Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead

From	Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com>
Newsgroups	comp.misc
Subject	Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead
Date	2014-02-17 00:13 -0800
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<ldsgbt$brq$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<4439-0@usenet.squte.com> <0mtuf9pc4dia03v6h4ea3bkd4u62gkqaq8@4ax.com> <ldoh3g$p7i$3@solani.org> <40i1g91b7heumc4nobqqpohrm95aq584cu@4ax.com>

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On 2014-02-16 14:20:05 +0000, Spalls Hurgenson said:

> On Sat, 15 Feb 2014 20:01:52 +0000 (UTC), RS Wood
> <rsw@therandymon.com> wrote:
> 
>>> Having gotten /that/ out of the way, good job for China. The
>>> environment up there is tough (the moon is a harsh mistress, I hear)
>>> and the distance doesn't make anything easier. Hopefully this will
>>> inspire our other governments to recognize the importance of space
>>> exploration and utilization.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Yeah, there's been a lot of schadenfraude over this Jade Rabbit (sounds
>> like a name for a sex toy, if you ask me ...).  But I'm glad the thing
>> is back on line.  Good for China.  Think what you want about the Chinese
>> government (and over at dictator.asia the comments are somewhat
>> scathing), these guys are scientists persuing scientific/academic stuff,
>> same as a lot of us.  I still think/hope science is apolitical, or at
>> least the scientists are trying to keep it that way.  Maybe I'm just
>> naïve.
> 
> There was a famour quote that I never can quite remember that is
> relevant. I think it was said by Heinlein. It went something along the
> lines of "Man will go into space. He might speak Chinese, or German,
> Russian or English, but he will go out there and make it his domain".
> 
> I think it was said at the height of the cold war, so suggesting that
> the Enemy might not only be the ultimate victor but that - ideology
> aside - it didn't matter so much as that we just got our eggs out of
> this fragile blue basket, was rather radical.
> 
> So maybe here we see the start of the Chinese domination of space. On
> a personal note, it discomfits me a bit but in the long run I think it
> is for the best.

The Chinese might actually make a real go of it.  Since the late '80s 
the US space program has basically been a jobs program and a way to get 
large military satellites into orbit without depleting the military 
budget.  Everything was expensive as hell.  The Chinese (and the 
Russians) have inexpensive and reliable launch vehicles and associate 
space technology produced by state-run concerns.  The run on kerosene 
for heaven's sake!

If the Chinese actually make a go of *colonizing* space then they have 
my blessing.  Although, like you, I find it quite bothersome that 
Russia and China are the only countries that can still launch a person 
into space.  If I had access to a time machine and was able to visit 
myself 15-20 years ago with this news, I would have slapped my face.

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China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-02-15 05:37 +0537
  Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> - 2014-02-15 09:21 -0500
    Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-15 20:01 +0000
      Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> - 2014-02-16 09:20 -0500
        Re: China's Jade Rabbit moon rover returns from the dead Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-17 00:13 -0800

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