Decius wrote:
] I don't think its that simple. Imagine having to run a large
] website without ANY physical access to the equipment. You
] can't even get remote hands support. Its in a locked box. You
] can't upgrade it, you can't change it, and if the hardware
] fails, its gone.
]
] I know you know what its like. You know the difference between
] doing a hairy config change on a network device locally versus
] from remote. You have to put three times more thought and care
] into it from remote. You typo a single character and you're
] either getting on the phone or you're getting in the car.
]
] In space there is no phone, and there is no car... Well,
] unless there is...
]
] Manned space flight makes a lot of things a lot easier. Many
] of them are scientific. Many of them aren't. Eitherway, I
] think its unwise to view the "space race" between the Soviets
] and the West in purely altruistic terms, and you can rest
] assured that the Chineese will have manned military missions.
] Hell, Columbia had a top secret DOD payload. Consider that
] they freely told the press that they had an Isreali Colonel
] taking photographs of "dust storms" in Iraq. Thats the stuff
] thats NOT secret. Think about what is.

Didn't know about the dust storms thing. Ok, they do military shit all the time. Yes, the space shuttle brings up DOD satellites all the time.

Hrm. I'd like to think that in general, most usage of our space tech is used for more positive/peaceful means.. Maybe I'm just being naive. I think its a pretty important thing that we are doing what we can to get our shit together in regard to space habitation and travel.

I do feel that a damn strong effort, by everyone involved in the space game, should be made to make whats up there thats important, the place(s) where research, science, etc -- all the stuff we care about -- is an open "all invited to be involved" kinda thing. The ISS seems like a good start. I'd like to see everyone have a module on that thing. US, China, EU, corporations involved in space, etc.

Sure, every major power will want their own manned space program, and there will be lots of space politcs, I'm sure. Everyone with a space program can already drop bombs on each other effectively enough. The "eye in the sky" has been a reality for awhile now, everyone is aware of it and just has to deal with it. Several countries and corporation have them. Their number and capability is only going to go up, manned or unmanned.

The last thing we need is a space arms race. I really don't hope the world's leader are so dense that they can't see that as self defeating. Major technical leaps always seem to have a dangerous side.. Now that we have tapped the basic of that, and weaponizied space, how much more is really be necessary? I think all the most tantalizing things about space seem to be peaceful now adays. So we'll look at each other better.. Whatever, as long as we are not dropping bombs on each other, or attacking each other up there.

Plus, its China and the US we are talking about here. Oh yeah, we are going to look at each other.. But attack each other unprovoked? Using space based weapons? I don't think so. Even with how touchy the relationship is, I think we can avoid that situation. I think the likely hood of that will only go down as time goes on. The major world powers' biggest threats these days do not appear to be each other.

Maybe I am just crazy and naive, but I actually think that given time, and a little will to, we might actually find that space exploration is the one damn thing that the major powers of the world can do together, quite effectively, in a peaceful mannor. Maybe it will not happen with anything in earnest untill we are working on things outside the earth's orbit. If built a base on the moon, would the NSA need to be there? Would we need nukes on the moon? No. Or for that matter, is it necessary to go to Mars as one country? Why not roll our efforts up for that one? Do the NSA and the CIA have an interest in Mars? The reasons for not cooperating in space start to fade after a certain point..

RE: China firm on its first manned space flight : HindustanTimes.com