China's Space Program News Thread

[Blitzo]

I think it's kind of funny how some of those pictures of Chang'e 3 and the Yutu on the moon are better than what we got of them on earth lol. But that reflects more on the low profile the machines before actually being launched.

 

[vesicles]

The picture is taken off the screen of rover control centre. I recall the official was using a laser pointer while being interviewed by a media personnel.

I still think its a piece of kryptonite .

 

[Equation]

I still think its a piece of kryptonite .

I say it's an emerald moon.

 

[coolieno99]

Agreed, but making the joke with the insinuation that China will collapse like the USSR (or even worse, that you hope it will) is in bad taste -- or at the very least it is a little awkward regardless of your otherwise innocent humorous intentions.

Russia is slowly rebuilding its space program to the level before the collapse of the USSR. Just as the U.S. shut down its Space Shuttle program, the Russian plans to build a new super-heavy launcher, Angara, and re-start the Buran shuttle program. It's performance parameters exceed those of the U.S. shuttle.

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[Equation]

Russia is slowly rebuilding its space program to the level before the collapse of the USSR. Just as the U.S. shut down its Space Shuttle program, the Russian plans to build a new super-heavy launcher, Angara, and re-start the Buran shuttle program. It's performance parameters exceed those of the U.S. shuttle.

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So Russia is bringing back the Buran space shuttle?

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Good luck restarting Buran the only operational until was destroyed, the test rigs are accessible but mostly trashed or placed in amusement parks.
additionally by the time the Russians tested it, they considered Buran obsolete. Seems to me more like the Russian space agency will have to clean slate a new obiter.

 

[chuck731]

Russia is slowly rebuilding its space program to the level before the collapse of the USSR. Just as the U.S. shut down its Space Shuttle program, the Russian plans to build a new super-heavy launcher, Angara, and re-start the Buran shuttle program. It's performance parameters exceed those of the U.S. shuttle.

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Russia has been talking big since Putin's ascedancy, but there is little evidence of any real progress in addressing the basic problems that prevents the reemergence of competitive technological and manufacturing economy. It continues to be a declining second rate economy dressing itself up with outward appearences of a major player, but increasingly hallow at the core of its power. So these stories are more to be treated with bemusement than anticipation.

 

[chuck731]

Good luck restarting Buran the only operational until was destroyed, the test rigs are accessible but mostly trashed or placed in amusement parks.
additionally by the time the Russians tested it, they considered Buran obsolete. Seems to me more like the Russian space agency will have to clean slate a new obiter.

I think someone has missed the fact that Russian economy is of the size and level of development similar to Brazil, and probably has less long term growth potential than Brazil.

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

even Brazil has a space program. but the chances at success are not very high.

 

[chuck731]

even Brazil has a space program. but the chances at success are not very high.

Russia has more hand-me-down image, gadgets and old capital than Brazil, but quite appearently less ability or determination to root out the fundamental reason for its current weakness.

The chances of Brazil's success in the medium to long term, say 25-50 years, is IMHO underestimated. It probably won't become one of two or three superpowers, but its size and population means it would probably displace United States to become the regional hegemon of South America, and by that put itself above the likes of France, UK, and Japan as a global power, and become a important, if not dominant, player in the balance of power in the Pacific.

Before that will happen there will probably be a period when the US would attempt to cultivate argentina and Chile to balance the power of emergent Brazil in order to maintain America's dominant role in South America, much as US would attempt to cultivate India and Japan to balance the power of emergent China to maintain America's dominant role in Asia.