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Chinese the next men on the moon?

Re: Chinese the next men on the moon?

Originally posted by Mr. Anderson


Ha, well, here's to another space race! :D

D
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But it's not ... he even said it's not ... LOL

Just messing with me Mr. A

It is pretty cool

I'm convinced China is destined to rule the world .... LOL
 
Thank you for the link Mr. Anderson, that is very interesting information. There time table doesn't seem to be as agressive as the US. Our first manned flight was with Shepard in 1961 and then we landed on the moon in 1969. Maybe they need a Kennedy like figure to set their goal.

I would like to see cooperation this time. There is not really a race, because the US was 1st.
 
Originally posted by wdlove

I would like to see cooperation this time. There is not really a race, because the US was 1st.
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Actually it is a bit of a race - since its been 30 years since we've last been there. In order to go again we'd have to redo the whole project.

The moon, at this point in space travel/exploration, is only a prestige point, nothing more. Once a permanently staffed base is placed on the moon will things change.

If you think about what sort of requirements that takes its quite daunting. Regular trips to the moon for astronaut rotation and supplies. Building materials and techniques for building in a low gravity environment, possibly using local material. Natural lunar resource excavation/utilization....the list goes on.

No nation is there yet technologically. We need to get a cheap space plane that allows weekly or daily travel to space, use orbit as a staging ground to send more flights to the moon. And maybe then get to Mars.

If the Chinese make it to the Moon in 2020, you know Mars will be next. That's why there will be a space race. ;)

D
 
I see your point Mr. Anderson. Maybe the plans that China have will be a wakeup call to NASA. They seem to have lost focus. The glory days of NASA was actually during the race to the moon.

NASA has been plagued with problems on the shuttle missions and Mars exploration. The budget cuts and loss of political will hasn't helped the situation.

It could be that wheen China's plans become more of a reality to the American electorate the mood will change. Either NASA will turn around or a private enterprise will take off.
 
Chances our that the Chinese will select a location not anywhere near the Apollo landing sites. But it would be interesting to see what's left of them.....

D
 
Originally posted by Counterfit
There's probably as much there now as there was when our guys left.
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ah, but 30 years of heat and cold would put a little wear and tear on them. It might all still be there, but it wouldn't look the same....

Besides, when we do go back, the Apollo moon sites should be conserved, hermetically sealed, so that no one disturbs the dirt and footprints of the first men on the moon.

Put a hotel up near by at Tranquility Base, and you'd have a nice little tourist attraction....;)

D
 
I think Disney should land a theme park on the moon and make it the happiest place orbiting Earth.

Might help with their current problems too.
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
ah, but 30 years of heat and cold would put a little wear and tear on them. It might all still be there, but it wouldn't look the same....

Besides, when we do go back, the Apollo moon sites should be conserved, hermetically sealed, so that no one disturbs the dirt and footprints of the first men on the moon.

Put a hotel up near by at Tranquility Base, and you'd have a nice little tourist attraction....;)

D
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I'm with you Mr. Anderson, they should preserve the sites for history. Would you be interested in visiting the sites if it were possible at an affordable price? I think that I would be quite interest. It is somthing in history that was alive to me.
 
Arg, By 2020. Thats not very agressive time figures.

Booo!!

Booo!!

I'll make it to the moon before the Nation of China does!



:rolleyes:

Originally posted by P-Worm
So this might finally put an end to the "Did we really land on the moon?" Conspiracy. If the flag is there, we did.

P-Worm
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Ah, but the Moon is a big place...

They would have to wait (or burn some extra Fuel) to get to the spot where they landed.
 
Originally posted by P-Worm
So this might finally put an end to the "Did we really land on the moon?" Conspiracy. If the flag is there, we did.
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China might just throw the flag into orbit and claim that it was a hoax and only China has ever been to the moon.
 
So what comes first....a fully functional space station as a permanent base or a trip to mars? And where should the US base its emphasis?
 
Originally posted by dcoltonbrown
So what comes first....a fully functional space station as a permanent base or a trip to mars? And where should the US base its emphasis?
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I'd say good ol' luna first. It's closer, and it's easier to keep an eye on. "Look sweetie, you can see daddy on the moon!"
 
There's some new, really potential work being done on radiation shielding that makes all of the bigger issues of manned space travel a lot more feasible.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/nasa_radiation_031201.html

This is good stuff, and if its available in the next several years, along with a space plane to get things to orbit faster and cheaper, we'll be able to gain a bigger foothold there.

As for the future, a space plane is the first step, otherwise it becomes too expensive to get off the planet. Once that's done a cheaper, higher orbit spacestation as a stepping stone to the moon. A permanent presence on the moon to develop technologies for a mission and habitat for Mars.

Timeline? Decades.....:rolleyes:

That's why the Chinese will do the moon for prestige, land, make a few foot prints, claim the moon for China, go home.

I'm reminded of the old looney toons cartoon - Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a Half Century. :D

D
 
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