Comments on: Shenzhou 7

By: Hendrik

Hendrik — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:32:47 +0000

I guess with the statement about who is first I meant who is the first in the current ongoing spacerace to the moon.

For all my patriotic US readers: yes you have been first in the last race to the moon against Russia.

By: Aremonus

Aremonus — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:12:27 +0000

Vern, at the moment, USA are not able to send anyone to the moon. Yes, of course, 40 years ago they did it with low-tech, (which is not necessarily bad, as it is better to keep things simple and stupid)their computer had a 1 MHz 8 bit CPU, e.g., the materials were far less developed than now, what makes this mission even greater than a moon mission nowadays would be. But now all the plans are destroyed and the whole stuff needs to be re-developped.

Anyway, you can’t deny that there IS a new competition in space and it’s really gonna be interesting who will be able to reach moon first again and who builds the first moon station.
I guess it depends quite a lot on whom will be elected for president in USA:
If the strong nationalis McCain comes to power, I am quite sure that USA is gonna make it before China – and if it is Obama (who is more interested in helping people than in showing that USA are strong), it’s gonna be China.

Europe is probably not going to make it first. In the Aurora project, they want to reach moon in 2024, so after USA and China.

By: vern

vern — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:23:19 +0000

“Will the Chinese reach the moon before the US?”

Uhh…dude, I’m wondering about this question – 40 years ago is calling for you…

Oh, and calling the Apollo program low-tech…ha ha! It used cutting-edge technology in every way, shape, and form. Things were developed specifically for the program. Come on, those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it.

By: justrecently

justrecently — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:31:21 +0000

I was just kidding… I´d blow my head if Germany would spend money of a space program of its own.
But it´s hard to tell in advance which money is well-spent and which is a waste, as long as Europe does without mere prestige projects. And as long as there is no likelihood of technology theft, Europe should work together with all other space stakeholding countries – America, Russia, China, Japan, or India.

By: Aremonus

Aremonus — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:43:52 +0000

Germany could certainly reach the moon – if it set up its own Space Agency. But Europe already has the ESA, so why should Germany found its own?

There are actually plans for landing on the moon in 2024, the so-called Aurora Program of ESA. Furthermore, there should be a manned Mars mission in 2030.

But even if I like space travelling:
Why should Europe do this? There’s very little benefit and it will be done anyway, even if Europe doesn’t do it. In an economic few, it’s just a waste of money – so it is from a scientific point of few. E.g.: The CERN is far more important for science than NASA – but it’s 30 times cheaper.
There’s only one big advantage I see about it: European people would finally feel like European citizens – not like Germans, French and so on. But is this worth € 100 billion?

By: justrecently

justrecently — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:40:48 +0000

Question from one German to another, Junjie: Can’t we do, too? Raumanaut would be a nice standardization, and who in the world knows what a Fahrer is?

As for reaching the moon before the US, are you referring to a manned station there? Anyway, your post has already hurt American feelings, I guess.

By: JBMoney

JBMoney — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:34:14 +0000

“Will the Chinese reach the moon before the US?”

Maybe you missed the memo, but the U.S. ‘reached’ the moon about 40 years ago.

By: Aremonus

Aremonus — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:29:21 +0000

Haha, in German, they’re already called Raumfahrer^^. European austronauts shall be called Spationauts – which I feel is quite a stupid name, but it’s at least more correct than astronaut when u take its acient greek meaning.

I don’t think China only wants to show to foreigners what they can do – Chinese government needs in order to stay in power to do aggresive nation building, thus develop prestigous things like the Olympics, Space flight, fast train, high building – China’s not a democracy (yet) so th politicans don’t have to be efficient, but they need a good reputation in the crowd…