Posted on 03/17/2007 11:43:10 AM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
Budget Cuts Open The Door For Other Nations The combination of a concerted, well-staffed effort by China -- along with recent budget cuts and the resulting delays at NASA -- may very well mean the Chinese will beat the US back to the Moon, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin told Congress this week.
Citing the current status of the Chinese manned space program and its project growth, Griffin told the House Committee on Science and Technology Thursday China could conceivably land a man on the moon within the next 10 years. Current projections indicate NASA won't make it back there until 2019... at the earliest.
"I cannot speculate and won't speculate on what China's intentions are. I just don't know that," said Griffin, in response to questioning from California Rep. Ken Calvert. "As a matter of technical capability and political will, if the Chinese choose to do so, they can mount a lunar mission within a reasonable number of years, say a decade."
Griffin equated the current state of China's space program, as roughly equivalent to NASA's expertise following the Gemini missions of the mid- 1960s -- helped along by better technology.
China also has a lot more people working to put a red flag on the moon, than NASA. The Chinese space program employs around 200,000 people, according to the Houston Chronicle. NASA's workforce totals about 75,000.
The NASA Administrator found several sympathetic ears in Congress, as Republicans and Democrats alike complained about the lack of funding for NASA, given its ambitious goals -- many of which, like the moon mission, were spelled out by the Bush Administration.
"I'm afraid NASA is headed for a train wreck if things don't change," said committee chairman Rep. Bart Gordon.
FMI: www.nasa.gov
The second space race? this time to stay.
IIRC, we got there almost 40 years ago.
We can all thank Loral and the Clinton Administration for China's newfound capabilities ....
Of course China will get to the moon before we can get back. After all, doesn't Wal-Mart want to open THAT market too??
No. The US beat everybody to the moon in 1969. Anybody else wil be SECOND PLACE.
Someone is clearly looking for money.
But...But.....what about BUSH, IRAQ, NATIONAL HEALTH CARE AND GLOBAL WARMING???? The SECOND Moon Shot is too much carbon...
This guy should removed as head of NASA for making such incredibly stupid comments with his purpose to raise unfounded fear and get more money for NASA. First the US reached the moon in 1969 and it can reach anytime they want now, even with 10% of the budget that NASA has. Second the Chinese will not reach the moon until 2020 at best fifty years after the US reached it.
You have an awesome tagline.
This is terrific! When our astronauts return to the moon they will be able to get Chinese take-out. They can also get their shirts washed, starched, and ironed real cheap.
Second place is for losers.
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This is bad, especially when coming from the head of NASA.
ping.
Maybe Griffin is accidentally letting it slip out that the first landings were actually fake!!!
Oh Good. The Chinese are building a Time Machine now.
My thoughts exactly. I read the article's headline and thought, "Huh??"
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