posted
This isn't, by the way, going to happen. I ran across an old estimate of the cost of the Buran program that put it at around 13 billion rubles. Russia did just increase its entire space budget by 43%. To 8 billion rubles. They literally aren't even paying their cosmonauts, and they expect to refurbish the one Buran actually built (or put together the two that were partially constructed but never assembled), build new booster rockets for it, since the old ones were reused for other things, and pay for all of this via tourism? Pull the other one, Russia.
posted
China is gonna try to land someone on the moon by 2010? I'm sorry, but I think that there is hardly a snowball's chance in hell that they are gonna make that. Although it IS possible, I just don't think it's probable. Or am I totally underestimating our Chinese friends here?
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
You're SORELY underestimating them. Go Taikonauts!
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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I think all the Chinese need is a rocket powerful enough to get them all the way to the moon. They already have a firm grip on the launching of commercial satellites.
-------------------- "Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting."
-Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney, LeMans
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Does anyone have any pictures of the Buran?
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
There were lots of pics on the site. Buran doesn't look like much, but the Spiral is one sweet-ass shuttle
Spiral
-------------------- Me- Hi Jen! What's up! Jen- You again??!?! Listen kid, I'm not interested in you. Stop bothering me, I'm a lot older than you and I have a boyfriend. How did you find my ICQ number anyways? Me- Oh, so just cuz you're a movie star now, and you're new album made millions, you think you're too good for me? Jen- Yes!!! Get it thorough your head! I am a person, I am not Jennifer Lopez the hottest woman on earth that everyone wants to sleep with, I'm a person, leave me alone!!! Me- Fine! Be that way! Me- Jen.... Where'd you go.... I love you... please come back.... please....
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
The Buran was reverse engineered from the space shuttle, and looks almost identical. As others have mentioned, there are a few photos included in that link I posted towards the top.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Japan's space program is going nowhere because it's rockets keep blowing up. Part of the problem is that space exploration and rocketry is under the control of two separate government ministries who don't get along very well. Meanwhile, the North Koreans are firing ballistic missiles over Japan into the Pacific. Several Japanese astronauts have flown on the US Shuttle, but the first Japanese in space was a TV journalist who bought a trip from the Soviets. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn19991117a3.htm http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20000526a6.htm
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
Ahhh, Tsien...that was the best part of the book, too...& Peter Hyams cut it because "he felt space was getting too crowded." But he DID happen to sketch this image as a possible concept for the ship.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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MIB
Ex-Member
posted
hehe. cute. In the book, didn't the Tsien have a cylindricle shap to it?
Sense we are already straying away from the thread's original topic, I just finished reading 3001 a few weeks ago. The other three books were much better. Some of the comments about Star Trek and a few other things really did kind of take me back. Plus 3001 one had a few problems with continuity. It totally ignores what has already been writtin in the epiloges of the previous Odyssey books. Despite the fact that it was supposed to be the 'final odyssey,' Clark left the door wide open for a 4001.
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