Asian Space Race – Japan’s SELENE vs China’s Chang’e 1
It has been a while since there was a space race. Okay, this is only the second time.
Two Asian rivalries are at it – China and Japan.
China is planning to launch its Chang'e 1 probe sometime next month.
Japan says its SELENE will head to the moon on
Sept. 13th.
Japan is saying it doesn't matter who launches first, their mission is technologically superior.
China is not saying.
China became the first Asian country to put its own astronaut in space.
Japan says it has four satellites that can monitor and spot on the globe 24/7.
China recently blasted an old satellite with a land-based anti-satellite missile.
Japan spends about $500 million every year on its spy satellites.
China plans to map three-dimensional images the moon.
Japan will place a main satellite in orbit around the moon and deploy two smaller ones in polar orbits to study the moon.
China wants to put a man on the moon within 15 years.
Japan is considering doing so by 2025.
In any event…Asia's space technology will progess.
And, who knows, maybe we'll get a better pair of sunglasses or a nice mattress by the time they are dead.
Not bad for the billions and billions that will be spent, eh?
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