Chinese plan : An inter planetary station owned by China

[Brolan]

While the Chinese economy is quickly growing the US is still many times larger. The last projections I saw show China pulling even in the 2030-2040 timeframe and pulling slightly ahead in 2040-2050. And that projection postulated a growth rate for China that would be hard to maintain for 40 years.

The last figure I saw said 2020, but that was before the current financial crisis. A major collapse in the financial services industries will lead to even bigger trade deficits for the USA.

With all news stories about China growing people assume they are huge already; they are not. Just like people assume China manufactures most of the stuff in world already when that honor still belongs to the USA.

They are huge already - just not as big as the USA yet. However the USA is consuming far more than it exports, it's trade deficits are massive and it cannot sustain that situation forever in the light of mounting competition from the new would-be superpowers of China and India. The massive pool of cheap labour gives China an advantage the US won't have even if you let the entire population of Mexico in.

Don't get me wrong - the USA is not going to end up a provincial power in twenty years, or turn into Britain or France. It will remain a massive economic and military power throughout most of the next century.

BUT - to wrench this back on topic - the USA cannot and will not afford to spend as much on a space program as the Chinese going forwards. Quite simply with the economic crisis, the constant financial drain of two wars and a simple lack of political will there is not a cat in hell's chance of NASA getting even a fraction of the money it needs.

All it takes is the political will. We are about to spend 700 billion dollars we don't have because we have the political will to do it. If China makes great strides in space we will have incentive and political will to compete with them.

 

[USS KG5]

All it takes is the political will. We are about to spend 700 billion dollars we don't have because we have the political will to do it. If China makes great strides in space we will have incentive and political will to compete with them.

Sorry but that is not the case - you are about to spend 700 billion dollars on rescuing your collapsing banking system. The same amount of money would not be forthcoming for the space program as the US government does not really have it to throw around ,it is a fairly desperate measure.

The space program was partly about beating the Russians at rocket technology, the same technology that led to thousands of missile silos pointed at Russia, and the Russians having the same.

You have to hope that the same military rivalry does not occur with the Chinese, even a small conflict with the Chinese (over Taiwan for example) would be an absolute economic disaster.

 

[Brolan]

All it takes is the political will. We are about to spend 700 billion dollars we don't have because we have the political will to do it. If China makes great strides in space we will have incentive and political will to compete with them.

Sorry but that is not the case - you are about to spend 700 billion dollars on rescuing your collapsing banking system. The same amount of money would not be forthcoming for the space program as the US government does not really have it to throw around ,it is a fairly desperate measure.

The space program was partly about beating the Russians at rocket technology, the same technology that led to thousands of missile silos pointed at Russia, and the Russians having the same.

You have to hope that the same military rivalry does not occur with the Chinese, even a small conflict with the Chinese (over Taiwan for example) would be an absolute economic disaster.

We will have agree to disagree on this point. Americans don't like to lose or be second place in anything. I have no doubt in my mind Chinese competition in space will spur an American response. I also have no doubt we will be up for it when the challenge comes. Bring it!

 

[Cicero]

Considering how much of our debt is owed to China, a war might actually save us money.

 

[USS KG5]

We will have agree to disagree on this point. Americans don't like to lose or be second place in anything. I have no doubt in my mind Chinese competition in space will spur an American response. I also have no doubt we will be up for it when the challenge comes. Bring it!

The problem is that the British Empire was the same, and difficult as it was we handed over to the USA.

As difficult as it is for Americans to have perspective on (let alone believe, with manifest destiny and all) it is quite possible in the 21st century that the USA will suffer the same fate at the hands of China and India.

I hope actually to an extent you are right, but that rather than enter into an ultimately fruitless competition, that the newly powerful Chinese and the USA enter a new period of co-operation in space exploration, along with Europe and Russia (and heck, India). This would bring by far the greatest dividend for a long-term future in space.

 

[blaXXer]

It is imperative that we get there before they do.

WE CANNOT ALLOW AN INTERPLANETARY GAP!!!

Hellloooo, Mister Nixon. I salute thee.

 

[Brolan]

We will have agree to disagree on this point. Americans don't like to lose or be second place in anything. I have no doubt in my mind Chinese competition in space will spur an American response. I also have no doubt we will be up for it when the challenge comes. Bring it!

The problem is that the British Empire was the same, and difficult as it was we handed over to the USA.

As difficult as it is for Americans to have perspective on (let alone believe, with manifest destiny and all) it is quite possible in the 21st century that the USA will suffer the same fate at the hands of China and India.

I hope actually to an extent you are right, but that rather than enter into an ultimately fruitless competition, that the newly powerful Chinese and the USA enter a new period of co-operation in space exploration, along with Europe and Russia (and heck, India). This would bring by far the greatest dividend for a long-term future in space.

I have no doubt American supremacy will come to an end someday, but don’t write us off yet. China is growing quickly but so is India, and Russia is showing signs of being resurgent. China and India, and China and Russia share borders. Who knows how the dynamics of having three strong countries so close together will play out? It will be interesting watching it play out.

 

[USS KG5]

I have no doubt American supremacy will come to an end someday, but don’t write us off yet. China is growing quickly but so is India, and Russia is showing signs of being resurgent. China and India, and China and Russia share borders. Who knows how the dynamics of having three strong countries so close together will play out? It will be interesting watching it play out.

Yes if America is really lucky there will be a war?

Hopefully a more equal distribution of wealth worldwide will lead to a more co-operative economic environment, and the potential horrific international (yes international, the USA is part of the world) consequences of a major conflict can be avoided.

I already in an earlier post conveyed my more on-topic comments regarding the potential future role of the new superpowers in space.

 

[Brolan]

I have no doubt American supremacy will come to an end someday, but don’t write us off yet. China is growing quickly but so is India, and Russia is showing signs of being resurgent. China and India, and China and Russia share borders. Who knows how the dynamics of having three strong countries so close together will play out? It will be interesting watching it play out.

Yes if America is really lucky there will be a war?

Hopefully a more equal distribution of wealth worldwide will lead to a more co-operative economic environment, and the potential horrific international (yes international, the USA is part of the world) consequences of a major conflict can be avoided.

I already in an earlier post conveyed my more on-topic comments regarding the potential future role of the new superpowers in space.

That's a very negative view. What I alluding to was the competition for resources among three countries so close to each other would act as a brake on all their economies. Obviously war between countries, all armed with nuclear weapons, would be bad; it kind of goes without saying.

 

[MANT!]

The Chinese have had 3 manned flights to low Earth orbit since 2003..so 3 manned missions in 5 years does not constitute a major Space Race in my eyes yet..China's current leadership is not using manned spaceflight for anything except national pride..the Chinese lunar program is currently not supported with any money and they will do as the Soviets did..with long duration stays in tin-can space stations..

Do not count out the USA yet...

 

[USS KG5]

I have no doubt American supremacy will come to an end someday, but don’t write us off yet. China is growing quickly but so is India, and Russia is showing signs of being resurgent. China and India, and China and Russia share borders. Who knows how the dynamics of having three strong countries so close together will play out? It will be interesting watching it play out.

Yes if America is really lucky there will be a war?

Hopefully a more equal distribution of wealth worldwide will lead to a more co-operative economic environment, and the potential horrific international (yes international, the USA is part of the world) consequences of a major conflict can be avoided.

I already in an earlier post conveyed my more on-topic comments regarding the potential future role of the new superpowers in space.

That's a very negative view. What I alluding to was the competition for resources among three countries so close to each other would act as a brake on all their economies. Obviously war between countries, all armed with nuclear weapons, would be bad; it kind of goes without saying.

Apologies - I assumed you implied that the potential for a conflict was a good thing being as it would leave the USA untouched.

As for my views as you will have reads in my post I am extremely optimistic for a future where a world with multiple superpowers means for once more co-operation and less conflict. I honestly feel this is more of a hope though, humans are so damn war-hungry.

 

[Brolan]

No problems friend.

It did seem like there were less wars when we had the East and West power blocks but they never went away completely.

 

[Candlelight]

I hope this gives America the kick in the ass that it needs.