The Stellar Club has a new member!

[Larspeart]

Yes, as of this morning, what was 2 is now 3. China has a man currently in outter space.

Discuss.


My big worry is that since their space agency is almost 100% military in nature, that this will have vast and negative reprecussions for Asian and the world in general.

Also, the speech that Yang Liwei (their first astronaut) made bothers me; FULL of propaganda:

'Quoted by Chinese media just before he blasted off into space, China's first astronaut promised he would "gain honor for the People's Liberation Army and for the Chinese nation."

"I will not disappoint the motherland," Yang was quoted as saying. "I will complete each movement with total concentration."'

[geni]

Didn't both the USA and the USSR both orginaly go into space for reasons of national pride? In terms of the milertry involvement I suspect this is largely to do with with their experence with high performace aircraft and ICBMs. Assuming that the guy gets down safley I see this as a posertive step as with any luck it will spurr the US to put more resources into its own space program. I also makes you wonder which nation will be next?


spelling

[Larspeart]

I know India, Malaysia, and Brazil are all working on it. Of the three, India is the only one I can even remotely foresee doing it any time soon.

China has been clear it's next goal is the Moon within 5-8 years. Russia is hellbent on being 1st to Mars, and the US is dragging it's feet (and its funding) and is WAY too worried about safety.

Innovators and explorers and trend-breakers have, in a word, balls. They except risks for rewards. The US is totally backwards in that regard.

Oh, and if we want to count the EU as a country, I am sure they have plans to send someone up there soon too.