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reACTIONary

(5,749 posts)
Sun Jan 13, 2019, 07:17 PM Jan 2019

The U.S. is losing badly.....

The new space race pits the U.S. against China. The U.S. is losing badly.
https://wapo.st/2FhrOgB

The stakes are high: Who will be able to obtain the vast resources in space, for example, water/ice, iron, titanium, platinum and nickel; secure the routes of trade; and write the rules of space commerce such as trade in energy propellant and precious metals. Who will benefit from the military power that flows from that industrial might?


What a load of bunkum!! Iron? The earth is pretty much completely made of iron. Water and ice? Just looking out my window right now convinces me we have way, way more water and ice than we need.

Trade routes in space? What the heck are trade routes in space?

Space is pretty much just a vast, empty vacuum with a few interesting, shiny objects here and there.
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The U.S. is losing badly..... (Original Post) reACTIONary Jan 2019 OP
I don't think the US is falling behind. Red Oak Jan 2019 #1
+10 !!! And don't forget Solar Probe... reACTIONary Jan 2019 #2

Red Oak

(697 posts)
1. I don't think the US is falling behind.
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 09:55 AM
Jan 2019

Recently,

China:

Lands rover on the South pole of the moon

United States of America:

Multiple rovers landed on Mars

Flybys of Pluto and Ultima Thule, the most distant object to ever be visited. Sets new navigation records in the flyby.

Completed a wonderful mission to Saturn

Currently exploring Jupiter with the Juno mission

Built an International Space Station

Multiple governmental and commercial rocket capabilities with commercial manned rockets tested this year

Commercial re-usable rocket that can land on an ocean barge for crying out loud

Currently in process of orbiting and then landing on an asteroid and returning samples

Recently detected interstellar space with both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2

Etc., etc.

I welcome China exploring space and developing new technologies. I am not going to fall for a space-race-sky-is-falling scenario.
Yes, we should increase NASA funding. No, not because of China, but because of the huge investment returns we get out of our space exploration expenditures.

reACTIONary

(5,749 posts)
2. +10 !!! And don't forget Solar Probe...
Mon Jan 14, 2019, 01:52 PM
Jan 2019

.... we are also tops in Military Space, but that does not get a lot of publicity.

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