China launches First Manned space flight

Blake · Post by **Blake** » 2003-10-15 05:31am

The Duchess of Zeon wrote: Besides this (really, when you think about it, considerable--China migh only be in the "60s", but if that's so where does it leave the EU?)

Mars express

Rosetta (first expedition to an asteroid

Smart-1

Manned expeditions are good for dick waving, and little else. The EU is decades ahead of China in technology and space exploration, for scientific and commercial purposes.

That said, GO YANG!

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2003-10-15 07:36am

Vympel wrote:Anyone remember that film "The Right Stuff?"

I quite liked that. Of course, the best bit was when the captions "Star City, Soviet Union" comes up ... *boom* rocket launches

"The Russians have got a man up there! It's Gagarin!"

"We know."
"Sit down!"

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 07:38am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
MKSheppard wrote:OK, Step 1 passed successfully, launch guy without blowing up on launch.
Now step 2, orbit without losing cabin pressure and step 3, land without accidentally landing in Russia with resulting irony factor of x100, or in North Korea, resulting the craft being torn apart in a search for food by cannibalistic peasants who then turn on the crewman...

That's why the capsule has a small, but potent nuclear device onboard as a sort of "fuck you!" to anyone trying to eat them.

Of course the resulting mushroom cloud would draw yet more peasants to the area of much radioactivity.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-10-15 09:50am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Of course the resulting mushroom cloud would draw yet more peasants to the area of much radioactivity.

Because they'd think mushrooms would be there?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 10:36am

Vympel wrote:
Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Of course the resulting mushroom cloud would draw yet more peasants to the area of much radioactivity.
Because they'd think mushrooms would be there?

Bingo!

Yes, yes, an old joke. I'm bored.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-10-15 10:37am

Found a better pic of the launch vehicle:

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 10:45am

Nathan F wrote:Found a better pic of the launch vehicle:

*SNIP*

Dramatisation, may not have happened.

Embracer Of Darkness · Post by **Embracer Of Darkness** » 2003-10-15 11:29am

I don't care if you lot seem to think it's funny to take the piss out of China just because they felt like launching their first man into orbit, it might be important to them. Good for China.

I actually think it's pretty pathetic that so many of you are showing this level of arrogance.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 11:32am

Embracer Of Darkness wrote:I don't care if you lot seem to think it's funny to take the piss out of China just because they felt like launching their first man into orbit, it might be important to them. Good for China. I actually think it's pretty pathetic that so many of you are showing this level of arrogance.

For the most part I'm bored and this is the only real active thread here.

That and it just seems cute they're trying to prove something by wasting vast sums of money that could be spent on unmanned probes or other areas in the economy.

It's a PR stunt and nothing more, if it actually meant anything to science then we'd have NASA and ESA sending manned missions all over the place.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-10-15 11:35am

Embracer Of Darkness wrote:I don't care if you lot seem to think it's funny to take the piss out of China just because they felt like launching their first man into orbit, it might be important to them. Good for China. I actually think it's pretty pathetic that so many of you are showing this level of arrogance.

Dude, we're just joking around. Maybe you ought to learn to recognize a bit of humor and not get pissy on other members.

Heck, I'm glad they finally were able to get a man into space, but that doesn't mean I can't poke a bit good natured of fun at them.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-10-15 11:38am

Nathan F wrote:
Embracer Of Darkness wrote:I don't care if you lot seem to think it's funny to take the piss out of China just because they felt like launching their first man into orbit, it might be important to them. Good for China. I actually think it's pretty pathetic that so many of you are showing this level of arrogance.
Dude, we're just joking around. Maybe you ought to learn to recognize a bit of humor and not get pissy on other members.

Heck, I'm glad they finally were able to get a man into space, but that doesn't mean I can't poke a bit good natured of fun at them.

Lots of people like to cloak insults in the masquerade of humour.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-10-15 11:38am

Nathan F wrote:Found a better pic of the launch vehicle:

Better than this:

Oops! Just trying to josh around with ya!!

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 11:40am

Ouch!

Well you can't blame him. Thankfully this mission hasn't had any hiccups so far, benefit of previous experience and all.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 11:47am

Does anyone expect a reborn space race in the near future given these latest developments?

After the X-Prize is won, there won't be much else going on bar some commercial activities, but if the gov'ts get involved again and forget warring on seemingly impossible to eradicate terrorists and eachother, who knows?

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-10-15 11:54am

Darth Wong wrote:
Nathan F wrote:Found a better pic of the launch vehicle:

Better than this:

Oops! Just trying to josh around with ya!!

WTF? I put up a pic of an ancient Chinese myth of a man who launched himself into the stars on a chair with rockets, and jokingly call it their launch vehicle, and you put up a picture of Challenger. That's just sick.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-10-15 12:00pm

Darth Wong wrote:
Nathan F wrote:
Embracer Of Darkness wrote:I don't care if you lot seem to think it's funny to take the piss out of China just because they felt like launching their first man into orbit, it might be important to them. Good for China. I actually think it's pretty pathetic that so many of you are showing this level of arrogance.
Dude, we're just joking around. Maybe you ought to learn to recognize a bit of humor and not get pissy on other members.

Heck, I'm glad they finally were able to get a man into space, but that doesn't mean I can't poke a bit good natured of fun at them.
Lots of people like to cloak insults in the masquerade of humour.

So, I'm automatically trying to insult them now.

Why, might I ask, are you so paranoid and negative about me for?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 12:03pm

I wouldn't take it so personally, Nathan. The thread in general has some digs at China for this, I have my doubts about the validity of such a programme, but if they want to go ahead with it then fine with me (hoping for a space race though).

Don't let this turn into a flame war or anything.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2003-10-15 12:07pm

nathan f wrote: WTF? I put up a pic of an ancient Chinese myth of a man who launched himself into the stars on a chair with rockets, and jokingly call it their launch vehicle, and you put up a picture of Challenger. That's just sick.

<nelson>HAHAAA</nelson>

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-10-15 12:16pm

Nathan F wrote:So, I'm automatically trying to insult them now.

Oh nooooo, of course not. You're just trying to make "good-natured fun" of a guy who's up there risking his life for his country.

Why, might I ask, are you so paranoid and negative about me for?

Speak for yourself. Why do you think this is about you as a person, instead of the disrepect that you have shown for Mr. Yang?

That Challenger pic was intended to show you in a not-so-subtle manner that if one decides it's OK to show disrespect for people who risk their lives for their countries, it's as good for the goose as it is for the gander.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-10-15 12:48pm

It's only a matter of time before the gaggle of articles from rent-a-neocon-pundits cite the China launch as proof that the US needs to militarize space ASAP. Not that they haven't already decided to do that anyway.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-15 12:52pm

Vympel wrote:It's only a matter of time before the gaggle of articles from rent-a-neocon-pundits cite the China launch as proof that the US needs to militarize space ASAP. Not that they haven't already decided to do that anyway.

Wasn't one of the chief reasons for this launch to enable China to get more sophisticated military systems up there?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-10-15 12:54pm

Vympel wrote:It's only a matter of time before the gaggle of articles from rent-a-neocon-pundits cite the China launch as proof that the US needs to militarize space ASAP. Not that they haven't already decided to do that anyway.

Good. Frankly, anything that gets NASA the kick in the seat of the pants it needs is a good thing.

otter · Post by **otter** » 2003-10-15 12:55pm

Congrats to China

They're one step closer to their dream of a 2061 space powerhouse

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-10-15 01:27pm

Vympel wrote:It's only a matter of time before the gaggle of articles from rent-a-neocon-pundits cite the China launch as proof that the US needs to militarize space ASAP. Not that they haven't already decided to do that anyway.

I dont think they will call to militarize space, but more spending on defense in general. Although, judging from the news here right now it seems this event is not making the waves I would have expected.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2003-10-15 01:30pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote: Besides this (really, when you think about it, considerable--China migh only be in the "60s", but if that's so where does it leave the EU?), we're only two years away from a Chinese unmanned lunar probe,

The ESA does not qualify, as a good deal of their experience comes from working with our friends in the US and Russia, however, if the ESA wanted to launch a single man into space in a purely EU built vehicle, we are more than capable of it, however it is generally easier to use vehicles such as Soyuz, which are a) cost effective, designing an EU only manned vehicle to do the same job would be rather pointless, and b) Proven vehicles. I can also point you to EU built launchers which could be used, such as Ariane 5.

In answer to your question, that leaves us over two years ahead of China, given that the ESA launched (another IIRC) unmanned lunar probe, called Smart-1, as well as the martian probe Mars Express this year.