China's View on Space

Good thing we ran Tsien out of the country, we wouldn't have wanted him to do anything that could advance the cause of communism.

Unfortunately, Fascist China is right.

Its also time for the US Air Force to finally have manned spaceflight capability.

Marcel F. Williams

>Its also time for the US Air Force to finally have manned spaceflight capability.

And just what makes you think they don't now or have not had it for quite some time?

:)

If the Air Force had been allowed to launch the Space Shuttle from Vandenberg back in the 1980s, that time would have already arrived. There are many who will object to a manned military presence in space even if such a presence doesn't include any weapons. But its probably inevitable.

China believes that in a few decades, it will be the largest economy on Earth and may also have plans to be on par with the US and Russia as far as its military power. So there's no doubt in my mind that China will have no hesitancy expanding their military power and presence into the new frontiers of space in order to protect their own interest.

Marcel F. Williams

There you go. China has just given us the very best reason to turn the keys (& budget) for NASA over to the DoD, specifically the USAF Space Command. Time is running out to deter the future of China's dominance. If it does not happen before Obama's current term is up, it will be too late. Unfortunately, I do not see this president having the forethought to take the actions necessary to prevent a future dominated by China. Mark my words.

Apparently, China is run by Republicans. Militarization of space, great. The military industrial complex will never cease to expand.

China is in no position to overtake the U.S. in space capabilities. They are decades away from where we are now. They've flown 3 manned flights in the last 6 years. Besides, even if they did weaponize LEO, we've already proven that a 40-year old ICBM could eliminate that threat.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. commercial space industry blows past China. I bet in 10 years, SpaceX and Bigelow will be more active in space than China.

The US may not have any manned space capability after 2010. So this depends on the President.

China has launched 3 manned flights, Bigelow and Space X have launched zero manned flights.

Many in China and the rest of the world view the US as a declining economic power. And if China is the largest economy in the world 20 or 30 years from now, they will probably have an extremely vigorous space program. And they might even own Bigelow and Space X and most major corporations in the US a few decades from now, so we could be buying rides into space from China!

The EMP effects from a couple of large thermal nuclear explosions in orbit could wipe out all satellites in LEO and geosynchronus orbit within seconds.

Marcel F. Williams

Possum:

China is in no position to overtake the U.S. in space capabilities. They are decades away from where we are now. They've flown 3 manned flights in the last 6 years.

You are basing this only upon what you hear in the news, which is what they choose to share. That is mistake #1. Do you believe they have NO secret development going on? They also hold the largest share of US debt. They are using our money that we cannot spend on space to fund their space efforts (public and covert). That is your mistake #2 (to underestimate the Chinese).

Besides, even if they did weaponize LEO, we've already proven that a 40-year old ICBM could eliminate that threat.

I did not know that the latest version of SM-3 is a "40 year old ICBM". Mistake #3: it is not as easy as we make it look. Mistake #4 is your apparant disbelief that they do not already have a plan (& capability) to completely take out ALL our MILSATs. You do not hear things in the news from our side either. Things that would reveal what the Chinese military is already up to "up there".

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. commercial space industry blows past China. I bet in 10 years, SpaceX and Bigelow will be more active in space than China.

Sunshine and puppy dogs is the rule of the day, huh? You are living in a dream world, I am afraid. We are actually educating the next generation of Chinese aerospace engineers, because they have the money to send them to US universities. We don't have 10 years. China is not a country like the US, who is only worried about this year, or this recession. They have a very long term strategy, and it spans more than just space. There is enough information available on the internet to figure out what they are doing and what their long-term strategy is. I suggest you read-up, so that you are not surprised at what is going to come to pass in the next 5 years.

Like I said above: mark my words.

Uh Ray, they hold the largest share of US debt. That means that they, China gave the U.S. money. We are spending China's money! Not what you are spouting. China just has a piece of paper with a U.S. IOU on it, otherwise known as treasury bonds.
If you want us to "Mark your words", make some sense first!

dbooker:

Uh Ray, they hold the largest share of US debt. That means that they, China gave the U.S. money. We are spending China's money! Not what you are spouting. China just has a piece of paper with a U.S. IOU on it, otherwise known as treasury bonds.

(sigh). Do I really need to explain this since it appears you are such a shallow thinker? Do you know where that money China gave us came from? Do you know what our trade deficit is with China? They are merely giving back a small portion of the money they are taking in from goods we buy from them. See just how big the trade deficit is:

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2009

Today, Sunday Nov. 9th I did a little experiment. I live near the large Pentagon City shopping mall. I played "reporter for a large daily newspaper" and asked five people this question: "Would you be concerned if China developed a plan to establish a base on the Moon and sought dominance in space?" The people were chosen completely at random, so this is NOT a scientific sample by any means.
Not one person expressed concern. Typical answers:
"Who cares? Let them have the Moon, they ain't nothing up there"
"If they want to spend billions building a Moon base, I say good luck to them!"
"WE can't afford to alienate the Chinese, so let them have Outer Space".
"I don't give a damn about space"
"China is our friends, so whycan't we cooperate with them?"

Does anybody see the future here????