SinoDefence Forum

Finn McCool

Because as I said, space is the future, not the bottom of the ocean.

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Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter.
-Winston Churchill

PiSigma

the bottom of the ocean could be the future if they find a cheap energy source to power the world. and produce lots of other resources we want.. then u'll start seeing people investing in researching tech to build cities under the ocean. it's not about what's the future, it's about where resources could be found. we know that the moon have He-3, which is one of the reasons why people want to go there, because it's a good energy source. and outer space offer more living space. if ocean floor can offer that same, people would spend a lot more money on the R&D of it too.

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Cygnus X-1

The first phase of China's lunar program is to send unmanned craft to the moon. This is an achieveable goal because the technology has been around for 40 years and the physics have been around for centuries. Besides, it is much safer and economical to send unmanned craft to the moon. This phase could be done as soon as 2010!

If your talking about sending a man to the moon (which I suspect you are) then that will take longer because the next phase would be to send 'robots' probably similar to the Mars exploration rovers. This could be done around 2012-2015

The final phase would then be to send a 'Taikonaut' - how long that will take is anybody's guess really. I hope it will be before 2020

adeptitus

China's space program is very conservative, expect to see several unmanned test flights before an actual manned mission is sent up. Depending on your point of view, you could say they value human life over $, or that they want to make sure the manned flight would be successful for good PR (public relations).

As for space vs. the ocean, 71% of our planet's surface is covered by the sea. It's generally much cheaper to expand into the sea than to space. It's possible to build sea colonies powered by OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion), which also supplies fresh water for hydroponics, plus aquaculture at sea. However the cost is too high at present time. Space colonization would be even more costly. $_$

It's more "cost effective" to expand into low-density desert areas on land right now. Personally, I'm betting the bank on cheap desert land for my retirement. Cross my fingers that urban sprawl would go there and make the land valuable in 10-20 years!

Tassadar

Hey, I really like the saying, makes you sound like a prophet

Jokes aside, I agree that the future of mankind is in space. However, I do want to make a point that the problem of energy seems to be the choke point for many problems right now. I guess, if we could somehow master the technology of fusion, the exploration of moon and future space exploration will be justified(more practically) and propelled.

DarkEminence

Hmm...

What is more militarily feasible? I have always thought objects in space were much more practical in military terms (it's hard to shoot down an object that can revolve around the earth in 90 minutes...too fast)? And an underwater base can only move as fast as 1 foot a year (and that is pushing it).

DPRKPTboat

The next manned mission due to be launched is Shenzhou 7, which will fly solo in 2008. Word on the internet isd that it will carry three taikonauts and a spacewalk will be carried out. Shenzhou 8 is the docking vehicle you mentioned, with the ability to have two Shenzhous docked to it either side. It could be expanded to a space station. Here are my sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhou_7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhou_8

And here is something about how Shenzhou 8 could be expanded to a space station. I had my own thread for that, but people seem to have forgotten it now:

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Ch...n_Attempt.html


But Chenghe 1 is going ot be China's first moon mission, and will be launched next year. But i've read a BBC article which says that all Chinese craft sent to the moon will be designated as Chenghe, and that the Chinese lunar programme is getting assistance from British scientists. Heres the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4782881.stm

And heres one on that moon mission:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4146226.stm

tphuang

they have a long list of goes. I think if you google up china moon, you might find the articles that listed them. Your original estimate of 2030 is probably right had they just went alone. I'm guessing they are getting a lot of help from the Russians and that really does speed up the process. In many way, since the Russians themselves never landed on the move, we can look at the first China landing as the first "Eastern bloc" landing in a way.

DPRKPTboat

In 2002, China denied that they had any plans to make a manned landing on the moon. But, according to the article I posted about the Chenghe (if anyone bothered to look at it) the probe after that, Chenghe 2, will make a soft landing on the moon, so it said. But realistically, I don't see China beating the U.S. to the moon any time soon. They just don't have a rocket powerful enough at the moment, and even if they were developing one, it would take years to conceive - if it was rushed, then it would end up like the Soviet N-1 booster did. And China certainly doesn't want that. The U.S., on the other hand, already has a design for its moon mission, and has openly shown it. China has so far not shown any plans or concepts for such a mission.
But, it is possible that China doesn't really care about competition and may land on the moon after America does nontheless. But by the time they do, the U.S. will probably be planning a mission to mars.

tphuang

more space news.

Vlad Plasmius

China is being pretty ambitious, though. They're conducting far fewer in-space missions so achieving a manned-moon landing as only the second country to do so and doing so with far less preparation would be pretty important.

eric chu

Ｉthink　Ｃhina　has　been　developing an independent space technology,peacefully and efficiently,American should abandon hostile attitude towards china,admiting China joining in the programme of the international space station,China should cooperate with America flying to moon,Ithink it is good for the peace of the whole world

sumdud

???
Going to the Moon is of no physical value, yes. But if that is so, why did America go to the Moon? Why did the USSR try? It's a trumph to do so. It is for spirit, for honor. It also helps in practicing for missions farther out.

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Give us a break. Don't try ranting at SDF.

Vlad Plasmius

*cough* Helium 3 *cough*

DPRKPTboat

If China is going to gain Helium 3, then it will probably have to find land on the moon where it can build its own moonbase to mine it, seperate from the American moonbase that may have already been established by time it does. Then that will mean that different parts of the moon will be controlled by America, China, and maybe Russia, each with their own colonies. It would be like the European colonisation of America when it was first discovered.