Comments on: Space Invaders http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/ No-nonsense China Expat & Travel Community Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:53:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/#comment-9001 Chris Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:38:42 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/02/23/space-invaders/#comment-9001 <blockquote>So this week, space - for the first time - has become an overtly militarised place</blockquote> Hah, space has always been overtly (or at least, covertly) militarized -- from the very beginning, when the USSR launched Sputnik, the main reason for the hysterical US reaction was that people recognized that rockets that launch satellites could just as easily be used to launch ICBMs. "The space race" between the USSR and the US was just a proxy for the arms race, as is the current situation between China and the US. Like it or not, another arms race (or call it cold war, if you want) is already upon us, and has been for a while.

So this week, space – for the first time – has become an overtly militarised place

Hah, space has always been overtly (or at least, covertly) militarized — from the very beginning, when the USSR launched Sputnik, the main reason for the hysterical US reaction was that people recognized that rockets that launch satellites could just as easily be used to launch ICBMs.
“The space race” between the USSR and the US was just a proxy for the arms race, as is the current situation between China and the US. Like it or not, another arms race (or call it cold war, if you want) is already upon us, and has been for a while.

]]> By: Steven http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/#comment-8992 Steven Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:43:03 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/02/23/space-invaders/#comment-8992 Indeed, China's shoot-down was done with no concern for the debris that would be left out there; and so a lot of orbits are no longer viable because of their space junk. The US, at least, intended to sweep up after them, and so all of this week's junk has been vaporized in the atmosphere. Still... The U.S. did what it strongly condemned last year, accompanied by the appearance of propriety in the form of a press conference and a video. Nice PR indeed. Sure, China should have tried to be more open if they wanted to avoid the appearance of simply doing target practice. As one commenter on the YouTube video demanded: "Show me China's video [of their satellite being taken down]." Indeed, China’s shoot-down was done with no concern for the debris that would be left out there; and so a lot of orbits are no longer viable because of their space junk. The US, at least, intended to sweep up after them, and so all of this week’s junk has been vaporized in the atmosphere.

Still… The U.S. did what it strongly condemned last year, accompanied by the appearance of propriety in the form of a press conference and a video. Nice PR indeed. Sure, China should have tried to be more open if they wanted to avoid the appearance of simply doing target practice. As one commenter on the YouTube video demanded: “Show me China’s video [of their satellite being taken down].”

]]> By: Ryan http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/#comment-8991 Ryan Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:39:29 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/02/23/space-invaders/#comment-8991 I think there are more similarities than differences between these two events. The fact that the Chinese did it recklessly with little concern to the dangers they were causing down the road for other satellites, and that the US was a bit more suave with the PR of it all says nothing about the motivation behind the tests - rather, only who's had more experience with such things. I think there are more similarities than differences between these two events.

The fact that the Chinese did it recklessly with little concern to the dangers they were causing down the road for other satellites, and that the US was a bit more suave with the PR of it all says nothing about the motivation behind the tests – rather, only who’s had more experience with such things.

]]> By: Matthew Stinson http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/#comment-8990 Matthew Stinson Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:48:36 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/02/23/space-invaders/#comment-8990 Bernard's right. We shouldn't forget the differences between the two situations. I'm willing to accept the contention that the American shot was a weapons-test-in-disguise, but the Chinese shot was <em>definitely</em> a weapons test and carried out in secret, and that, as Bernard writes, it made space a more dangerous place in more ways than one. Bernard’s right. We shouldn’t forget the differences between the two situations. I’m willing to accept the contention that the American shot was a weapons-test-in-disguise, but the Chinese shot was definitely a weapons test and carried out in secret, and that, as Bernard writes, it made space a more dangerous place in more ways than one.

]]> By: Bernard http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/expat-stuff/china-expat-rants/space-invaders/#comment-8987 Bernard Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:48:21 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/02/23/space-invaders/#comment-8987 To point out my observation, I believe the difference between these two events was the altitude of the Chinese satellite. The Americans waited until now, when the spy satellite was in a low enough Earth orbit that it was soon to come crashing through the atmosphere. As far as I am aware, the Chinese satellite that was destroyed is still up there, creating a massive swarm of space junk and is posing a risk to other satellites in orbit. Whereas the Chinese were simply testing a new weapon on an old decommissioned satellite, the Americans are able to pretend that out of the safety of the world they had to destroy their failed spy satellite. Personally I think they just wanted to make sure nothing survived reentry and fall into the hands of the other side. Perhaps there is a double standard but all this grandstanding by both sides is just the status quo. To point out my observation, I believe the difference between these two events was the altitude of the Chinese satellite. The Americans waited until now, when the spy satellite was in a low enough Earth orbit that it was soon to come crashing through the atmosphere. As far as I am aware, the Chinese satellite that was destroyed is still up there, creating a massive swarm of space junk and is posing a risk to other satellites in orbit. Whereas the Chinese were simply testing a new weapon on an old decommissioned satellite, the Americans are able to pretend that out of the safety of the world they had to destroy their failed spy satellite. Personally I think they just wanted to make sure nothing survived reentry and fall into the hands of the other side. Perhaps there is a double standard but all this grandstanding by both sides is just the status quo.

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