Shenzhou 5 to launch October 15. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

And in my more pessimistic moments, I doubt if we will see a manned landing on Mars this century (nor a return to the Moon).

 

[Jack Briggs]

And this just in:

China has announced that Shenzhou 5 and her crew of one will circle the planet 14 times and that launch is set for a "proper time" anywhere from October 15 to October 17:

T-minus five (or seven) days and counting...

 

[Tim Hoover]

Best of luck to the unknown Chinese astronaut. Enjoy the ride and come home safely...

 

[Max Leung]

Good old Google News picked up on the stories:

China send man into space

First 'taikonaut' blasts into space

Chinese launch could signal new space race

Quotable quotes in China's first manned spaceflight

China Launches Its First Manned Space Mission

Ad nauseam...

Good luck to Yang Liwei (or is it Yang Li Wei?)...may he return safely!

 

[ThomasC]

After all these years, I can't believe China is only the third country to send man into space.

 

[BrianShort]

I feel the next logical step in manned space exploration for us is a manned mission to Mars, not a return to the moon. Going to the moon first doesn't give us any advantages to sending a man to mars... we can do it from earth orbit. Read "The Case for Mars" by Robert Zubrin. It's a very good read, and NASA actually has used some of Zubrin's ideas in a hypothetical mission profile they created. Details here (http://www.marsinstitute.info/rd/fac.../rtr/ma24.html) **thanks for that link!**

Brian

 

[Steve Christou]

A historic day, congrats to the Chinese and their 'taikonaut' Yang Liwei.

Did you know the Chinese tried launching a man into space 600 years ago!

"China invented gunpowder and legend has it 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 had cleared, Wan was apparently found to have been obliterated. But the dream survived." Reuters.

 

[CharlesD]

Anyone have any ideas as to what fell off the launch vehicle right after launch was?

My first thought was that it was ice, but apparently the rocket does not use cyrogenic fuels so it can't be that.

Good luck to Yang Liwei and the Chinese space program.

 

[Andrew Testa]

After all these years, I can't believe China is only the third country to send man into space.

It's an indicator of just how difficult, expensive, and resource draining the process is. The European Space Agency and the Japanese (NAXA? now) are the only other contenders. Both have investigated man-rating their boosters for a small winged transport, but decided it wasn't commercially feasible. Much cheaper to invest in the US and Russian programs for manned access to space.

Congratulations are certainly in order for the Chinese engineers responsible.

Andy

 

[BrianW]

After a safe landing, I can stop holding my breath.

Congratulations, indeed, to the engineers, the ground crew, and to Lt. Col. Yang Liwei who has returned safely back to Earth. From what I've seen, it looks like it was a picture-perfect mission.

 

[LewB]

Boy, talk about Chineese takeout ...
Is it true that that the fortune cookie said that 'you will take a long journey' ?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Time has prevented me from coming here and offering my congratulations to this brave astronaut and to his country for a superb job. May the best be yet to come!

 

[Max Leung]

I'd like to try Chinese space takeout myself...would be great for those long gaming or coding sessions.

 

[ColinM]

We set the precedent, they followed. Fair's fair.

 

[SteveA]

they are a potential enemy

They could also be a potential partner in exciting new endeavors, such as a manned mission to Mars.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Jeff, am I glad that you put that in!
So I'm going to disagree with most of the other posters here, unless they suddenly change their minds.

I look at it like this. (myself jumping up and down) Oh boy, China is in the space race now!

What are they going to learn with one flight that we can't just tell them? Ok, and why haven't we told them? We could easily exchange technology for goods, but that would lead to an admission that ok, we are their friends, but not that close.

What possible good did this flight do for the rest of the world? Have they got some new rocket fuel or other new technology that we don't know about? Wouldn't the money have been much better spent by joining in to the 'international space station group'?

Glenn

 

[David Baranyi]

Not to go off-topic, but is the Washington Times a conservative newspaper?

 

[Ted Lee]

i just knew this thread would turn political. there is nothing in that article that other superpower nations don't already have in their arsenal. china may be trying to keep up with the jones', but look at it from their viewpoint.

and they are a potential enemy.

maybe they're a little worried about us too?

anyway, my huge congrats to china for a feat well done.

 

[Max Leung]

So I'm going to disagree with most of the other posters here...

Disagree with what? That this is a huge technological achievement? Excuse me while I roll my eyes: :rolleyes

I don't see anything wrong with what China is doing. As was mentioned before: Fair is fair. It's not like other countries haven't done this already. In fact, I would expect nothing less of ANY country with space-faring capabilities.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Offending post removed. This thread was intended as, well, a tip-of-the-hat gesture of appreciation and congrats to the third nation to enter the brave new world of human spaceflight. Thanks.