The Chinese would have a much larger undertaking to get to the moon than the US would to get back. The Chinese have largely been using old Soviet space rockets and technology. The Soviet Lunar rocket for manned flight never worked. So they are starting from scratch there. Next, the Chinese moon missions are not manned. That is a rumor. The Chinese plan to land an automated probe on the moon by 2010 and have it return with rock samples. They have themselves denied any plans of landing a man there. Not surprising considering the extreme cost and completely independent development of their own man capable lunar rocket.
Chinese deny manned mission:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2000506.stm
Lets not all get so excited we get ahead of ourselves. I would have to predict that the US will return to the moon before anyone else goes. The US has been there before. The US has the experience to draw on that no one else does.
And while looking at the Chinese don't forget the US are driving more and more for a renewed interest in space exploration. Both manned and unmanned.
Bush plans?
http://www.nbc17.com/technology/2683117/detail.html
I don't much like Bush. But if he gets us back in Space and on the moon and beyond then at least I can say he did one thing right.
[ December 11, 2003, 02:29: Message edited by: Cyrien ]
Re: Communists on the moon !
Threaded Mode