# Chinese rover soft-lands on the Moon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310 "2013-12-14T16:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/21 "2013-12-15T02:15:47Z")
Of course the Moon is good for something: It’s good for showing off. That’s why we went there, it’s why the Russians tried to go there, and it’s why the Chinese are sending probes. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/22 "2013-12-15T02:17:44Z")
They can point their lunar cameras at China and see the smog. They have so many issues at home and they focus their science on space. Just like the US did in the 60’s. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/23 "2013-12-15T04:29:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I wonder if they’re going to try to knock down the American flag there. Will they try to make it look like an accident? Or will they be all macho about it: “Ha ha ha!! F-u! F-u! And F your flag!!!”? They can stand next to the bleached-white-by-ultraviolet American flag and announce that the US has surrendered the Moon to them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/24 "2013-12-15T04:37:38Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Ho-hum, wake me when they do a manned landing. Really… wake me up when they do something that we or the Russians didn’t already do… in the 1960s. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/25 "2013-12-15T12:07:33Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Didn’t the blast of the ascent stage of Apollo 11’s Eagle already knock down the flag they left. There are still five others they can knock over. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/26 "2013-12-15T12:42:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Really… wake me up when they do something that we or the Russians didn’t already do… in the 1960s. I am amused by this attitude which is so petty and shows so much ignorance and insecurity at the same time. I have seen it over the years with regards to Japan and their products, the EU, and now China. And, who is this “we”? America and Americans of today are not the same as those who did some feats of the past and it is foolish to rest on those laurels while being overtaken by others. It’s like a decrepit heroin addict basking in his past glory as a boxer. Well, I am not going to argue because he could still punch me hard but everybody knows he is not what he was and he is on the way down while others are coming up. I feel those with this attitude would react to being told a kid graduated high school with “high school, huh? Wake me up when he discovers the cure for aids”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/27 "2013-12-15T12:57:43Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > I am amused by this attitude which is so petty and shows so much ignorance and insecurity at the same time. I have seen it over the years with regards to Japan and their products, the EU, and now China. Uh, isn’t that the point? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/28 "2013-12-15T16:01:22Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > helium 3 is rare on Earth, but is useful in nuclear fusion But, at present, there is no such thing as nuclear fusion outside the heart of a star. That might change . . . or it might never. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/29 "2013-12-15T21:19:38Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > I am amused by this attitude which is so petty and shows so much ignorance and insecurity at the same time. I have seen it over the years with regards to Japan and their products, the EU, and now China. > > And, who is this “we”? America and Americans of today are not the same as those who did some feats of the past and it is foolish to rest on those laurels while being overtaken by others. > > It’s like a decrepit heroin addict basking in his past glory as a boxer. Well, I am not going to argue because he could still punch me hard but everybody knows he is not what he was and he is on the way down while others are coming up. > > I feel those with this attitude would react to being told a kid graduated high school with “high school, huh? Wake me up when he discovers the cure for aids”. Thank you for this. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But, at present, there is no such thing as nuclear fusion outside the heart of a star. That might change . . . or it might never. H3 breaks down with no nuclear waste. If they can make that shit work, I’d say that’s a big deal. [Interesting read.](http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/07/21/mining.moon.helium3/) But you are right. It’s still in the research stage. But there’s no reason for us to think it wont work. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/30 "2013-12-16T00:29:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But, at present, there is no such thing as nuclear fusion outside the heart of a star. That might change . . . or it might never. Hydrogen bombs are a well proven use of nuclear fusion outside of a star. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/31 "2013-12-16T13:41:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But, at present, there is no such thing as nuclear fusion outside the heart of a star. That might change . . . or it might never. We have controlled fusion now. We just don’t have controlled fusion that generates more energy than it takes to contain. A few engineering problems remain. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/32 "2013-12-16T14:24:52Z")
It didn’t get a lot of publicity in the US, but the Russians landed several Lunar Rovers (one of the Lunakhods holds the record for distance traveled by a rover probe) and also probes to take and return samples to the earth. Luna 24succeeded in this ( [Luna 24 - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_24) ) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/33 "2013-12-16T15:25:23Z")
What exactly does this feat accomplish? yes, it demonstrated a high degree of competence-but as far as exploring the Moon, its essentially what was done 45 years ago. I very much doubt that the moon contains much of value; it would be better if the Chinese had found a way to extract uranium from the seas. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/34 "2013-12-16T15:26:56Z")
Well, _I’m_ pleased that _someone_ is going to the moon. We’ve gotten a lot of innovations from space research over the years. Maybe this will bear fruit also. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/35 "2013-12-16T16:40:54Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > And, who is this “we”? America and Americans of today are not the same as those who did some feats of the past and it is foolish to rest on those laurels while being overtaken by others. > > \ > > I feel those with this attitude would react to being told a kid graduated high school with “high school, huh? Wake me up when he discovers the cure for aids”. It’s not like the US or Russia has sat back after the moon landings and done no further space exploration; the US put up some 135 shuttle missions, 2 space stations, a orbital telescope, dozens of satellites, and multiple unmanned probes to the far reaches of the solar system. The Russians did similar things- more space stations, no moon landings, 3 unmanned lunar probes and 100 some-odd Soyuz missions. Putting a man in orbit or landing an unmanned lunar rover is small potatoes by comparison, and nothing to get excited or worried about. Good for them, but it’s not like it’s particularly impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/36 "2013-12-16T17:46:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s not like the US or Russia has sat back after the moon landings and done no further space exploration; the US put up some 135 shuttle missions, 2 space stations, a orbital telescope, dozens of satellites, and multiple unmanned probes to the far reaches of the solar system. The Russians did similar things- more space stations, no moon landings, 3 unmanned lunar probes and 100 some-odd Soyuz missions. > > Putting a man in orbit or landing an unmanned lunar rover is small potatoes by comparison, and nothing to get excited or worried about. Good for them, but it’s not like it’s particularly impressive. And the “we” in this would be the only country to date who was ever capable of a multi-vehicle accident on Mars. So it’s not like we got bored with the whole thing. I see they went with a 6 wheeled rover. Not sure who came up with that but it seems to be the current design of choice to get around. [Quote=ralph124c] What exactly does this feat accomplish? yes, it demonstrated a high degree of competence-but as far as exploring the Moon, its essentially what was done 45 years ago. I very much doubt that the moon contains much of value; it would be better if the Chinese had found a way to extract uranium from the seas. [/quote] It’s one of a number of steps needed to send astronauts into space. They can’t engineer a trip to Saturn and hope things work out. > [@aceplace57](#): > > They can point their lunar cameras at China and see the smog. They have so many issues at home and they focus their science on space. Just like the US did in the 60’s. kind of interesting that you said this. We just sent a probe to the moon to measure atmospheric dust ([LADEE](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Atmosphere_and_Dust_Environment_Explorer)). So anyway, kudos to China. You did it in one shot. That’s an accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/37 "2013-12-16T18:25:51Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Really… wake me up when they do something that we or the Russians didn’t already do… in the 1960s. If Civilization II taught me anything, it’s that the point where another civ gets the Space Flight tech is when shit just got real. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/38 "2013-12-16T18:30:34Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s not like the US or Russia has sat back after the moon landings and done no further space exploration; the US put up some 135 shuttle missions, 2 space stations, a orbital telescope, dozens of satellites, and multiple unmanned probes to the far reaches of the solar system. The Russians did similar things- more space stations, no moon landings, 3 unmanned lunar probes and 100 some-odd Soyuz missions. > > Putting a man in orbit or landing an unmanned lunar rover is small potatoes by comparison, and nothing to get excited or worried about. Good for them, but it’s not like it’s particularly impressive. It is when you consider what a technologically backward country China was in 1949. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/39 "2013-12-16T20:36:02Z")
Next thing we’ll hear is that China has invented an orange flavored drink that you prepare by mixing a powder with water. It will be marketed as Tang Dynasty. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/40 "2013-12-16T20:46:53Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It is when you consider what a technologically backward country China was in 1949. Yes but they’ve made great strides in stealing technology in the decades since. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310.md?page=3)