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Space Science

Chinese Rocket with 'Lifeform' Goes Into Space 17

Posted by michael from the cat-carrier dept.
jeffsenter writes "The BBC has coverage of China's launch of a rocket into space carrying a 'lifeform.' This is China's second rocket launch with an orbiter. China plans to launch a person into space in 18 months, making it only the third country to do so."
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Chinese Rocket with 'Lifeform' Goes Into Space More

Chinese Rocket with 'Lifeform' Goes Into Space

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  • Time for countries not friendly w/ China to worry (Score:3)

    by funkman ( 13736 ) on Thursday January 11, 2001 @08:51AM (#513974)
    It is great propaganda to get a human into space. It becomes a thing of national pride to do so. Because so much care needs to be made to ensure the human (or other life form) is safe the guidance and control of the rocket needs to be extremely refined.

    Here is where the fun begins: The same technology to put a human into space is the same technology to launch a warhead and get it close enough to its target fairly reliably. (That's bad for the target)

  • ...the the mystery lifeform is not the "accidental doomsday virus".

    Whatever it is, they plan to bring it back to analyze.

    No details on whether that's a medical or an autopsy though.

  • Why?

    1) Have you ever seen what a cat does when it gets in a car?
    2) What if these lifeforms actually were our first contact with intelligent life from space?

    Also, the Evil Chinese masterminds need something to stroke as they ponder their next threat to the world....

    --
  • State media said that the capsule was carrying "lifeforms" into space, although they did not say what these animals were.

    Who says they're animals?

    --



  • [singing] Lifeforms, you tiny little lifeforms,
    you precious little lifeforms... Where are you?

    Data, "Star Trek: Generations"



    "Titanic was 3hr and 17min long. They could have lost 3hr and 17min from that."

  • "Lifeform"? Probably propaganda. (Score:3)

    by Royster ( 16042 ) on Thursday January 11, 2001 @11:28AM (#513979) Homepage
    "You idiot, you just sneezed *into* the capsule?"

    "Oh, just tell them we're sending up 'lifeforms'."

  • Also, the Evil Chinese masterminds need something to stroke as they ponder their next threat to the world....

    Mandatory off-colour remark omitted. =)

  • > Do you really think the Chinese didn't call up the Americans and say "we're going to launch a rocket into space - it's not a nuclear strike, OK"

    I doubt they would bother. It would already be known.

    > And do you think the Americans hadn't been peering down from space all along, watching them put the rocket together and getting ready to launch it?

    No, where did I suggest it? I am well aware of the "facts" in your reply. So would anyone with the intelligence of an Earthworm.

    So, Jim, exactly what invalidates my comment? What is incorrect?

  • 1) Have you ever seen what a cat does when it gets in a car?

    It only freaks out if the cat's first experience with the car was a bad one, like going to the vet or something. Get a kitten who has never been in a car before, and bring it into a car, and it will just be curious.

  • This may sound like a joke, but I'm serious - we will have no idea as to who or what they really sent up in the capsules.

    I suspect that they sent up animal specimens, but I wouldn't be surprised at sending humans in the capsule - it really wouldn't be any of our business. Personally, if I was single-minded enough, and was a spacecraft launching country, I'd be hot and bothered to send people up into space. I mean - that's what being in the military is all about right? Do what you have been ordered to do.

    Although, the concept of finding out if zero-gee would increase the chances of Pandas mating gives me the giggles. I mean, they've tried everything else... Panda Marital Aids [go.com]

  • Don't forget Schroedinger...

    --
  • I disagree. It's precisely because they, like the USSR, have no intention of bringing it back, or even killing it humanely, that they don't let you know it's Rover.
  • The French could have been third years ago.

    -A6
  • Looks like the N.A.S.A. budget is going up.

    There are only two countries, empires in all but name, that could afford a sustained space effort. America and China. When it was the USSR who leaped in front of America with Sputnik, America promptly "put a man on the moon". Once the race was won, America lost serious interest in space. The Chinese appear to be taking space seriously and putting in a long sustained (and apparently sucessful) effort. My guess is that there will soon be serious talk about American properties in space or a manned Mars mission.

  • Evil chinese masterminds? If you think that's funny you need to go to www.modelminority.com

    http://www.modelminority.com/about.htm

  • Considering they didn't even tell us about their first mission until after it landed, it's not inconceivable that they have humans up there right now. If things go wrong, and they die, we won't hear about it

    . If on the other hand they survive, China scores another propaganda point with "look how fast our space program is developing"

    In the meantime, let's hope NASA can actually lauch the Destiny module - Friday's launch has been cancelled [space.com] due to fears of a "criticality one" failure ( read: Big Boom )

    "A goldfish was his muse, eternally amused"

  • The article says "Unlike the first flight, which was disclosed only after the craft safely touched down, China announced the second mission on launching and provided more information about the craft and rocket."

    Do you really think the Chinese didn't call up the Americans and say "we're going to launch a rocket into space - it's not a nuclear strike, OK"?

    And do you think the Americans hadn't been peering down from space all along, watching them put the rocket together and getting ready to launch it? No, they're watching! What colour is the flame? (tells what fuel it uses). How big are the engines? How fast does it go? What size is the capsule? (tells how much payload it can carry).

    And that all-important question: What *is* the payload?

    It's life Jim, but not as we know it!

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