily than the first flight will have a solo yuhangyuan (China's preferred term for their astronauts; taikonaut was an invention of reporters in Malaysia and China) later this year. Furthermore, Sing Tao says the identity of the first yuhangyuan is Mr. Chen Long. No further information has been released.... |
Rodina Member Posts: 836 From: Lafayette, CA Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 01-04-2003 01:39 PM
Anyone know how to pronounce "yuhangyuan"? |
Philip Member Posts: 5952 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-04-2003 01:44 PM
O.K. ROBERT, That would be nice for the Chinese in that way they will have a "First" just as GAGARIN and SHEPARD or GLENN in the other 2 spacefaring nations ... I believe the CHinese selected about 20 cosmonauts in the 1970s and nowadays about 14 are training at Starcity ... |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2003 01:47 PM
YOO-hong-wans |
mensax Member Posts: 861 From: Virginia Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 01-04-2003 03:14 PM
Robert, you wouldn't be making this up would you? Sort of a new years thing maybe?...YOU-hung-OVER? Noah |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2003 03:25 PM
I'm not that witty, Noah. :-)Yuhangyuan appears to be an abbreviation for yuzhou hangxing yuan, which means "space navigator" in Chinese. (The pronounciation is courtesy the Orlando Sentinel.) |
BigWaveDave Member Posts: 202 From: Waikoloa, Hawaii, USA Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-04-2003 04:42 PM
I interpeted that to be....."Yo....hung ones". Gotta be to strap into a Chinese rocket. Dave |
Rodina Member Posts: 836 From: Lafayette, CA Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 01-04-2003 07:32 PM
It is there program and, of course, their language, but I though "astronaut, cosmonaut and taikonaut" had a nice ring to it. I think we will kind of see how the media plays it when the Chinese do this --- names have a way of sticking given their early use...I have only read what I know from the space media - Aviation Leak, space.com, etc. - but my hunch is that the Chinese are going to go circumlunar in time for the 2008 Olympic Games. A landing may be 2015 or so, but I bet circumlunar is a goal in the intermediate term. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42985 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-04-2003 07:48 PM
The media first picked up on the Moon as a destination back in May, when Chinese representatives with no connection to the space program made passing (and very generalized) comments about lunar exploration. Suddenly, the mass media was reporting a manned mission by 2008. Unfortunately, the counter article didn't get as much press. Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's Moon exploration program, when interviewed by the BBC in May clarified that China's plans were focused on unmanned vehicles and probes. "We will explore the Moon certainly," he said "but with unmanned spacecraft." In today's HindustanTimes.com article, reporting at an ongoing "Space Summit" in Bangalore, Guo Baozhu, vice administrator of the Chinese National Space Academy, confirmed that the lunar exploration program proposed thus far has yet to receive government approval. At least eight months after first being reported worldwide, China's lunar plans are still unoffical and in the study phase. I hope China has bold plans and succeeds at reaching each, but its important to put today's mainstream reporting into perspective. |
Rodina Member Posts: 836 From: Lafayette, CA Registered: Oct 2001
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posted 01-04-2003 08:53 PM
No doubt about that Robert. But don't read too much into an official denial, either... I can think of a certain other large, nuclear-armed space-faring nation that denied it was ever interested in going to the moon.But since much of the technology leading toward a circumlunar flight is the same stuff you need for advanced orbital flights (recall the plans, however tenative, for a circumlunar Gemini), I wouldn't rule it out... and, given an official denial (which often tell you more than just about anything when dealing with -any- government), I'd be willing to take a bet, say, 3:1 against. If China thinks they can do it --- I bet the go for it, and soon.
[This message has been edited by Rodina (edited January 04, 2003).] |
rjurek349 Member Posts: 1190 From: Northwest Indiana Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-04-2003 10:09 PM
I've been following the Chinese developments for a while, as well. It will be fun to watch. Wouldn't it be great to someday see a three-person international Apollo 200X crew with an American, Russian, and Chinese on board? One can only dream...Anyway, there are a few sites I poke around at to keep up on the topic. Thought I'd share with the broader group. Robert, while some of these might be older -- one or two might be worth adding to the reference section of the site once they launch a human. I really like the spaceref and Dragonspace sites. But it is cool they have their own CNSA site as well. Rich China National Space Administration http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/ Dragon Space -- "your portal to China" http://www.spacedaily.com/china.html The "unofficial" Chinese space website: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/1921/ The Federation of American Scientist page on the Chinese space program: http://www.fas.org/spp/guide/china/ The Spaceref "Focus on China" page http://www.spaceref.com/focuson/china/ Anyone else have any good pages? I am always looking to add to my book marks!!!
[This message has been edited by rjurek349 (edited January 04, 2003).] |
spaceuk Member Posts: 2113 From: Staffs, UK Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-05-2003 10:06 AM
As an aside I think the term "taikonauts" will become the western press word for a Chinese astronaut.Only because it is easier to spell and pronounce but will - inevitably - lead to headlines like " Chinese Taikonaut-Away" in the cheaper side tabloids and radio/TV stations. |
rjurek349 Member Posts: 1190 From: Northwest Indiana Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 01-07-2003 09:47 AM
According to this article at CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/01/06/india.moon.reut/index.html With China's success and targeted manned flight, India wants to toss its hat in the ring for a lunar shot by 2015. While China will undoubtedly get a manned flight off sooner, wouldn't a moon race between India and China -- or a collaborative effort -- be amazing? There is a lot of technology expertise in India. |
BLACKARROW unregistered
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posted 01-07-2003 06:23 PM
China and India landing on the Moon?? Let's see them get into orbit first! |
Paul Member Posts: 201 From: Duluth,Ga. Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-07-2003 10:05 PM
How long before Mr. Chen Long autograph forgeries start showing up on eBay?!! Paul |
eurospace Member Posts: 2610 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 01-08-2003 03:30 AM
quote: Originally posted by BLACKARROW: Let's see them get into orbit first!
Interesting approach. :-) When Kennedy announced the Moon programme, the US hadn't even had a single manned orbit in the log .... Thus far, they follow the tradition ... :-) ------------------ Jürgen P Esders Berlin, Germany http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Astroaddies |