SN
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 61 Location: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ii4n-sky/
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2003 4:54 am Post subject: What is our goal in the space development? |
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What is our goal in the space development?
China has succeeded in manned space flight for the first time. Shenzhou V which one astronaut was on went around the earth for 14 times for about 21 hours and landed.
This is a manned space flight on its own after Russia and US. China has joined space countries. This sure is a histrical step for China.
China's biggest target for now is to boost the national prestige toward the coming Peking Olympic in 2008. This can lead to maintaining and reinforceing the centripetal force to the rule by only Communist party.
But the manned spaceship launch which costs huge money was not done only politically. It should have had a military aspect. Although China has expressed the peace use, its army has led the development. Space technology can be easily diverted to military technology.
It has passed more than 40 years since one Russian did the first space flight. While these years, more than 400 people in the world went to space. Now space travel is possible with Russian spaceship,although it costs about 20billion yen a person.
In the peace use,it matters what people should do in the space. The target has moved to the quest of something unknown such as complex science experiments or material development.
It is said that Chaina has spent more than 3000billion yen which is more than what Japan has spent on its rocket development.
Since 1979,Japan has given totally more than three trillion yen to China as ODA. As China has developed economically and its millitary spending has increased, Japan has cut down it by 40% to one in 2000. But it is still 1300 billion yen.
Why Japan has to continue to aid China which has spent huge money to do manned space flight? Cries for reconsidering the ODA to China are going to become lauder.
From China's success of manned space flight which needs high reliance, it could be gathered that China has high technology. But it has less new technology. China is said to continue its ambitious plans such as building its own space station or manned moon probe. China could be gathered to go into the space business such as launching commercial satellites actively, taking advantage of its low cost.
Japan has taken pride in the top of space development in asia and its next step is to develop high reliable rocket development in low cost. As for manned space activity, its policy is to have experiences in the international space station under construction now.
Although some people call for "manned space flight in its own way", Japan doesn't need to be in that kind of competition. It is important for Japan to steadily continues its reserch and development. |
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