Post #121,252
10/14/03 11:43:54 PM
10/14/03 11:48:51 PM
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China enters space 9:10 am local time 15th Oct 2003
At 9:10 am today local Jiuquan time, China launched a man into space abord the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft mounted on a long march 2F rocket (2.5 hrs ago).
The craft can carry up to 3 astronauts but only one (Lt Col Wang Liwei) was on board. The new Chinese premier Hu Jintau was at the Jiuquan space center at the time of the launch. The launch was not televised live in China (or anywhere).
Today's report says the craft will do 14 orbits before returning to land in Nth China. Also the press now seems to have reverted to the more traditional name of 'Taikoonaut' rather than the less familiar 'Yuhangyuan' label.
[Can't find very many press links (the launch missed our morning press here in Aust)].
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Mad dash to witness China space launch ...
[link|http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/52298/1/.html|http://www.channelne...iew/52298/1/.html]
China's 1st manned space flight launched succesfully ...
[link|http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/52307/1/.html|http://www.channelne...iew/52307/1/.html]
Australia's SBS TV website coverage ...
[link|http://www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=70789®ion=2|http://www9.sbs.com....id=70789®ion=2]
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Some additional info re the launch & published a few days ago said ...
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Local government officials said Thursday the secluded army-run base, also known as Dongfeng Space City, was in Inner Mongolia.
"Dongfeng Space City lies in the territory of Inner Mongolia," one official told Reuters. "The nearest city to the space city is Jiuquan in Gansu. That's why it is called Jiuquan space launch base."
The Shenzhou Five spacecraft is expected to take to the heavens on the morning of October 15, according to state television broadcasters planning to air it live and tour operators selling trips to witness it from afar.
<<
BUT, contrary to other reports and the news on today's radio, the following report originating in China itself, says that there will be one astronaut (seems this proved true) and will only do 1 orbit of 90 mins. This is in contrast to other comments that it would be for 14 orbits. However all reports incl this one claimed the launch would be televised but today's radio broadcast says it wasn't.
[link|http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/76807.htm|http://www.china.org...ATERIAL/76807.htm]
Here is some Chinese humour re 1st attempt at space launch in Ming Dynasty ...
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Chinese legend holds that a Ming dynasty (1368-1644) official named Wan Hu attempted the world's first space launch. He strapped himself to a chair with kites in each hand as 47 servants lit 47 gunpowder-packed bamboo tubes tied to the seat.
When the smoke cleared, Wan was obliterated. But the dream was not.
[link|http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=3614067§ion=news|http://www.reuters.c...4067§ion=news]
<<
Beijing: China scraps plans for live coverage of space launch.
[link|http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20031014_71.html|http://abcnews.go.co...p20031014_71.html]
Doug Marker
Edited by dmarker
Oct. 14, 2003, 11:48:51 PM EDT
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Post #121,253
10/15/03 12:50:55 AM
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Super!
Nice Asian technology pleased to cause American all go back to the space.
Thank you China.
-drl
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Post #121,256
10/15/03 2:18:38 AM
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Re: Super!
Yes it will be interesting to see if it is used as a whipping post to get NASA increased funding & a chance to push national pride into greater space exploration.
I kinda like the thought of a bit of competition on this. Gives us some alternate focus (away from OBLs Allah & Iraq :-)
I wonder why China is playing it all so low key - could it be that they don't want to stir up competitive nationalism ? - not really sure but it is a possibility. One would have imagined crowds going into Tienanmen and whooping it up.
Cheers Doug
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Post #121,257
10/15/03 2:23:59 AM
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Re: Super!
The Russians were also secretive. Say what you will about Americans, we have the balls to fuck up on live TV :)
-drl
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Post #121,271
10/15/03 9:10:57 AM
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Yeah, throw more money at the problem.
NASA is the problem. They haven't had a vision since the 1970's. And they're screwing up enough with what we give them. The Challenger and Columbia disaster both resulted from mismanagement, which arose from lack of accountability. No amount of money will compensate for a lack of accountability. And throwing more money at it only makes it worse.
Get those goldbricking bastards out of the way and let the space entrepreneurs step forward. That's assuming of course, that we even want a manned space program.
Oh, and, tell me again why we need a manned space program? What exactly is it that does which can't be done just as well with robots and waldoes, for less money?
Oh, yeah. Medical research on the effects of spaceflight on humans. Which we need because... we've got a manned space program. That's what they call an incestuous application.
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DEAL WITH IT.
Compromise is for suckers. Seeking a middle ground is what led to 9/11.
"I do not want to be admired by scumbags and liars and wife beaters. I want to be admired by good and decent, intelligent and just people, and in order to achieve this I need to do things that make me despised by their opposites." - Bill Whittle
Never mind all the mass graves. Where's the nerve gas?
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
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Post #121,280
10/15/03 10:15:03 AM
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a paean to the private sector
Get those goldbricking bastards out of the way and let the space entrepreneurs step forward.—Little Phil One wonders whether "space entrepreneurs" would have found any economic incentive to undertake the various planetary probes of recent decades — the Mariners, Pioneers, Voyagers, Galileos — none of which yielded much in the way of practical data: I mean, who gives a flying fuck what the ass-end of Europa looks like, huh, Phil, know what I mean? Hell, even if the precursors of life existed there, we don't need 'em — they'd probably just oppose our imperial policies at every turn just like those other Europeans. But since marlowe has his finger on the popular pulse, I suppose it behooves us to listen. Speaking of the popular pulse, Phil, any additional news about how a form letter composed by a senior officer and "signed" by some troops who never heard of it prior to publication (including at least one whose family in Olympia WA knew it was a put-up job because the sentiments expressed were exactly opposite those they were hearing in his letters and calls home — but of course, that grunt's only there, and lacks your loftier view of the front) represents the vox populi? No? Didn't think so. In MarloWorld — poof! — a contradiction ignored is a contradiction resolved. cordially, Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist.
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Post #121,427
10/16/03 9:31:12 AM
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All of which were unmanned...
and all of which sold lots of copies of Sky And Telescope magazine. There's your economic incentive. Consumers eat this space probe stuff up.
Of course, magazine prices may go up a bit.
----------------------------------------------------------------
DEAL WITH IT.
Compromise is for suckers. Seeking a middle ground is what led to 9/11.
"I do not want to be admired by scumbags and liars and wife beaters. I want to be admired by good and decent, intelligent and just people, and in order to achieve this I need to do things that make me despised by their opposites." - Bill Whittle
Never mind all the mass graves. Where's the nerve gas?
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
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Post #121,322
10/15/03 3:41:47 PM
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And those space entrepreneurs are?
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #121,332
10/15/03 4:36:34 PM
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You want mankind to stay in it's nest ?
Manned spaceflight is a wasteful application?
I maintain that we have to get off this rock. For our continued existence as a civilisation (we do have all our eggs in one basket, after all).
Mind you, more private space programs would be a very good thing indeed - but this doesn't invalidate the need for governmental oversight and research. After all, an established presence above our gravity well grants enormous power, and carries great responsibility.
As I often say, the one that gets to the moon first, wins! If they stay there, that is. Mere orbital presence is only a stepping stone.
Think of the space as a beachhead for the rest of the solar system. Including Earth.
Imric's Tips for Living
- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Nothing is as simple as it seems in the beginning,
As hopeless as it seems in the middle,
Or as finished as it seems in the end.
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Post #121,340
10/15/03 5:08:31 PM
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Blithering jerkface (new thread)
Created as new thread #121339 titled [link|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=121339|Blithering jerkface]
-drl
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