New Book on Space Colonies

> haha, I didn't say the dragons had to be successful at it, only
allow US
> politicians to use that as motivation for kicking up Space
interest
> again...

Good point. Remember the threat of a Russian moon? The US could get
scared again and kick things into high gear. I think a more likely
outcome is that the US will see China's lunar efforts as a country
striving for great power status and the US will let them take their
place and not see it as a threat. It'll be an expensive program that
doesn't add to China's economic stength vis a vie the US. Now if the
Chinese do something unexpected like claim the moon, then things may
kick into overdrive, but I believe that to be unlikely.

> It's not a forgone conclusion that the dragons can't shift gears
and make it
> after currency corrections.

I'm sure they can. I was just trying to point out some pitfalls to
those who hold China to be the motivation for a new space race.

>
> As far as using Russian technology... I'm far from being in the
business as
> you and other on this list may be, but it seems to me that those
chinese
> engineering students have been studying our aero space classes as
well. And
> the basics from several decades back when China and Ruskies were
cooperating
> was not necessarily BAD technology...it was a lean and mean no
frills
> thinking, was it not? By many standards, a very simple albeit
reliable
> mindset for getting things done.

True. I was just pointing out that the innovation doesn't spring
forth from the Chinese Rocket Bureau in a form that is state of the
art. Much of it is out of date compared to the Delta's and Atlas
rockets of the US.

>
> But getting back to the point: how to get govie monie back into
space,
> because it seems to be a given that no other entity has the
business moxi or
> resources to risk that kind of monie...especially after semi
private
> satillite launch failures, Irridium, etc. The days of high flying
dot.com
> fantasy monie seem to be gone.... and with a new business that is
untested,
> unsubstantiated and as costly in upfront investment as
Space "industry" of
> what ever kind, it just doesnt seem likely. Even our attempts at
indirect
> funding like through world class lotteries, etc. the monies still
come
> short.
>
> sigh. :-(
>
> The threat of the dragons in space peering down and getting the
high ground
> seems the only likely candidate, unless somehow we can show that
Bin laden,
> Saddam and the boogie monster have somehow gotten space platforms
to
> initiate terrorism.

We may simply have to sit on our backends until such time as some
process is developed that needs to be performed in orbit. Or CATS
comes around so that the risk or a venture is minimized by lowering
capital costs. Or global warming continues to play havoc with the
economy and quality of life and SPS becomes more tenable.

Right now the US is facing severe budget problems. China has its
own. If the US can't embark on a major space program, how will China
fare. Keep in mind that so far China just has plans - will they
share the same fate as the already built Apollo 18,19, and 20
missions, with the completed hardware?

TangoMan