Manned base camp on the moon. That’s far more practical than mission to Mars. Also NASA is gearing up to use mini nuke reactors on the moon as a source of sustained power. Hope China is planning on something similar as well.I really like the fact that China's space program has basically non-stop milestones lined up from 2021-2023, almost on a monthly basis. Assembling a multi-module space station as well as next generation cargo and manned vehicles, the space telescope, chang'e 7 swarm mini-landers, and asteroid sample-return mission are all well underway and past the point of return. I'm hoping they firm up the following missions because otherwise the calendars start looking empty around 2024-2025.
- Jupiter exploration mission, with possible lander on one of the moons
- Mars generation 2 rover (call them curiosity-class), possibly powered by RTG and integrated with a broader sample return to earth
- Venus probe mission, possibly with lander or a blimp to float in the atmosphere
- Deep space probe to neptune or uranus, both to test out new propulsion technologies and also provide better data on outer planets, since they have only been flybys in late 70s and 80s. Bonus if microsatellites could also be sent to map out some of the moons.
What I do not want to see:
- manned missions to luna; very expensive and questionable scientific value, let the americans be the guinea pigs and flag wavers
- manned missions to mars; even more expensive but better scientific value, again let the americans be the guinea pigs and bankrupt themselves, maybe china gets to rescue a mark watson too...
I do believe however that China should "race" Americans to mars from an unmanned sample return. Sample return from Mars would likely be a monumental effort, involving multiple curiosity-class rovers gathering various rock samples, with multiple retrieval rovers, Martian launch ascenders, mars orbiters and earth returners. This would be many times the magnitude and complexity of Tianwen-1 and Chang'e 5 and also necessitate launches on a LM-9 class rocket (or a bunch of LM-5s, but that would be wasteful). China could create a stretch goal like sample return by 2030 (or maybe just starting the return from Mars by 2030, since it takes years to make the journey), and then mobilize Chinese society and students like the Americans in the 60s.
If we can get some Russian or European sensors on these probes too, the better. Its time for china to create its own space alliance.
China's Space Program News Thread
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Manned base camp on the moon. That’s far more practical than mission to Mars. Also NASA is gearing up to use mini nuke reactors on the moon as a source of sustained power. Hope China is planning on something similar as well.
Should definitely feel proud when this thing is completed.
Manned mission to the moon is very important, at least to do. It shows China can do it. These programs are costly yes but they generate a lot of prestige and interest in space -- far more than anything else --, and help inspire future generations of Chinese students to study space/technology. Never underestimate this power.
Flag and foot print missions on the other hand are pretty poor use of money. For the price of a Saturn V you could buy a whole 100,000 nuclear supercarrier which is pretty useful.
If the goal is solely for national prestige I would argue a Mars sample return mission is a much better use of money. It's cheaper and no one can pull the "we did it 51 years ago" card. Not to mention it has plenty of scientific value on top.
Yeah, you would like China to waste money on this wouldn't you... absolutely china should NOT do a manned mission to the moon, and the Chinese people are smart enough to fall for that stupid trick. Let the hubris Americans with their shrinking empire waste resources on one last imaginary "space race" against China like they did with the soviet union. China should instead focus on lower cost to orbit and SSO, hopefully to commercialize space travel (and generate some actual economic returns while we are at it).
I do hope China announces a "moon mission" with a ridiculous timelines of lets say 2025, so American can go killing themselves trying to land on luna by 2024 (like they did with the stupid vaccine now killing Norwegians). Then china can take a measured pace and work on actual science, like space telescopes, ion thrusters, asteroid defense, venus, mars, jupiter missions...
China should certainly focus on lower cost to orbit and SSO, but also do a manned mission to the moon.
The reality is the space race was beneficial for the industries of the US and Russia, it was not a bad thing at all. The US got massive prestige from the moon landing that helped it win the Cold War. Also, there is nothing wrong with a strong effort and fast pace. The reality is, the Moderna vaccine is perfectly fine and the Pfizer one will still be useful. It's better than not having it. And there is nothing wrong with a competitive spirit and working to be #1 and having impressive accomplishments. We need more of that, not less.
China possessed the technology and resources to conduct manned lunar mission way back in early 2010 at least, they had already bought APAS docking and Soyuz life support system, the lunar lander tech was bought from Ukraine the only puzzle left was a Saturn class vehicle but the mission could still be conducted with multiple launches making use of lunar ballistic capture and orbital rendezvous, the fact that they haven't already done it means the permanent lunar base has higher priority mind you a lot of space agencies in many countries would die to have the tech to achieve manned lunar mission, the discipline and long term vision of CNSA is simply amazing and should be lauded
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I would say the China National Space Administration has made even more effort in cooperating with the international community with their 1731 gram of lunar samples than the U.S. with their allegedly hundreds of kg of Apollo lunar samples.
China encourages international cooperation on lunar sample study
Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-18 16:56:54|Editor: huaxia
An expert introduces items on display as diplomats and representatives from foreign countries and international organizations view the Chang'e-5 lunar mission-related devices and models at the National Astronomical Observatories of China under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 18, 2021. China on Monday unveiled regulations on lunar sample management, encouraging international cooperation on studying the samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe. Released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the regulations cover general principles for preserving, managing, using, borrowing and returning the lunar samples, as well as information release and research results management of the samples. The CNSA also awarded commemorative plates to the international cooperators including the Argentine National Space Activities Commission, European Space Agency, Namibia Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, to thank them for their collaboration during the Chang'e-5 mission. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)
BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday unveiled regulations on lunar sample management, encouraging international cooperation on studying the samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe.
Released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the regulations cover general principles for preserving, managing, using, borrowing and returning the lunar samples, as well as information release and research results management of the samples.
According to the regulations, the lunar samples will be generally used for four purposes, namely permanent storage, backup permanent storage, research and public welfare.
The Chang'e-5 probe, comprising an orbiter, a lander, an ascender, and a returner, was launched on Nov. 24, 2020. The return capsule landed in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Dec. 17, retrieving about 1,731 grams of lunar samples.
China encourages international joint research in space science based on the lunar samples to support science results sharing, said Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, noting that the management and usage of the samples would comply with relevant international conventions.
Diplomats and representatives from France, Russia, the European Union, Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization and other countries and international organizations were invited to visit the lunar sample storage and processing facilities in the National Astronomical Observatories of China under the Chinese Academy of Sciences on Monday.
The CNSA also awarded commemorative plates to the international cooperators including the Argentine National Space Activities Commission, European Space Agency, Namibia Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, to thank them for their collaboration during the Chang'e-5 mission.
Based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, peaceful utilization and win-win cooperation, the CNSA has actively carried out international cooperation in lunar exploration, Mars exploration, satellite projects, and launch services, to promote the common progress and long-term sustainable development of the space industry, Zhang said.
"We are still in the pre-processing stage of the lunar samples, including sample unsealing, preparation and the establishment of archives," said Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of CNSA.
About 80 percent of the lunar samples will be used for scientific research, and 20 percent will be preserved for better and more advanced scientific research methods and conditions in the future. This also constitutes protection of heritage of human civilization, Pei added.
China's future lunar and interplanetary exploration missions will be more open, and cooperation among countries will be further encouraged, Pei said. Enditem
Norbert Paluch (C), representative of France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) is in media interview at the National Astronomical Observatories of China under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 18, 2021. China on Monday unveiled regulations on lunar sample management, encouraging international cooperation on studying the samples brought back by the Chang'e-5 probe. Released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the regulations cover general principles for preserving, managing, using, borrowing and returning the lunar samples, as well as information release and research results management of the samples. The CNSA also awarded commemorative plates to the international cooperators including the Argentine National Space Activities Commission, European Space Agency, Namibia Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, to thank them for their collaboration during the Chang'e-5 mission. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)
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The worst and most stupid:
Go to the moon, plant a flag, beat the chest, live in the tent (capsule), pee and shit in the pants, then return to the earth.
The real achievement:
Build a house with real beds, living room, dinning room, laboratory, shower and toilet on the moon, THEN go there, live there comfortably as long as you want, do real work there.
Who cares if somebody is going to brag about shitting in their pants on the moon in 2024.
Go to the moon, plant a flag, beat the chest, live in the tent (capsule), pee and shit in the pants, then return to the earth.
The real achievement:
Build a house with real beds, living room, dinning room, laboratory, shower and toilet on the moon, THEN go there, live there comfortably as long as you want, do real work there.
Who cares if somebody is going to brag about shitting in their pants on the moon in 2024.
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