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  • China to Launch Manned Space Flight

    China Quiet on Manned Space Flight

    Times of India Kolkata, October 8, 2003

    Beijin: After 11 years of planning to join the space faring elite, China is on the brink of making history and reaping a propaganda windfall by launching the nation's first manned space flight. But as the hour approaches, the communist government is staying silent about a launch date and other details, wary of risking the damage of public setbacks.

    "They don't want to commit themselves," said Philip Clark, a British expert on the Chinese programme.

    A successful manned launch would stand as a testament to China's economic and technical progress, winning Beijing respect abroad and - more importantly - approval at home.

    Chinese leaders long ago traded in leftist ideology for economic reform and, battered by corruption scandals, have used such flag waving appeals to nationalism to bind the nation together.

    The launch would come 42 years after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. But China would still be only the third country capable of manned space flight, vaulting it ahead of Japan and European countries, which have only unmanned programmes.

    And China would be accomplishing something that even the United States, with its space shuttle fleet grounded following the Columbia disaster, can't do right now. Still. Some Chinese complain privately that the programme is a waste of money in a society where the average person makes about $700 a year. China hasn't released the identities of its first astronauts, 12 military pilots who, according to state media, were picked up among 2000 applicants. Newspapers say that they all are about 30 years old and 5 feet 7 inches tall.

    They have been dubbed 'taikonauts' in English [pronounced locally Ty-Koo-Nawts]. In Chinese they are 'yuhangyuan' or travellers of the universe. At least one of them will go up before the end of October, state media say. And the Beijing backed Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao said that it would happen sometime after Friday. That could coincide with the meeting of the Communist Party's ruling inner circle that convenes on Saturday, allowing President Hu Jin Tao and other leaders to be shown on state television talking with the crew in orbit.

    The Shenzhou pr 'Divine Vessel' capsule is based on Russia's Soyuz vessel with extensive modifications.

    China bought Russian space suits and a life support system though officials stress that everything sent up will be made in China. AP

    *******

    Colonel,

    This is why I don't underestimate China. Third nation in the world to launch manned space flight!


    "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

    I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

    HAKUNA MATATA

  • #2
    It hasn't happened yet, so all we know they might fail.

    Their only 43 years late for the space race and if they land on the moon when they want they will be 51 years late for that.

    Europe could put a man in space if they invested in it. Japan could do it as well, but they aren't willing to dedicate the funds it requires.
    Last edited by Praxus; 08 Oct 03,, 20:09.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Praxus
      It hasn't happened yet, so all we know they might fail.

      Their only 43 years late for the space race and if they land on the moon when they want they will be 51 years late for that.

      Europe could put a man in space if they invested in it. Japan could do it as well, but they aren't willing to dedicate the funds it requires.
      While millions of Chinese people have completely impoverished lives the government wastes it's money building toys to show off to the world.:roll

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      • #4
        Sir,

        China's accomplishments in the 20th Century are without equal, not even by the US. I seriously consider Deng Xia Peng to be the most important man in the 20th Century. He litterally dragged a billion starving peasants kicking and screaming from the 17th Century into the 20th Century and kicked their collective asses into the 21st Century. Compare to that accomplishment, landing on the moon was a cake walk.

        However, that being said, China's resources are limited. They can concentrate on showcase events such as the man in space program and nuclear weapons but across the board increase is not possible. The SARS crisis demonstrated that their health care system, though universal, do not reflect the sky high ideals of the space program.

        Gentlemen,

        The Chinese Communist Party has accomplish what every Chinese dynasty strive to do since the birth of the Yalu River settlements. No one is starving. There are and always have been two over-riding concerns for any ruler of China.

        1) Feed the people.
        2) Give the people dreams.

        The CCP has done 1) and DXP's promise of a stove and a fridge in every household has almost been delievered. The CCP views its time to give the people new dreams. Pray the space dream succeed. The other dream is the unification of TW.

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        • #5
          They also striped away what rights they did have under the Nationalist Government. The CCP also lies to their people retuinley. The only thing the CCP did was set China back 50 years. If the RoC were still there China would be a good ally of the United States and be one of the richest nations in the world.

          I could hardly consider a socialist cluster fuck that is China a good acomplishment. Comparing it to landing on the moon is utterly rediculus.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Officer of Engineers
            China's accomplishments in the 20th Century are without equal, not even by the US.
            You'll excuse me if a don't share you admiration for the communists.

            I seriously consider Deng Xia Peng to be the most important man in the 20th Century.
            Sorry, I'm going with FDR. And it's not even close.

            He litterally dragged a billion starving peasants kicking and screaming from the 17th Century into the 20th Century and kicked their collective asses into the 21st Century.
            Key word there is dragged. If you didn't like what the government was doing, they killed you. Too bad we can't ask those people what their thoughts are on Dang Xia Peng. I wonder what the people it Tibet think of the benefits of Chinese rule. Not much I'd imagine.

            The Chinese Communist Party has accomplish what every Chinese dynasty strive to do since the birth of the Yalu River settlements.
            Now maybe they can stop brutally opposing their people.

            No one is starving.
            Except those people starving the Chinese jails.

            The CCP has done 1) and DXP's promise of a stove and a fridge in every household has almost been delievered. The CCP views its time to give the people new dreams. Pray the space dream succeed. The other dream is the unification of TW.
            If they had a democracy and a free market system they would progress much faster. As for their dreams, it wastes of money to send people into space for no reason except to say that you’ve been there.

            The peasants of China are not much better of then they have ever been. They have food yes, but they have no hope of becoming anything but peasants because that’s what the Chinese government has decide for them. A life of back braking hard labor with no hope of becoming anything is petty sad. You say allot of things about America, but this is the "Land of Opportunity". If you have the talent you can succeed. In China your talent is likely to go undiscovered, unless it's talent at using a plow.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Praxus
              They also striped away what rights they did have under the Nationalist Government. The CCP also lies to their people retuinley. The only thing the CCP did was set China back 50 years. If the RoC were still there China would be a good ally of the United States and be one of the richest nations in the world.

              I could hardly consider a socialist cluster fuck that is China a good acomplishment. Comparing it to landing on the moon is utterly rediculus.
              If you compare what China could have done in that time under a democracy it's not even close.

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              • #8
                Sorry, I'm going with FDR. And it's not even close.
                FDR was a socialist, I would hardly call him a great man.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Praxus
                  FDR was a socialist, I would hardly call him a great man.
                  I partially agree, but compared to Deng Xia Peng he's a rabid capitalist.

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                  • #10
                    lol, true

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                    • #11
                      Life is a whole lotta different when you are starving and poor. Democratic ideals tend to take a backseat. This is called reality.

                      Reality has a nasty way of biting on your ass without you seeing it coming. I commend the communists even I despise the communists for being able to feed over 1.2 billion people today with scarce resources and diminishing farmland. I agree that democratic system can take the people farther but remember in a democratic system, the strong has to respect the weak's rights. When 1 billion people were starving and willing to do anything to better themselves, anything could go including the democratic ideals.

                      The communists managed to bring stability and economic growth to China with a population of 1.2 billion people without massive purging or riots and that is, gentlemen, one of the greatest achievement in Chinese history. Not even Americans can come close to that.

                      And I am Indian who view China with suspicion. But I do give credit where it is due. China deserve a lot of credit for managing to come this far without going back into anarchy and chaos.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Praxus
                        They also striped away what rights they did have under the Nationalist Government. The CCP also lies to their people retuinley. The only thing the CCP did was set China back 50 years. If the RoC were still there China would be a good ally of the United States and be one of the richest nations in the world.

                        I could hardly consider a socialist cluster fuck that is China a good acomplishment. Comparing it to landing on the moon is utterly rediculus.
                        Praxus, you may know alot of things but Chinese history ain't it. WHAT RIGHTS under the KMT? When the KMT ruled, it was the era of the warlords. CKS was just as bad and just as corrupt as Mao Tse Tung ever was. US General Stilwell was absolutely correct when he called Chiang Kei Shek a monkey's behind.

                        Leader,

                        Not the communists, DXP. Comparing the policies of FDR and DXP, I think it's obvious who's the capitalist. Considering the mess Mao Tse Tung left China and how DXP fixed the country, yeah, landing on the moon was a cake walk.

                        In my experience, every country is a democrazy. You vote either by ballot or by bullet. The Chinese have resorted to the "bullet" several hundred times in their history, several times establishing new dynasties of their own. The Han and the the Ming Dynasties were the results of popular uprising, as was the rise of the communists over the Kuo Mang Tang (ie the Nationalists).

                        The CCP resorted to the bullet vote three times in their history since they came to power. The Cultural Revolution when the army had to put down the Red Guards, the civil war between Mao's widow Qiang and DXP, and of course, Tienamen Square. Each time, the CCP managed to defuse, not suppress the cause of the uprising. In the last instance, not so much suppressing as bribing. The CCP pumped a hell of alot of money into public projects.

                        So, there has to be at least popular tolerance of the government which is there.

                        No people can be suppressed forever. Push them too far and they'll turn on you. Thus far, the majority of the Chinese population are content not to resort to the bullet. But don't be too sure that they won't. They've done it before and that's why the CCP is walking a tight rope.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Praxus, you may know alot of things but Chinese history ain't it. WHAT RIGHTS under the KMT? When the KMT ruled, it was the era of the warlords. CKS was just as bad and just as corrupt as Mao Tse Tung ever was. US General Stilwell was absolutely correct when he called Chiang Kei Shek a monkey's behind.
                          Obviously.

                          But my point is that if the Nationalist were in charge and it did turn into what the RoC is like now they would be a lot richer and a lot better off.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Praxus
                            Obviously.

                            But my point is that if the Nationalist were in charge and it did turn into what the RoC is like now they would be a lot richer and a lot better off.
                            I wouldn't be comfortable stating that. If the KMT had won the civil war, China would at least be a facist banana republic (CKS was a facist if you recall).

                            Whether China would turn democratic is highly debatable and not for certain. For one thing, Tibet would still had been reconquered and you won't see a vote given to them. Xinjiang would still be faced with a seperatist threat. Seperatist movements that the RoC currently do not have to endure. Would the KMT yeilded democratic reforms to such seperatist voices? I think not.

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                            • #15
                              Leader and Praxus,

                              I am an Indian and I too should be more cynical than you, But then, I have to give credit where it is due.

                              Blademaster has summed up the Chinese situation well. Of course, you will not understand since there an abysmal CULTURAL divide. You must remember the good old English metaphor - What is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander.

                              Very few in this world like Communism. And anyway, Chinese Communism as of today is a hybrid meandering couched in pious polemics.

                              As far as ROC is concerned, it is a fistful compared to the vast expanse of China. Therefore, the success or otherwise is a fallcious comparison. Further, ROC was and is backed by US dollars. While I also admire the Taiwanese progress, yet I would not venture a comparison.

                              I don't think the Colonel has made any indication that hallmarks an eulogy of the Communist dialectic or ideology.

                              I will concede that the space mission is yet to take place. However, what is important is that China dared to dream. The contention that Europe did not wish to 'waste their finances' to launch a manned space mission is a excellent case of justifying another English metaphor - Grapes are sour. Rather extra sour, what ho, old boy?


                              "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

                              I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

                              HAKUNA MATATA

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