So China is possibly within 24 hours of sending a rover to the moon. Maybe a bit longer, but imminent. Now if you read this article, and there are many analysts who agree, China is likely to have humans on the moon in 10 years, and possibly a base/mining operations in 15 years. You can check out the BBC News article below for details
Now reflect on this: Yesterday, millions of American went out into the world to go shopping on Black Friday. Probably 92.7% of all goods purchased were manufactured in China. That’s right folks, we are the ones funding efforts like this.
It just seems to be our culture to pay someone else to do things for us…why not pay the Chinese to do our space program for us? I mean after all they stock up Walmart, and they get a space program…seems fair? 😐 Most things, cost way less in the long run if you do them yourself. The power gain for getting a foothold in space is a price we are going to regret in the future, if we give it up.
Now don’t get me wrong, I wish no ill will toward the Chinese space program, I think what they have accomplished in the past 20 years is staggering. Much of the technology was likely “imported,” to get them started, but so was ours back in the WWII days. I think it’s impressive the premium and priority their culture is placing on a space program.
However, I’m fairly disappointed in the directions the American space program has taken over the past 30 – 40 years. I believe we are starting to get on a decent path forward again, assuming our economics and declining culture will support it. But this new path will only work if our economics and culture place a premium on it. These next adventures into space could easily be the beginnings of the United States’ next epic journey which defines our future and ushers in a new golden age. However, that won’t be the case if we aren’t the ones willing to step forward. But don’t fret, we can easily watch the Chinese do it on our behalf (on TV’s they made for us).