China sends two into orbit

[Papewaio]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16895427-2,00.html

Shenzhou VI, based on Soviet Soyuz technology, lifted off on a Long March 2F carrier rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9am (11am AEST) for a five-day mission carrying air force pilots Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng.

So how long before they are regularly launching more tonnage or even more people into space then EU, USA or even Russia?

[Divinus Arma]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16895427-2,00.html



So how long before they are regularly launching more tonnage or even more people into space then EU, USA or even Russia?

Great. What's the point? The only reason we need to be in space is to be sure no one gains a strategic advantage in arms over us. Aside from protection, what the hell could does floating around in orbit do?

Oh yay. Look I am eating tube steak. Yummy. Want some freshly squeezed tube milk? Or tube yogurt? How about tube carrot?

I mean really. Space is a joke. Oooh. Lets go to the moon so we can kick dust around where there is no wind. Unless we can exploit resources, this is all pointless.

Makes me sick, actually. Spend billions to go to Mars? How about giving all of our teachers a 40% raise? How about putting computers in every classroom? How about increasing opportunities for higher education? How about anything ANYTHING other than this waste of money.

[Quietus]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16895427-2,00.html



So how long before they are regularly launching more tonnage or even more people into space then EU, USA or even Russia?

So long as they can afford it.

[Sjakihata]

I don't ever think they'll send more tonnage up there, than former USSR.

[Ja'chyra]

Great. What's the point? The only reason we need to be in space is to be sure no one gains a strategic advantage in arms over us. Aside from protection, what the hell could does floating around in orbit do?

Oh yay. Look I am eating tube steak. Yummy. Want some freshly squeezed tube milk? Or tube yogurt? How about tube carrot?

I mean really. Space is a joke. Oooh. Lets go to the moon so we can kick dust around where there is no wind. Unless we can exploit resources, this is all pointless.

Makes me sick, actually. Spend billions to go to Mars? How about giving all of our teachers a 40% raise? How about putting computers in every classroom? How about increasing opportunities for higher education? How about anything ANYTHING other than this waste of money.

Could you please make your view a little clearer?

I say good on them.

[Papewaio]

The mineral wealth of a single iron asteroid is not to be underestimated nor that of a carbonaceous one.

[bmolsson]

Wonder what they did wrong ? We will see an increased flood of opposition members being sent to space if this trip is successful.......

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The mineral wealth of a single iron asteroid is not to be underestimated nor that of a carbonaceous one.

...and thus, in one sentence, we see the wealth of resources open to us.

I have no problem with paying good teachers more -- fine idea that -- but you are dismissing the entirety of space exploration in much the same fashion as the Montgolfiers were dismissed.

Franklin's comment on the skepticism voiced about their balloon was: "of what use is a new baby?"

The technology we ride into space (no better than the longboats in which Leif crossed to NA) should be, must be, a shadow of what it will become -- else we condemn our species to extinction in an infinite universe. Right now, all our eggs are riding in one basket.

Seamus

[Al Khalifah]

Hopefully China's space programme will provide some incentive to get the US doing interesting things again. A new space race could provide the kind of scientific revolution that the first one did.

[Efrem]

NASA has become a joke.


Why go into space?

Are you serious???

There is no room left on earth to cope with our species exansion!!

Why bother discover new cures? Why bother try to advance at all, why don't we just go back the stoneage?