China considering moon landing...

[elguapoguano]

The steady but slow pace of China's manned space program isn't going to work up to a moon landing anywhere near 2017. IMHO at that time they will just have gotten their Space Station up and running. They will perhaps have a unmanned lander in the works by then... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[dreada5]

LOL, interesting! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /><br />Considering they think they'll be ready by 2017 and not as early as a "comparitive 2011" lunar landing....makes you think! Especially as the RSA and Space Adventures wants to start lobbing tourist capsules around lunar orbit in the near future too.

 

[DuhFly]

"Considering they think they'll be ready by 2017 and not as early as a "comparitive 2011" lunar landing....makes you think! "<br /><br />The reason for this could be because they want to build a space station first.

 

[jcdenton]

<font color="yellow">The steady but slow pace of China's manned space program isn't going to work up to a moon landing anywhere near 2017. IMHO at that time they will just have gotten their Space Station up and running. They will perhaps have a unmanned lander in the works by then...</font><br /><br />I agree, it's been two years and China has only launched two missions, with their next one being in 2007. Both the US and Russia launched at least half a dozen missions in that time frame when their space programs were in their infancy. I can't possibly see China getting to the Moon by 2017 at this rate. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"...it's been two years and China has only launched two missions, with their next one being in 2007."</font><br /><br />OK, let's compare that timeline to the US timeline.<br /><br />The US flew its first (suborbital) manned mission in 1961.<br /><br />First manned orbital mission 1962.<br /><br />First 2 man mission 1965.<br /><br />First manned 3 man mission 1968.<br /><br />First manned landing on the Moon 1969.<br /><br />First space station 1973.<br /><br />China has skipped the suborbital part, going directly to orbit, with a spacecraft built to carry 3 astronauts from the get-go. It took the US 3 years to go from Mercury (one astronaut) to Gemini (2 astronauts). It took China two years to accomplish the same thing. If China sends 3 taikonauts up on their third manned spaceflight in 2007, it will have taken them 4 years to accomplish what took the US 7 years. If they manage to put up a space station in 2009 they will have accomplished something in 6 years that took the US 12 years. (Of course, we were a bit distracted by our Moon landings <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />.)<br /><br />From there on it gets a little tougher, granted, but to think that their timeline for getting to the Moon is unrealistic is, well, unrealistic. They're talking about going from first manned flight to Moon landings in about 15 years. The US did it in less than 10. So maybe they don't fly as many missions. They can't afford it. But they have the advantage of all the knowledge gleaned from previous efforts and appear to have the willingness to go for it.<br /><br />I wish them luck. I just hope we beat them! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[BReif]

If the Chinese govenrment has decided that a moon landing is a national goal, they will do it. I don't see political infighting and bickering within China, like we would see in the United States.<br /><br />In fact, I don't beleive that China would have flown humans at all unless it were aimed at a goal like the Moon from the start. <br /><br />I think that they are progressing very quickly, given the circumstances that they find themselves in. <br /><br />

 

[nacnud]

<font color="yellow"> I don't see political infighting and bickering within China, like we would see in the United States. <br /><br /><font color="white">I bet its there just better hidden, not necessarily a good thing.<br /></font></font>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"That was a good thing since you did a much better job with your post than what i would have done."</font><br /><br />Thanks, S_G. I appreciate your comments.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[tohaki]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I agree, it's been two years and China has only launched two missions, with their next one being in 2007. Both the US and Russia launched at least half a dozen missions in that time frame when their space programs were in their infancy.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote>There have been only two manned missions so far, but there have also been four unmanned missions. In addition the Chinese have three decades of experience operating the FSW recoverable satellite.<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I can't possibly see China getting to the Moon by 2017 at this rate.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote>Intuitively I would agree.