I agree with you that a lot of bad decisions have been made, both by and for NASA. However, it's too late to undo many of those decisions. Whether we like it or not, the US has lost the manned space flight ability for some years to come. Pursuing a failed project now, just because we lack a non-failed project, is just throwing good money after bad.
China goes to space
- Thread starter RedRalph
- Start date
I agree with you that a lot of bad decisions have been made, both by and for NASA. However, it's too late to undo many of those decisions. Whether we like it or not, the US has lost the manned space flight ability for some years to come. Pursuing a failed project now, just because we lack a non-failed project, is just throwing good money after bad.
The Russians have 50 years of experience in going to space. So it is not exactly surprising that they're ahead of China.
But as no country currently has the technology to do manned missions to the moon, one could say that all of them, even the US, are behind the US of the 60ies.
And if China manages to do this, they could soon be in the leading position.
Oh we have the technology, plenty of technology.
What we're lacking is funds and an actual reason.
Quackers
The Frog
I don't buy that. Why can't you just use the old Apollo plans? Surely NASA have kept them?
I wouldn't say we're starting from scratch. I assume someone kept notes from the last six times we landed there.
EDIT: x-post with Quackers
Lillefix
I'm serious. You can.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2003
- Messages
- 5,699
Yes, the situation is different now. Unfortunately, it's easy for me "to be wise after the event", as Google translate translated it for me.
It's like learning to speak a new language just by books, it's not easy to put it mildly. If you have experienced people who could show and teach, things would be so much easier.
*cutlass*
I see, it's that bad...
No, they didn't. Some fraktards were afraid that the shuttle wouldn't get funded if Apollo was a viable alternative, so the plans were "lost".
To go to the moon? No, you don't. There a no plans you can pull out and say: We just need to build this. A mission to the moon would require the (re-)development of new technology.
Not with the detail that would be required to rebuild them. The Apollo program was a huge effort over 40 years ago. NASA never even had all the documentation that its subcontractors used and this was in a time when everything had to be stored on paper. So they would have been required to spend money on maintaining an archive of technology that they assumed to never be used again. Why would you keep around detailed plans of things that you expect to be supplanted by newer technology.
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
They are going to use chopsticks on the moon!
I don't know why all of you are so cynical about China going to the moon. All you guys can talk about is how it doesn't beat the US or China 'wasting' money is good for the US. Sure, the US did it before but so what?
Step out of your US-shell for a moment and think of it more as a Chinese citizen. It's their 'it' moment, something Chinese citizens will talk about for centuries as the second country ever to land on the moon with their fair share of conspiracy theories and denialism. To the Chinese, it's like how the Russians felt when they launched the first astronaut into space or when America herself planted a flag there.
And it's not like America had a real reason to go to the moon aside from showing the U.S.S.R that the U.S can piss further into space. If anything, the Chinese reason to go to the moon is to prove that she is starting to piss as far as the U.S can.
In the end, this moon landing is going to be the first since 1972. The whole act of defying Earth and reaching the moon is still as amazing as it was back in 1969. For many of us, it will the first moon landing we will get to witness. And in HD too.
Blue Emu
GroFAZ
I was in my teens when Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the Moon. I still remember listening to it on (black and white) TV. AFAIR, there was no live camera coverage of that first landing... the astronauts were too busy to wave cameras around until they made the moon-walk.
SS-18 ICBM
Oscillator
Tell me when they do something worthy of note such as asteroid mining, orbital solar power, or a lunar base.
All I'm saying is do something new, alright? Right now it's nothing but a show of nationalism, not an unprecedented leap for mankind.
So why did they go there more than once then? Are you telling me all that lunar exploration was useless?
It's better than nothing at all, in fact, it's way better. Sure, there still a lot of work that needs to be done, but the basics are there.
If we did it in the 60's, we can do it today. What with them new-fangled computers and all.
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
And the all the Moon landing missions are not a show of nationalism? With the exception of the first one, how are the rest an unprecedented leap for mankind? And if they are, why isn't China's attempt an unprecedented leap? And if it is not, does it undermine the awe-inspiring, Earth-defying, moon-walking mission that is a moon mission? Especially since such a feat hasn't been accomplished since 1972. I have never seen a moon landing live before. Neither have billions of other people. Why can't the rest of be excited by this mission just because America did it 40 years ago.
No. Are you telling me there's nothing left to explore?
SS-18 ICBM
Oscillator
I said they weren't? Point is, they did something new.
I don't think news organizations were going wild over those missions. Also, where did I say that?
Where did I say everyone else should share in my apathy about this?
Wait, I said that?
Save_Ferris
Admiring Myself
Isn't it so cute when other world powers want to go to the moon? Our country went through that phase once, and it was a waste of money. But China's still growing up, so be quiet!
Nope, they'll be 50 years behind America in ECONOMICS - and 50 years ago, America was the dominant economic power in the World.
aronnax
Let your spirit be free
Only one of them were new. The rest weren't.
You really need to step out of those Amero-European viewpoint of yours.
Also, I'm comparing China's moon mission with succeeding American ones. Neither of them were new but an exciting venture nonetheless.
I wasn't commenting so much on you but rather the general dismissive cynical view of the other posters. There's a difference between. "I don't care much, but good for China" and "Let China waste their money, America #1" Most of the posters are opting for view two.
Let's set it straight then. Do you think that China's Moon mission helps to further explore the moon?
SS-18 ICBM
Oscillator
Good, glad we have that straightened out.
If they're landing on the far side or at the poles. That remains to be seen.
Wow. Brazen contradiction within only a few posts, and on the same page too. That has to count for something, surely.
China wants to spend billions of dollars, using already proven western technology, from the 60's. It wants to do this to show its a superpower. No other reason! Who it is trying to impress is a much more interesting question. Its own people? The Americans? ... who knows
