Chinese Astronaut Makes It Back Safely 540
brindafella writes "SpaceDaily is reporting that China's historic first manned space mission has ended with the safe return of its first astronaut Lieutenant Colonel Yang Liwei, 38, who landed just before 6.30am Beijing time (2230 UTC 15/10) at the designated recovery zone north east of Beijing. The capsule has been recovered and opened and the pilot is very much alive, 'and doing autographs.' Furthermore, 'Premier Wen Jiabao was seen on television talking to Yang on the phone and smiling widely and clapping after he hung up.'"
Whens the next mission (Score:5, Funny)
Takionaut: greek word in roman letters?? (Score:2)
quid res Latinae
(what thing of latin)
rather than
quid quid latine ?
Been a while since I took that language.
On a different topic, Why are they called takionauts? That is, is that what they are called in chinese? are the chinese making up greek words in roman letters?
How fast will they move ahead? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:3, Interesting)
Slow but sustained development would be a terrific thing, unfortunately I think China's government is really only interested in the short term propaganda value, just like the US.
Doug
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:5, Interesting)
This story [msnbc.com] suggests this isn't just a short-term propaganda project. The author's analysis of the systems involved, that they included a lot of equipment that you wouldn't bother with on a one-off design, suggest that they put a lot of thought behind the system and they're in this for the long haul.
Um... yeah... (Score:4, Interesting)
That's putting it mildly. Our "captains of industry" don't think any farther ahead than four or five months. Our politicians don't think any farther ahead than the next election.
(Some of the other posts remind me of the Onion's sideline caption: 6,000-Year-Old Culture Now Considered a "Developing Nation".)
All the researched, published, well-documented reports about modern China -- i.e., ones in bookstores, not slashdot; actual books, not single web pages and sound bites -- point to plans stretching over the next ten to fifty years, not just for space, but for China in general. They realize that almost none of the plans will come to fruition in their lifetimes, but that's okay, their descendants will put the finishing touches on and see it happen. We in the U.S. wouldn't dream of investing in something that won't benefit the same people investing in it.
Analogy: In the minutes that China's rockets take to slowly lift off the ground, America is racing the quarter-mile in top-fuel hotrods and claiming they rule the world... while China's rocket gains momentum... and keeps gaining momemtum... and eventually covers distances the little modded hotrod can't even dream of. Yes, they're in for the very long haul.
Re:Um... yeah... (Score:4, Informative)
Chinese long-term thinking goes both ways tho'. Let me tell you a story. In 1405, the Ming emperors were well on their way to establishing naval (and hence trading) dominance in the coastal Pacific. Under the command of Admiral Cheng Ho, a Chinese fleet of 250 vessels and 28,000 men explored as far as the Persian Gulf and Ehiopia. Let me put those numbers into perspective: 600 years ago the Chinese were deploying vessels of 180M in length, that is 30M shorter than the present-day British Royal Navy's flagship. Cheng's ships were big enough that for extended voyages, they could grow food on their decks! With that sort of technological superiority, the Chinese should have established a hegemony that would have persisted today.
But in 1433, the new Ming emperor and his bureaucrats grew afraid of the rapidly expanding merchant class, who were growing wealthy through international trade, and began to pass laws to limit economic growth, to keep political power firmly in the hands of the Dynasty. By 1500 it was a capital offense to own or construct a vessel with more than 2 masts.
In 1498, European explorer Vasco da Gama, in a single show, had managed to navigate to the Indian ocean. By Cheng Ho's standards, da Gama's ship was puny and his crew mere amateurs. Da Gama should have been patted on the head by vastly superior Chinese sailors and traders and sent back home. Only, there was no Chinese fleet anymore; the Mings had ordered it broken up. By 1502, Portugal in particular and Europe in general had asserted military superiority in the Indian Ocean and China had begun to turn inwards.
Now, 600 years later, a European colony is the world's dominant economic, technological and military power, Europe itself is still incredibly rich and powerful by historic standards, and China is only starting to recover from a decision made by a weak Emperor in 1433. I predict that history will repeat itself, as soon as a new Cheng Ho leads the exploration of space, the Chinese political establishment will turn on him. That's how it works in China.
Re:Um... yeah... (Score:3, Insightful)
In the interest of keeping the USA a free nation, this is the strongest argument against implementing government-managed social programs, such as social security and nationalized health care. The only way for people really to watch out for themselves and their families is to either do it themselves or hire a private firm they can trust isn't in it for a quick buck. The government is always in it for the quick buck (or vote).
In China,
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:2, Insightful)
Ditto BSD software.
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:How fast will they move ahead? (Score:2)
I would much rather see slow but steady progress for the Chinese, both in their engineering and operations, than hurried, rushed decisions that seemed to be a part of NASA culture and contributed to accidents like Challenger and Columbia
Re: (Score:2)
Re:funny coincidence (Score:3, Interesting)
In Stephen Baxter's Titan [barnesandnoble.com], the Chinese launch their first manned ship around the same time as Columbia is destroyed upon re-entry!
Re:Like Stephen Baxter wrote (Score:2)
Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Funny)
Go Forth And Conquer!
why am i so excited?
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Funny)
Yay! Instead it was done with upgraded Russian technology!
On a related note, my favourite story about Chinese space exploration is this:
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Funny)
I know how to count down
And I'm learning Chinese
Says Werner von Braun
-- Tom Leher
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Nice rhyme!
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Much of which came from American hobbyists. Of course, at each stage, things improved.
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:4, Informative)
versus
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/stores/deta il/reviews/-/books/1560983868/202-9638315-4933460 [amazon.co.uk]
versus
http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/goddard/history.html [nasa.gov]
versus
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303 26140X?v=glance [amazon.com]
And so on...
I'm just saying the history's a little muddied as to whether von Braun actually copied the patents or if their designs were similar based on reading the same literature, doing similar experiments, etc. (c.f., Newton and Leibniz).
-l
Re: Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Funny)
There's no light without dark, right? Therefore, penis symbology only makes sense if, among several otherwise-equivalent designs, you choose the one that looks like a dick.
Please design a viable rocket-powered vessel that looks like a vagina.
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Funny)
That should get 'em to Mars before us.
KFG
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:2)
Looks like you're trying to put a person into space. Would you like to:
Re:Congratulations to China! (Score:3, Interesting)
LS
Congrats to China (Score:2)
Perhaps soon we will have more countries docking at the International Space station instead of just Russia and the US.
Do They Validate? (Score:2)
Of course, the important thing most ISS astronauts are probably asking themselves is:
Do they Deliver?
Re:Congrats to China (Score:3, Funny)
sheesh.
Response to Microsoft? (Score:2, Interesting)
China Open-Sources
The Great Firewall of China
China's Moon Launch
Is it just me or is this China trying to assert its technological domninance, so to speak?
Re:Response to Microsoft? (Score:5, Insightful)
NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH MICROSOFT.
They put a man into orbit which is pretty impressive. I don't see an Apple "Spaceport" or Intel Pentium 4000Kilopascal rocket blasting off.
Now while I agree that they probably want to assert their own technical dominance and avoid US interests (thats good economics). But China talking about "restrictive anti-trust business practices"
Re:Response to Microsoft? (Score:2)
The sleeping dragon stirs.
Invest in Nomex underwear. You might need it.
KFG
Proof? (Score:2)
Re:Proof? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Proof? (Score:4, Insightful)
I'd be guessing that somewhere in their three ring binder for space launches there's a little note that says "ring this number and inform NORAD et al of time of launch". It'd be the polite thing to do, anyway.
Lesser of Two evils... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Lesser of Two evils... (Score:2)
Meanwhile... (Score:3, Interesting)
Not meaning to sound bitter, and I think its fantastic that the Chinese did this. I hope China goes to the moon or beyond.
Re:Meanwhile... (Score:3, Funny)
But not Europa. Attempt no landings there.
Re:Spaceshots more important than bringing freedom (Score:2)
Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
President Hu Jintao watched the blast-off at the Jiuquan Launch Center and hailed the launch as "the glory of our great motherland."
Hu said the culmination of the 11-year space program was a "historic step of the Chinese people in the advance of climbing over the peak of the world's science and technology."
Is it just me, or is there something ominous in the way this is worded? The Chinese government believes that the motherland will inevitably surpass other nations in science and technology, and th
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
You might want to brush up on your 'isms. Study fascism very carefully. I'm not a fan of Michael Ledeen, but here's an editorial [benadorassociates.com] he wrote that makes some interesting observations.
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
The Chinese government seems to be a strange mix comprised mostly of a mix of communism and fascism. The computer production is mostly a result of the newer fascist side. The communist side deals mainly with subsistence farming.
Over time, the trend looks like they will entirely drop the communism and the fascism may mellow out. In th
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:4, Interesting)
To those not in the know, Firefly's set in a future where China became one of the dominant superpowers, influential enough that all the English-speaking characters can easily communicate... well, curse anyway... in Chinese (and Serenity's system alarms are bilingual, English and Cantonese). Could be that Joss Whedon's idea for a background might not be so farfetched!
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
Re:Historic step up the mountain (Score:2)
The russians started their boran project to copy the space shuttle because they thought it could/would be used as a strategic nuclear arms platform (almost zero detection time because there would be no missile launches), and the chinese aren't happy either with permanent space stations orbiting earth if they can't re
And we're any better? (Score:2)
Every mid-to-mega power nation inwardly hopes to trounce the world.
Space.com Article (Score:3, Funny)
Not to be a smart ass... (Score:2)
On a serious note... China, if you're reading this [usatoday.com], Congrats !!!
Oh, and thanks for all the spam
Re:Not to be a smart ass... (Score:2)
There are some interesting differences: instead of a Cuban Missle Crisis, we have a North Korean Missle Ignorance. But we do have a significant interest in Taiwan. Rather than a Vietnam war, we have an Iraqi Occupation. And of course, w
Not a Hoax, but... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Not a Hoax, but... (Score:2)
So, your point is?
Re:Not a Hoax, but... (Score:2)
inidans (Score:2)
Hopefully the start of another space race.... (Score:4, Insightful)
While it will take time for places like China to really catch up with us, it's not as long as some might think.
The US space program is a MESS. Shuttle launches aren't even news worthy anymore unless they blow up. (no offense intended, those who died are still heroes in my mind). But without a challenge, our space program will continue to lag.
We need more countries like China to catch up. We need someone to out pace us and kick start the US interest in space.
Hopefull this will be the first step.
Re:Hopefully the start of another space race.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Keep in mind that skilled labour costs in China are a fraction of what they are in the U.S.. The resources of China's space program could easily dwarf those of NASA long before their economy grows larger than that of the U.S.. (This assumes both nations spend a similar proportion of their GDP on their space programs. China may well value it higher and spend even more...) As has been said, they don't exactly have to reinvent every wheel that has led NASA to it's current cutting-edge 1970's shuttle program either. There are plenty of capitalists, many of them in the U.S., who would only be too glad to do a little Cantonese consulting.
This isn't necessarily how things will happen. However, if the Chinese don't do anything stupid their economic and technological superiority is functionally inevitable provided U.S. citizens don't start multiplying like mosquitoes. It's a simple matter of statistics unless you subscribe to some sort of white supremast movment and belive that Chinese minds are inherently inferior.
Personally, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to start early on those Cantonese lessons.
Re:Hopefully the start of another space race.... (Score:2)
Re:Hopefully the start of another space race.... (Score:2)
He was right on the mark. The US needs to have a strong competitor. Otherwise it just tends to stagnate.
Poor guy..... (Score:2)
Just received this email from a source in China ;) (Score:2)
From:megaspam@fgfgreg114.cn
To: "Dave21212@slashdot.com"
Subject: OFFER OFFER OFFER ! KT (space travel) 5hsdrsheher44y4w2112
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2003 20:29:16 +0900
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/html;
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Acting now to get chance to go with space flight !
see wedsite for details !
Anti- SPAM Policy Disclaimer: Under Bills.1618 Title III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress, mail cannot be considered Spam as long as we include contact information and a remove link for remo
Good. (Score:2)
Time to fork slashdot (Score:2, Troll)
It seems like the time is right to split slashdot into us.slashdot.org and wholeworld.slashdot.org.
Or maybe under14s.slashdot.org and over14s.slashdot.org
Re:Time to fork slashdot (Score:2)
Cool! (Score:2)
what this says is: (Score:2)
Not to be arrogant (Score:2)
It's good to see... (Score:5, Insightful)
Kudos to the Chinese. It's about time we had some healthy competition in space. Let's get another Space Race started. Maybe that will get the US Congress and NASA off their collective asses and back into the game (and we might see a human on Mars inside of 10 years). Maybe we can drive a little rivalry to foster some nationalistic pride in the US again (but I doubt it).
I know this: if the Chinese lost a capsule, they'd bow their heads in homage for a moment of silence, then get to launching another one, two weeks later. That's the kind of resolve that allows a nation to succeed. The rest of the world should take note, unless they want to be following in the footsteps of the Chinese for the remainder of the 21st century, instead of leading the way.
Re:It's good to see... (Score:3, Insightful)
Absolutely, couldn't agree more.
Let's get another Space Race started.
No, let's not. I know it's a pipe dream but I'd much rather see some real, proper international cooperation, and I'm sure many of the scientists working in this area would love to see this as well. With all the great minds working in this area (after all, 3 nations have individually now put humans into space) imagine what could be achieved?
foster some nationalistic pride in the US again
(bye bye karma
Re:It's good to see... (Score:3, Interesting)
Umm, absolutely nothing?
It's a fact of human nature. Without competition, there is no urgency. Without that, an unlimited amount of time and money gets spent on lookin
Re:Spirit of adventure? (Score:4, Informative)
"And let's face it: Russia was only steps behind America for much of that race."
Russia was ahead for the first half or so; they were first to launch a satellite, the first to launch a man*, the first to orbit a person (which was for them wrapped up in the first manned flight, while for us it took until our third launch), and the first to perform an EVA. The first thing we were first at so to speak was inflight rendezvous, and that wasn't until Gemini 12. The first time we put ourselves clearly in the lead was Christmas 1968 with the flight of Apollo 8.
*They were also the first to orbit a woman (maybe 1967? The late 60s come to mind), however as this is not a technological achievement I left it out.
Congrats China... next up is India (Score:2)
Let's get some more players in the space game. Maybe someday the USA will outsource their routine non-military space operations to India or China, like they do with their programming, manufacturing, etc!
Re:Congrats China... next up is India (Score:2)
Let's get some more players in the space game. Maybe someday the USA will outsource their routine non-military space operations to India or China, like they do with their programming, manufacturing, etc!
I'm all for it -- as long as we've moved on to The Next Big Thing (whatever that will be) before then.
60's comments are silly... (Score:3, Insightful)
Next, keep making those comments if it makes you feel better, but what are other nations supposed to do? Throw their hands up into the air and just simply accept the American lead and say "The Americans and Russians already beat us to it, what's the point of even trying?" God forbid the underdog from daring to dream big... How about doing something more useful like trying to advance our own technology? Maybe it's time to replace the shuttle with some 21st century technology and puts some gap between us and the Chinese?
Lastly, who really cares where the technology and the help came from? Does China care now that they know how to do it? Let's face it, technology has always been built on top of the works of others. Let's not forget who were the first people to use gun powder and create rockets. China is going to built on top of the new knowledge and keep advancing.
A terrible thought (Score:2)
I hope (Score:3)
Yes, there are valid reasons why America has been so lax in the development of space travel. Mostly the fact that we can't seem to justify the expense in light of the profound economic problems in our country.
Of course, there is the opinion...my opinion...that in the long run, mankind's advancement in space is far more important then short term economic woes. And if it takes one of our (America's) uneasy neighbors to start making us nervous for us to get back on the ball in full ernest, then it's a good thing.
Ahem! (Score:2)
It's "Taikonaut", you insensitive clod!
Not only did another guy post it before you... (Score:2)
D'oh! I feel stupid (Score:2)
Re:First to say it (Score:2)
Re:wow (Score:2)
Yeah but they did it with a couple of old playstations, a mod chip and a 1972 toyota pickup.
Re:wow (Score:2)
Re:brazil (Score:2, Informative)
Re:brazil (Score:2)
Quite a few countries have orbited their own satelites. So they won't be #4, they will probably be down in the teens,
Re:brazil (Score:2)
And you believe that would advance our science exactly how? What do you think that are the goals of a space program?
This self-depreciative apathy is probably the biggest obstacle on the improvement of Brazilian education. Our loss with the Alcantara base wasn't monetary, it was human. That team of high skilled scientists will be really missed. You do not honour their effort with that attitude.
Re:Only a one man operation? (Score:2)
Wouldn't hurt to throw in "Yuri Gagarin" either.
These short and simple early launches aren't grand experimental missions. You go up. You come down. Kind of a Sunday drive without oxygen, but less chance of being blown up then you'd have in a Pinto.
The astronauts don't really have anything to do other than be there. Hence the derogatory term pilots applied to them; "Spam in a can."
KFG
Re: Only a one man operation? (Score:2)
> I thought that usually more than one person goes into space at one time for safety measures. If he gets hurt or something and there is no other people to help him while in space he could become injured or dead and take very valuable and expensive equipment with him.
The first {astr,cosm}onauts were just mascots strapped into a diving bell strapped onto an ICBM where the warhead should be. Their yarbles were a more important qualification than their test-pilot skills.
Re:I will be more impressed... (Score:2)
China launched its first satellite on Apr 1970.
First geostationary communications satellite on Apr 1984 (and first ICBM DF-5 finished testing in 1980. A bit offtrack, but we all know ICBM's design is
Re:I will be more impressed... (Score:2)
Mmmmm... Indian food, Chinese food, those guys can lunch *me* in space anytime!
Re:I wonder (Score:3, Funny)
I vote for the Iraqi Information Minister...
Pics would be nice (Score:2, Interesting)
What I love is the report that the taikonaut was reading a flight manual during flight... "Now was I supposed to push the green button or the
Re:First post? (Score:2)
And that negative moderation is what "they" call karma burn.
Re:Money Spent (Score:2)
If only we could launch all the Trolls into space. (Score:2)
Re:I don't know about you (Score:2)
AND... China spent this money even though large numbers of people in their own country struggle in abject poverty.
AND