Chicoms in space and Americans talking about being in space
Couple interesting developments in the space world today.
China announced that in October, they will attempt to send a second taikonaut into orbit. It's been nearly two years since they first sent a man into space, which indicates either a fair amount of caution, or limited capability. Either situation would suggest that their stated goals of orbiting a space station and sending an unmanned probe to the moon are rather ambitious.
Back in the states, the true hope for an actual space program is with private enterprise. The first X-Prize cup will take place in early October in New Mexico, where private space firms will put on a show and tell for the faithful. Although organizers hope that someday soon this event will entail actual space launch competitions, at least for now it remains relatively ground-bound. Highlights of the show will likely be Armadillo Aerospace's test flight of a scale version of its VTOL spacecraft, built just for the show; and XCOR's rocket plane. Armadillo's vehicle will take off, hover, and then land again; but may do more if the company gets an FAA waiver. XCOR's EZ-Rocket plane will conduct a series of flights, demonstrating its capability for rapid turnaround.
Within the next couple years, several of these startup space companies will be attempting their own sub-orbital flights on the lines of Rutan's flights last year. And off in the distance, there is the $50 million America's Space Prize sponsored by Robert Bigelow. That cash goes to the first team to send five passengers 400km up, orbit the earth twice at that altitude, return them safely to Earth, and then do it again within 60 days; all before January 10, 2010. Besides the cash, the winner will receive contracts to service the inflatable habitats that Bigelow Aerospace is currently developing. If you haven't already started, you better get off your ass, as you've only got a half a decade left.
on
| § 3
§ 3 Comments
[ You're too late, comments are closed ]
B,
B,
What's your assessment of current plans for permanent, or semi-permanent, human habitation on the Moon or Mars?
Well first, ARE there real plans for either adventure, plans that are being acted upon?
Who will be first to establish a living colony on another rock?
The quick answer is either
The quick answer is either the Chinese government; or barring large scale interference from the US gov't, a private American venture.
China has stated its desire to land an unmannned probe on the moon by the end of the decade, and to establish an orbital base. They also say that they want to send men to the moon.
NASA has vague plans, but nothing concrete or really feasible - let alone intelligent.
In a race between a NASA lunar outpost and an amusement park venture, I'd put money on the amusement park getting built first.
Based on current technology and political realities, I wouldn't think that we'll see a man on the moon in the next ten years. However, if American private space initiatives actually succeed in producing an orbit-capable craft, all that could change.
Really, the one stumbling block to wide-scale space development is cost per pound to orbit. It's the only thing holding us up. If someone (and I can't imagine it being NASA at this point) actually develops a cost effective means of getting to orbit, everything will explode. All the things that people have thought of, but never did because of the extreme cost (and as a side note, look at all we've done despite the extreme cost - like GPS, satellite radio and tv, and especially the Iridium network) will suddenly become feasible, or at least possible.
Murdoc has a pic up of Ol'
Murdoc has a pic up of Ol' Glory on the Moon. It looks awfully lonely up there.
And it will look puny and lame next to the manned Chinese strip mine that'll go in next to it.