OK, we know that Chang'e 3 is heading for Sinus Iridum, but does anybody know where exactly in Sinus Iridum?
Quote from: savuporo on 12/03/2013 02:59 amQuote from: Blackstar on 12/03/2013 02:44 amBut that brings us back to some very fundamental questions, such as what is driving the Chinese lunar program. Is it primarily science? Or is it primarily developing engineering capability? Or is it a near equal mix of both? I would not simply assume that they want to go bigger and bigger, not until we have an idea of why they are doing any of this.IMO these are actually pretty useless questions to ask, and no answers given by the source will ever be believed anyway. Poppycock. That position is just an excuse to not think about the why, just watch the pretty pictures and talk about rockets. It's like saying "Why? Reasons!" Somebody sets the policy in the Chinese space program. And they clearly have a policy, both for human spaceflight, and for their lunar robotic program. This stuff just doesn't happen via immaculate conception. Look at the progression from CE-1 to 2 to 3. Increases in technology, capability, and science goals. What's the driver? Is there a roadmap that says "Do X first, followed by Y, followed by Z"? (They must have some kind of roadmap, otherwise they wouldn't be doing X, Y and then Z.) Do they have a science priorities committee that does this? How does the Chinese space program establish their priorities, and what are those priorities? And who is doing it? Who are the officials who are making the call? Just because we don't know the answers now doesn't mean that there are no answers.For starters, the Chinese Academy of Sciences appears to be involved. That would be a good place to start.And I'd note that the reason I'm asking these questions is that I'm pretty familiar with how it happens in the United States (being directly involved in it). Over here stuff doesn't "just happen," so my guess is that it doesn't just happen in China either.Understanding that is a good step to figuring out what they might do after CE-6.
Quote from: Blackstar on 12/03/2013 02:44 amBut that brings us back to some very fundamental questions, such as what is driving the Chinese lunar program. Is it primarily science? Or is it primarily developing engineering capability? Or is it a near equal mix of both? I would not simply assume that they want to go bigger and bigger, not until we have an idea of why they are doing any of this.IMO these are actually pretty useless questions to ask, and no answers given by the source will ever be believed anyway.
But that brings us back to some very fundamental questions, such as what is driving the Chinese lunar program. Is it primarily science? Or is it primarily developing engineering capability? Or is it a near equal mix of both? I would not simply assume that they want to go bigger and bigger, not until we have an idea of why they are doing any of this.
China news reporting debris hit 2 houses, no injuries reported so far.http://www.chinanews.com/tp/hd2011/2013/12-03/272452.shtml
The 2nd mid-course correction burn should have occurred at 08:20 UTC, but nothing has been reported till right now. I'm hoping that this is not an indication of a problem....