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As last module docks, China completes its space station

nytimes.com

31–40 of 401 posts

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#31

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

Unfortunately it’s about $2,720 per 2.2 lbs in even the best case scenario.

You are allowed to say kilogram on the internet.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That requires a truly astounding amount of material. Unless the cost to place it in orbit gets within an order of magnitude of our current terrestrial freight, it's not happening. Best bet is to construct these things in orbit, with materials sourced in orbit. But now you have a chicken and egg problem - need to send an incredible amount of material (and people) in order to (potentially!) save in the future.

Quoted post unavailable.

I think you're seriously overestimating Chinese economic capabilities. They are still constrained by the same economic realities as everybody else, and -- much as we wish it were possible -- they cannot afford to just do whatever.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nationalism, any forms of it are evil. There is no "benign nationalism" that is just people being proud for their country or whatever. It all leads to sorrow and, ultimately, destruction. Paraphrasing Voltaire, we should squash it. It is not beneficial and people can absolutely "reach for the stars" in all senses of it without nationalism. The only thing nationalism, in any form, moderate or extreme, is good for is f…

Hypothetical Nation A allows democratic freedom of expression and respects human rights. Hypothetical Nation B has a tyrannical government that censors and imprisons anyone who questions it and constantly violates the rights of its people. Nation A and Nation B go to war. Do you care who wins? If you don't care, there's something wrong with you. If you do care, people will accuse of being a nationalist. At the end of…

> Hypothetical Nation A allows democratic freedom of expression and respects human rights. Hypothetical Nation B has a tyrannical government that censors and imprisons anyone who questions it and constantly violates the rights of its people.

Both countries are, as you said, Hypothetical.

> Some nations are simply better places to live than others

Depends on the definition of "better".

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#34
Does anyone know to what extent China has advanced the state of the Soviet technology that they have (I assume) licensed? I have been to the Russian Star City training facility, Baikonur Cosmodrome and been in the full-size Mir training module and the Chinese station components look very similar. I am sure getting good information is difficult, but perhaps someone here has some more info.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That requires a truly astounding amount of material. Unless the cost to place it in orbit gets within an order of magnitude of our current terrestrial freight, it's not happening. Best bet is to construct these things in orbit, with materials sourced in orbit. But now you have a chicken and egg problem - need to send an incredible amount of material (and people) in order to (potentially!) save in the future.

Quoted post unavailable.

You’re afraid china will beat the us to aesthetic space stations?

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#36

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

Unfortunately it’s about $2,720 per 2.2 lbs in even the best case scenario.

How have you come up with this number?

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#37

Quoted post unavailable.

Nationalism, any forms of it are evil. There is no "benign nationalism" that is just people being proud for their country or whatever. It all leads to sorrow and, ultimately, destruction. Paraphrasing Voltaire, we should squash it. It is not beneficial and people can absolutely "reach for the stars" in all senses of it without nationalism. The only thing nationalism, in any form, moderate or extreme, is good for is f…

I think nationalism is just fine. Its okay to love your country and fellow citizens.

It's when it turns to extremism that it gets ugly and bad.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#38

Quoted post unavailable.

couldn't agree more. Space is like therapy these days, earth being what it is right now. lets hope we - as a species - can get it together and truly explore what's out there, as collaborators and colleagues

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

You’re afraid china will beat the us to aesthetic space stations?

I want a country to make one. Any country. I would gladly pay for a ticket for a week long stay on an aesthetic space station. You have no idea how badly I want to live in the kind of futuristic future depicted in science fiction.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#40
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Unfortunately, we won't see anti-nationalism coming to the same level as atheism even in our lifetimes. Neoliberalism is clearly anti-nationalism, and it's been the dominant ideology for at least 3 decades. Neoliberalism seeks to eradicate borders, weaken states, and empower transnational corporations to privatize and exploit the resources of once-sovereign countries. There's been a "war on nations" since WW2 and t…

Yes, neoliberalism's failed economic model has set anti-nationalism back at least half a century. It threatens people's livelihoods by directly inhibiting the state's ability to improve the majority of their citizens' lives. Until the economic model is shifted, nationalism will continue to be seen as the antidote to neoliberalism, unfortunately. Neoliberalism and US hegemony are two sides of the same coin, so both of…

WW2 was a war of expanding genocidal empires, including USA. I'm not sure what basis in reality this "nationalism is evil" trope comes from.

It happens to villianize non-interventionist nations like Cuba while excusing the enormous crimes of transnational neoliberalism.

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