[FPSPACE] Possible Chinese space plane test reported, called here "Shenlong"

[Phillip Clark]

I know that in my various writing and interviews covering the flights up to and including Shenzhou 5 I said that the only way that the piloted programme could be funded would be the "sell it" to the military as having an application which they could use.   And the instrumentation carried at the front of the orbital modules were probably test-beds for some of the things which we are seeing (or rather not, because it's secret!) now within the Yaogan Weixing programme.

China seems to be following its own path in space - manned and unmanned - and happily ignoring the predictions of pundits in the west.   It makes life interesting!

Also, what is a military space programme?   All Soviet launches were run by the Strategic Rocket Forces so was all of the Soviet programme purely military?   ("YES" shout the Rednecks in unison while drinking tea!)   Similarly, Chinese launches are by the PLA so does that make all Chinese launches purely military?   (Pause for a repeat shout.)   My belief is that the Chinese programme is primarily military in nature but with dual role elements and occasionally purely civilian science projects.

Phillip Clark

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John 
  To: Phillip Clark 
  Cc: <fpspace at friends-partners.org> 
  Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 4:55 PM
  Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Possible Chinese space plane test reported, called here "Shenlong"


  Phill


  I hope no one is surprised by the military connection mentioned for the Shenlong. After, the People's Liberation Army provide most of the  infrastructure for the Chinese space program. 


  Similarly, the military inputs into the US space shuttle design are quite well known. 


  I am more interested in the Chinese attempts to find military applications for their human space efforts when the US and Russia seem to have learned that there aren't many. Dwayne Day has written about this.


  And what if the US and Russia have got it wrong...?

  JBC
  Sent from my iPhone. 
  Please forgive typos. 

  On Sep 2, 2011, at 1:21, "Phillip Clark" <phillipclark at btinternet.com> wrote:


    I am sure that there are those who will howl in anguish about the possible Chinese shuttle being duel-role civil/military, totally ignoring the fact that this is how the US shuttle was intended to operate.

    I think that it is reasonable for the Chinese to be THINKING about reuseable launch vehicles, but I am sure that Shenzhou and its derivatives will remain the focus of China's piloted space programme for the next decade and a half at least.

    Phillip Clark


      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Peter Pesavento 
      To: fpspace at friends-partners.org 
      Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:55 PM
      Subject: [FPSPACE] Possible Chinese space plane test reported,called here "Shenlong"


      You can read about it here at the website of the International Assessment and Strategy Center….





      Article by Richard Fisher  (contributor to a number of periodicals, including Defense Technology International, Aviation Week, and Foreign Policy)



      Title:  “China’s Space Plane Program”  (Has illustrations and video captures)





      Published July 27, 2011



      http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.253/pub_detail.asp



      If anyone who has expertise would like to comment on what Fisher is saying, please hold forth







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