# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/41 "2013-12-16T20:51:28Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > 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. :: thwacks **Omar** with a wet trout :: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/42 "2013-12-16T21:20:50Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Yes but they’ve made great strides in stealing technology in the decades since. Don’t you just hate it when it’s others who are doing the stealing? I’m so glad your daughter finally graduated from high school. It’s too bad she was caught doing drugs and got pregnant by that loser boyfriend of hers but I’m glad at least she’s graduated. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/43 "2013-12-16T21:27:43Z")
> [@bump](#): > > it’s not like it’s particularly impressive. Only two other countries have done it. And we’re talking about a country that 30~40 years ago was starving. If they continue advancing at the present rate … well, what would they have to do to impress you? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/44 "2013-12-16T21:34:38Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Only two other countries have done it. And one, maybe both, no longer can today. India is pretty close to having the capability too, if they choose to. Maybe Japan too - nobody \*but \*them has already landed on an asteroid and returned samples to Earth. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/45 "2013-12-16T21:51:24Z")
Is there a sticker on the bottom of the lander that reads “Made in China”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/46 "2013-12-16T21:56:45Z")
[Is the Chinese flag enough for you?](http://www.universetoday.com/107226/chinese-rover-lander-beam-back-selfies-with-chinas-flag-shining-on-moons-surface/) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/47 "2013-12-16T22:24:11Z")
China lands a rover on the moon. Immediately claims the moon was always part of China. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/48 "2013-12-16T22:37:14Z")
Kudos to China. Yay! A propos of nothing, my husband plays the game Gran Turismo , latest edition. One of the in- game rewards he unlocked is driving the manned vehicle of the original moon landing. The game recreated the real moonscape from the camera footage. Kinda cool. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/49 "2013-12-16T22:50:24Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And one, maybe both, no longer can today. > > India is pretty close to having the capability too, if they choose to. Maybe Japan too - nobody \*but \*them has already landed on an asteroid and returned samples to Earth. Iran is also in the running. They have launched several satellites into orbit (including animal launches) and plan on developing manned spaceflight capabilities. ---
**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, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/50 "2013-12-16T23:36:33Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Don’t you just hate it when it’s others who are doing the stealing? > I’m so glad your daughter finally graduated from high school. It’s too bad she was caught doing drugs and got pregnant by that loser boyfriend of hers but I’m glad at least she’s graduated. Yes, who wouldn’t. Your disdain for everything US doesn’t diminish the fact organized theft of intellectual property is still theft. The rest of your post is your usual gibberish. Care to explain yourself or are you, you know, shitfaced? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/51 "2013-12-16T23:49:17Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Don’t you just hate it when it’s others who are doing the stealing? > I’m so glad your daughter finally graduated from high school. It’s too bad she was caught doing drugs and got pregnant by that loser boyfriend of hers but I’m glad at least she’s graduated. This is completely off-topic and borderline creepy. Warning issued for being a jerk. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/52 "2013-12-16T23:55:18Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > The rest of your post is your usual gibberish. Care to explain yourself or are you, you know, shitfaced? It’s not appropriate to respond to personal comments in kind. Pls. leave it to the moderators to deal with them. Thanks, **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/53 "2013-12-17T01:20:16Z")
No American should feel any need to mock or belittle the space exploration efforts of any other country. There’s no reason for us to have any attitude other than sincere and hearty congratulations. The U.S. currently lacks an indigenous manned spaceflight capability; while [Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_%28spacecraft%29) and [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhou_program) currently do have that. Supposedly we will regain that capability within the [next](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Crew_Development) [few](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28spacecraft%29#Crewed_development_program) [years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_%28spacecraft%29). But this thread isn’t about manned spacefllight (whatever its worth). It’s about deep space exploration. China just landed something on the Moon, the first time anybody has done that in 37 years. Way to go, China! I sincerely hope the Jade Rabbit finds something really cool up there–water (well, ice), or a Giant Black Monolith. There seems to be something of an intra-Asian Space Race developing–India just launched its [Mars Orbiter Mission](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Orbiter_Mission) (“Mangalyaan”). Not trying to jinx anybody, but if MOM succeeds, India will have succeeded in an interplanetary mission on its first try–[a significant achievement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_of_Mars#Timeline_of_Mars_exploration). If (knock on wood or whatever superstitious ritual you indulge in) MOM and NASA’s [MAVEN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAVEN) both arrive safely in September of next year, and nothing happens to any of the other probes or rovers out there, and I haven’t miscounted, the human race will set a new record for active space probes on or at Mars–shiny! Again, I hope MOM makes many amazing discoveries–water (well, water _again_), or a _real_ Giant Face on Mars or something. China attempted a Mars probe a couple of years ago (in conjunction with a Russian probe to Phobos, the inner Moon of Mars). For [sentimental fanboy reasons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinghuo-1#Name) I was really rooting for the Chinese “Firefly”, but alas, the two probes never made it to Earth orbit–guess they should have hired [a better mechanic](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0003812/). Both [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan) and [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Lunar_Exploration_Program) have active lunar programs. In all of these efforts, both countries seem to be pretty upfront that a major objective of these early efforts is “demonstrating the technology”–just figuring out how to even begin. That’s pretty normal–the [first space probe to Mars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariner_4) took all of 21 pictures. And of course there will be failures along the way. But no American should have any reason to feel ashamed of U.S. space exploration efforts. We currently have space probes operating from [one end of the Solar System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESSENGER) [to the other](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons), and [a bunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_%28spacecraft%29) [of places](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_%28spacecraft%29) [in between](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassini%E2%80%93Huygens), including [two](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_%28rover%29) [rovers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity_%28rover%29) on Mars and [a couple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Mars_Odyssey) [of orbiters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Reconnaissance_Orbiter)–and on out into [interstellar space](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1). For many of these missions, NASA has had partners and collaborators from other countries–the _Cassini_ mission included the European Space Agency’s [_Huygens_ Titan lander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huygens_%28spacecraft%29), and “American” probes may include “European” scientific instruments, and vice versa. With all that, it makes us look very petty to sneer at some other country’s efforts. (As far as “stealing” technology goes–well, [we’ve all done that](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun).) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/54 "2013-12-17T01:44:01Z")
I’m not sure “stolen” is the word to use when referring to Von Braun. “Rescued” would be kinder or maybe “bribed”. He was certainly free to take his work elsewhere if the arrangement was not to his liking. And we don’t copy rocket technology, we buy it outright. The Atlas V rocket uses Russian RD-180 engines. [Which might end up biting us in the ass.](http://rbth.ru/international/2013/08/29/russia_may_stop_supplying_rocket_engines_to_us_29333.html) ---
**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 17, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/55 "2013-12-17T02:00:07Z")
China sending a probe to the Moon is impressive. The US sending humans to the Moon was of course even more impressive, but that doesn’t actually diminish from China’s accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/56 "2013-12-17T02:17:39Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m not sure “stolen” is the word to use when referring to Von Braun. “Rescued” would be kinder or maybe “bribed”. He was certainly free to take his work elsewhere if the arrangement was not to his liking… And the U.S. was certainly free to reopen legal proceedings concerning [von Braun’s involvement](http://www.dora.uah.edu/engineers.html) with administering the [Mittelbau-Dora](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelbau-Dora) concentration camp/V-2 factory. In which an estimated 20,000 inmates died. Not quite up to the levels of say, the [Burma Railway](http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/building-hellfire-pass/index.php), but not negligible either. The U.S. and Commonwealth nations had no problem [holding many of the Japanese responsible](http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/after-the-war/war-crimes-trials.php) for the privations the workers experienced. Von Braun wasn’t going anywhere. At least, not until the U.S. learned everything he could possibly teach them. Congratulations to China. Perhaps it’ll be a prelude to a manned mission, or more work towards solving the lunar engineering difficulties that have so far prohibited exploitation of the Moon’s resources. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/57 "2013-12-17T02:37:22Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > And the U.S. was certainly free to reopen legal proceedings concerning [von Braun’s involvement](http://www.dora.uah.edu/engineers.html) with administering the [Mittelbau-Dora](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelbau-Dora) concentration camp/V-2 factory. In which an estimated 20,000 inmates died. Not quite up to the levels of say, the [Burma Railway](http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/building-hellfire-pass/index.php), but not negligible either. The U.S. and Commonwealth nations had no problem [holding many of the Japanese responsible](http://hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au/after-the-war/war-crimes-trials.php) for the privations the workers experienced. > > Von Braun wasn’t going anywhere. At least, not until the U.S. learned everything he could possibly teach them. yes the US could have held them to account. Absolutely. Would have been the noble thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/58 "2013-12-17T06:13:11Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > No American should feel any need to mock or belittle the space exploration efforts of any other country. There’s no reason for us to have any attitude other than sincere and hearty congratulations. > > The U.S. currently lacks an indigenous manned spaceflight capability; while [Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_%28spacecraft%29) and [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhou_program) currently do have that. Supposedly we will regain that capability within the [next](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Crew_Development) [few](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28spacecraft%29#Crewed_development_program) [years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_%28spacecraft%29). > > But this thread isn’t about manned spacefllight (whatever its worth). It’s about deep space exploration. China just landed something on the Moon, the first time anybody has done that in 37 years. Way to go, China! I sincerely hope the Jade Rabbit finds something really cool up there–water (well, ice), or a Giant Black Monolith. > > There seems to be something of an intra-Asian Space Race developing–India just launched its [Mars Orbiter Mission](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Orbiter_Mission) (“Mangalyaan”). Not trying to jinx anybody, but if MOM succeeds, India will have succeeded in an interplanetary mission on its first try–[a significant achievement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_of_Mars#Timeline_of_Mars_exploration). If (knock on wood or whatever superstitious ritual you indulge in) MOM and NASA’s [MAVEN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAVEN) both arrive safely in September of next year, and nothing happens to any of the other probes or rovers out there, and I haven’t miscounted, the human race will set a new record for active space probes on or at Mars–shiny! Again, I hope MOM makes many amazing discoveries–water (well, water _again_), or a _real_ Giant Face on Mars or something. > > China attempted a Mars probe a couple of years ago (in conjunction with a Russian probe to Phobos, the inner Moon of Mars). For [sentimental fanboy reasons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinghuo-1#Name) I was really rooting for the Chinese “Firefly”, but alas, the two probes never made it to Earth orbit–guess they should have hired [a better mechanic](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0003812/). Both [India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan) and [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Lunar_Exploration_Program) have active lunar programs. In all of these efforts, both countries seem to be pretty upfront that a major objective of these early efforts is “demonstrating the technology”–just figuring out how to even begin. That’s pretty normal–the [first space probe to Mars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariner_4) took all of 21 pictures. And of course there will be failures along the way. > > But no American should have any reason to feel ashamed of U.S. space exploration efforts. We currently have space probes operating from [one end of the Solar System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESSENGER) [to the other](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons), and [a bunch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_%28spacecraft%29) [of places](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_%28spacecraft%29) [in between](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassini%E2%80%93Huygens), including [two](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_%28rover%29) [rovers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity_%28rover%29) on Mars and [a couple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Mars_Odyssey) [of orbiters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Reconnaissance_Orbiter)–and on out into [interstellar space](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1). For many of these missions, NASA has had partners and collaborators from other countries–the _Cassini_ mission included the European Space Agency’s [_Huygens_ Titan lander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huygens_%28spacecraft%29), and “American” probes may include “European” scientific instruments, and vice versa. With all that, it makes us look very petty to sneer at some other country’s efforts. (As far as “stealing” technology goes–well, [we’ve all done that](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun).) Pretty much how I feel, especially the last paragraph. I believe people really discount how advanced [NASA satellite technology](http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/) is. Not too mention the built up experential capacity and theoretical knowledge base (astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology) that NASA and it’s partners field. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/59 "2013-12-17T14:32:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It is when you consider what a technologically backward country China was in 1949. Sure, but there was a lot (most?) of the really high technology stuff at the time that we had to engineer or develop from scratch - the rocketry, the materials, the microelectronics and a lot of the basic science. How have the Chinese advanced the state of the art by repeating what Yuri Gagarin did in the 1950s? The Chinese, by virtue of being nearly a half-century later, benefit from the overall technological advances made worldwide in that time frame. Stuff like advanced composites, computers, advanced alloys, etc… are all commonplace and off the shelf now, but at the time, it was groundbreaking stuff, or wasn’t even available yet. I’m not saying it’s not something they should be proud of, but there’s a huge difference between developing manned spaceflight in the second decade of the 21st century, and developing it halfway through the 20th. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310/60 "2013-12-17T17:50:50Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > A propos of nothing, my husband plays the game Gran Turismo , latest edition. One of the in- game rewards he unlocked is driving the manned vehicle of the original moon landing. The game recreated the real moonscape from the camera footage. > > Kinda cool. [Here’s a walkthrough on Youtube.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7kOBNsdJrI) This is pretty much what China’s exploration cart, the Jade Bunny, will see. Although Jade Bunny will land on a totally different part of the moon, so it might have a totally different soil type and landscape. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-rover-soft-lands-on-the-moon/676310.md?page=4)