Now China is sending a man into space. Why?

International Herald Tribune ^ | October 10, 2003 | Joan Johnson-Freese, U.S. Naval War College

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The writer is chairwoman of the National Security Decision Making Department at the U.S. Naval War College.

NEWPORT, Rhode Island As the countdown clock ticks away, best-guesses have set the Chinese launching of their first taikonaut, or yuhangyuan, into orbit on or around Oct. 15, 2003. The date, however, is still uncertain since the Chinese always maintain some ambiguity to save face if difficulties occur. The Shenzhou V - "Divine Vessel" - capsule will be launched into orbit by a Long March (CZ) 2F rocket. The event will make China the third country in the world to have a manned space capability, joining the exclusive club of the United States and Russia.

The Chinese space program is an ambitious one. It is also one which has generated concern and questions in the United States and throughout the world.

. First, why are the Chinese pursuing a manned space program? China said in 2000 that space activity is an integral part of the state's comprehensive development strategy. But manned space activity is both high-risk and high-cost, so why go down that road?

. Some American analysts see China's manned space activity as a Trojan horse within which they can conceal their military space activities. Others see it as a prestige program, enhancing domestic legitimacy for the government and regional leadership, and ranking China internationally "with the big boys." The U.S. Apollo program, for example, had multiple goals: reaching the moon in the cold war race against the Soviets (with a military spillover), as well as employing lots of Americans and improving their technological skills and education along the way. There is considerable evidence that the Chinese seek the same objectives.

. The second question often asked is, "How much are they spending on their program?" Though the Chinese do not release budget figures, estimates from U.S. analysts are about $2.2 billion annually. What can one conclude from that figure, especially when compared with NASA's $15 billion budget? The answer is, nothing. The comparison is meaningless when one considers China's command economy, difficulties with currency conversion and the fact that China deliberately over employs people in state-owned enterprises to keep unemployment down.

. The best that can be said, based on their commitment to the program, is that China is spending relatively significant government resources. Interestingly, the same factors that make comparisons impossible may also enable China to maintain the political will to develop space stations, lunar bases, and even missions to Mars - goals that China has publicly stated it wants to pursue. Ultimately, however, political will can only be sustained by one thing - success.

. The will to succeed raises the third question: Will the first manned launching of the Shenzhou V be successful? Are the Chinese merely copying the technology of the United States and Russia? What would a successful launching mean in terms of gauging Chinese technical - read military - capabilities? .

But if the Chinese are able to pull this off, it will mean that they have achieved very complex levels of rocket engineering; otherwise, the exclusive club would likely not be so exclusive. .

Contradictory assessments on what success would mean militarily lead to an important question that has not been asked so far: What will be the reaction of the American public to a successful Chinese manned space launching? Washington was surprised by the public's stunned response to Sputnik. Though a technological "blip," Americans saw it as threatening their security and global stature, and the government was forced to respond in ways it had not anticipated.

. Few Americans are even aware that the Chinese are preparing the launching of Shenzhou V. That it is likely to occur while the U.S. shuttle fleet is grounded will magnify how the United States and the world perceive China's technological achievement. Certainly, some in Washington will react by claiming that the launching requires the United States to spend more money on space. In policy circles, its perceived strategic importance could also chill recently warmed U.S.-China relations. But will it also trigger a demand to reinvigorate the U.S. manned space program? At the moment, although an austere version of the International Space Station is in orbit, it has been a stepchild while military space has ascended in importance.

. If China successfully launches a taikonaut into orbit, it is likely to "win" in all the ways the United States did during the Apollo series. If the launching is not a success, China will suffer and mourn just as the United States did after the loss of the Challenger and the Columbia, and then it will rethink whether to continue with the program. Success in the heavens is spectacular, but so too is failure. .

The writer is chairwoman of the National Security Decision Making Department at the U.S. Naval War College. The views expressed in this article are the author's alone. Reprinted with permission from YaleGlobal Online (http://yaleglobal.yale.edu). Celestial ambitions

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I was thinking about it more from the side of us getting into China.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

These are thorny issues actually. I don't have any answers for them myself.

Since we're at war, I think we need to error on the side of caution. How that will pay out, I don't know.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....That thing still on the racks?

I don't know.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Moon also has water. With hydrogen and oxygen you have rocket fuel. That along with the Moon's low gavity, you have easy access to space and our military and commercial comsats.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Buck up RW, this may be what it takes.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Working with the Chinese as a means to spy? They're not going to let us around their secrets, certainly not like we let them in on ours.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

China plans to put own version of Hubble space telescope in place by 2005*** BEIJING (AFP) - China, gripped by space fever as it prepares to send its first man into orbit this week, plans to have its own version of NASA's Hubble space telescope in place by 2005. The project, which was originally hatched by the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1992, is now the focus of two research groups working to meet the timetable, the Beijing Star Daily reported.

The Chinese telescope will be about one meter (three feet) in diameter, weigh two tonnes and have a lifetime of three years, according to the paper. The report comes as the world's most populous nation is eagerly waiting to become the third country to put a man into space after Russia and the United States. ***

[Quix]

No . . .

4 Americans at the Lunar Palace Golden Dragon for dinner.

Excellent. How would you like them prepared?

In oyster sauce. Splendid. With steamed or fried rice?

Red or Green tea?

Oh, the Frenchman in your party would prefer Beijing Duck instead. Fine.

OK. And the Russians in your party would prefer their platter of Americans Mongollian Bar-B-Q style with hosan sauce. Good.

And your Japanese colleagues would prefer the same as the Russians except with Wasabi sauce. Excellent.

One more detail--would you prefer American politicians or media moguls or a mixture of both? We're featuring both as specials this month. The politicians are particularly fat and succulent. The media moguls are on the lean side.

No, I'm sorry, we don't offer American military. Most of them were some of the rarer pockets of sanity left in the country and we prefer to honor their astuteness. Besides, they make the more industrious uhhhh, coolies.

Well, it will take some time to prepare your well chosen dishes. So why not relax with some special Chinese massage. If you want 'exercise' with your massage, these Hollyweed starlets have been trained at the best 'Institute' in Shanghai by a leading Tokyo Geisha. Your wish is their command.

Your dinner will be served in about 70 minutes.

[Quix]

For 20-30 years now, they've been insisting on purchasing the very latest and best in technology for their universities, research orgs, government etc.

And, what they couldn't purchased, they've been relentlessly stealing.

And they use the cream of the crop of 1.2 billion people to do their own research building on what they've purchased and stolen. And they are not a stupid people!

[RightWhale]

they are not a stupid people!

No, they are average, nothing special, no Einsteins among them [not since they have a need to eliminated anyone with a brain.] They have the well-known tendency to move together as a whole society and they often change direction overnight, but at the moment they are going into outer space because all avenues of expansion on earth are closed. If they are successful in outer space, nothing will stop them, average joes though they are.

[KevinDavis]

This person is an idiot who thinks that we should not send humans into space.

Space Ping! This is the space ping list! Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[RadioAstronomer]

America needs to unveil something spectacular to the world. And we'd better do it soon.

I hope for a long-term sustained program that won’t be canceled at the whim of the next congress that gets voted in.

[P.O.E.]

... because the Arctic follows the Antartic ...

Are you implying they will orbit sideways?

[irv]

If China successfully launches a taikonaut into orbit, it is likely to "win" in all the ways the United States did during the Apollo series. If the launching is not a success, China will suffer and mourn just as the United States did after the loss of the Challenger and the Columbia, and then it will rethink whether to continue with the program.

False. China has never worried about casualties. If they lose an astronaut or two, they'll declare them heroes, name a school after them, and send up some more just as soon as they can.

Only the U.S. government loses it's nerve completely after every 7 accidental deaths.

[CorpRatt]

Hmmm.

While there are military benefits to the Chinese efforts in space; I would like to suggest that military interests are only a minor motivation for this expansion.

Given China's population problem: There is an awful lot of unclaimed real estate once you get off this planet.

Another thing to consider may be that the Chinese may have paid more attention to the fact that life on this planet is continually under the threat of solar objects, plagues and man made threats.

Give it some thought. When you are ready to get off this planet... drop me a note. I'll tell you how.

After all, if the Chinese can ride to space on an American Vehicle for less cash and less risk... why would they need to build their own ??

Ratt

[Cincinatus' Wife]

When the Chinese get to the moon, rest assured they WILL claim it.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Which puts us back to a military adversary.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

China rediscovers technology***Some Chinese believe in their hearts that Chinese are really superior to Westerners in terms of basic abilities and see China's growing technological prowess as confirmation of these racial prejudices. Popular appeal is one reason why the Chinese government is able to invest vast sums in an ambitious space program, even though China faces immense social needs. Achievements in space exploration also allow the Chinese government to claim it is blotting out the past century of "humiliation" of China. ***

[Frank_Discussion]

"Don't forget they are decades behind us in every military category, and we are advance every day."

Tortoise and the Hare, harry.