Venezuela celebrates successful launch of its first satellite

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Xinhua

Venezuela celebrates successful launch of its first satellite
www.chinaview.cn 2008-10-30 12:31:17

CARACAS, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government hailed on Wednesday the successful launch of its first satellite "Simon Bolivar" or "Venesat-1" as part of a joint project with China that started three years ago.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the launch marked the country's start in space exploration, and was a step ahead to the independence of Latin America and the Caribbean region in the scientific, technological and cultural fields.

The launch, taking place in the Satellites Launching Center of Xichang in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 1654 GMT, was watched by millions of Venezuelans through images from China Central Television (CCTV).

Chavez watched the broadcast of the launch at Luepa Station in southern Venezuela's Bolivar state. He said that the satellite will help eliminate the country's "satellite illiteracy", and contribute to the building of a multipolar world.




Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/30/content_10279289.htm

[tclambert]

1. Venezuela has a space program now?

Dammit. We should have colonies on Mars! I really miss John F. Kennedy. (Yes, I'm that old.) At this rate, the crew of the Starship Enterprise won't speak English, they'll speak Cantonese.

[comtec]

2. Honestly that was always more likely to happen

just by pure numbers, humanity in space was going to be more asian than not.
The sad part is they're only beating us because they DON'T play by the rules, and the corporations just don't care, as long as the CEO's get their multi-BILLION bonuses :(

[Dhalgren]

3. "Rules"? "Rules"?

Hahahahahah! I love it! Heinlein and Bradbury never mentioned any "rules" to exploring space. They pretty much said, get something that can blast-off and get to it!

Rules! Man that was good...

:rofl:

[Judi Lynn]

4. "After you!" "No, I insist, after YOU." "Really, I wouldn't dream of it, after you!" n/t

[tclambert]

5. "Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise."

Via Google translator:

空间，最后的前沿。这是航程的星河企业

[tclambert]

6. The Chinese had a navy that could sail to Africa

before the European "Age of Exploration." The Chinese might have "discovered" or "encountered" the New World first, except an emperor (I think his name was Richard Milhous Song) decided the navy was too expensive and burned the ships. It's really a leadership issue. It's "the vision thing."

[Thothmes]

13. We still can do that, all we have to do is

what was done in the 60s, give NASA the keys to the treasury. In the 60s they had basically a blank check to meet President Kennedy's goal of a man on the moon by the end of the decade. We hamstring NASA with a budget. Maybe the next president will open up the check book to NASA to get back in the race.

[Dogtown]

7. Where's Z-man

and the '!chavez no es mi gusto!' sockpuppets?

[bitchkitty]

8. Give them time to collect their talking points.

They may not have expected this. ;)

[Dogtown]

9. dig that!

:hi:

[AlphaCentauri]

10. would Venezuelans dream to have a satellite with their previous governments?

I don't think so, because they have to depend on foreign countries to provide that service.

[Judi Lynn]

12. Absolutely! So glad you mentioned it. They imported EVERYTHING. n/t

[Doctor Cynic]

14. Including satellites no doubt.

[Judi Lynn]

15. What point are you attempting to make? n/t

[Doctor Cynic]

16. They they have to pay China to make and launch a satellite?

It's true that only the big guys can launch rockets, but plenty of countries can design and build them.

But don't think that Venezuela is full of milk and honey. Especially if the low oil price reveals his incompetence.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Slow down, collect your thoughts, such as they are, and make a coherent post.

Could you point us toward any comments ever posted here by any Democrat claiming Venezuela is "full of milk and honey." You'd be performing a public service in educating us all.

Bring evidence Hugo Chavez is incompentent.

It's ALWAYS not the place of this country to butt into the internal business of other countries, other peoples. Learning how to be civilized is a lesson not every political group, as you know, can learn.

Hugo Chavez was elected by a landslide, in an election monitored heavily by international observers from beginning to end, including former President Jimmy Carter. They have determined the Venezuelan elections are clean, and that indeed Hugo Chavez is their President.

You're going to have to live with THEIR choices for THEIR country. Period.

[Doctor Cynic]

19. Sure...

Inflation = 30 something percent, meaning Chavez is simply printing money.

90% of exports are oil.

When oil is expensive, like it was a few months ago, it's okay to print money since foreign reserves are growing.

Not so much now.

I'm sure he has good intentions, but he's a soldier first and foremost and you have to be suspicious every time someone in uniform gets power. Especially when they try to change the constitution largely to get more power.

For your second last point, there are regional elections coming soon. If Chavez supporters lose then he will have less of a mandate.

As for your last point, is it okay to tell French people that they have to live with the USA and Bush?

[AlphaCentauri]

22. What a big difference from 85% inflation when Carlos Andres was president

Published: September 2, 1990

In the short run, the cost has been dear. Last year, Venezuela's economy shrank 8 percent, unemployment climbed to 10 percent, from 7 percent, and inflation hit 85 percent. In one indicator of lowered living standards, slaughterhouses in the ranching state of Barinas report that beef sales dropped by half over the last year.

''Half a million people lost their jobs the first four months of this year,'' said Teodoro Petkoff, a leader of the left-wing party, Movement Toward Socialism.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6DB123BF931A3575AC0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2

[Doctor Cynic]

26. Just proves that competent leaders are in short supply...

[AlphaCentauri]

29. it proves that things have improved from previous US friendly governments n/t

[Vidar]

11. Bravo Venezuela!

[ben_meyers]

18. The satellite was manufactured and launched by China

How does that give Hugo a "space program? Get real.
FTA:

The satellite, manufactured by China, will promote telecommunications in Venezuela. The whole project is to cost 406 million U.S. dollars including the building of technological bases, manufacturing, launch and training of Venezuelan professionals. It is China's first contract on the manufacturing and launch service for a Latin American country.

[Doctor Cynic]

20. Hope there's no melamine in the antenna.

[w4rma]

21. Could have been a US company with that contract if certain idiots would stop attacking Venezuela. nt

[AlphaCentauri]

23. Exactly!

[Codeine]

24. This satellite is no more Venezuelan than I am.

Designed in China, built in China, and launched in China. By those standards my neighbor's Kia is an American car.

[AlphaCentauri]

25. Designed in China, built in China, launched in China and paid with Venezuelan Bolivars

Venezuelans paid for it, they own the satellite

;)

[Codeine]

27. They certainly own it,

but it ain't Venezuelan.

[AlphaCentauri]

28. if they adopted and owned it's Venezuelan

like McCain who was made in Panama, he is an American of course.

[Robbien]

30. By those standards, most of everything in America is not American but in fact Chinese

Venezuela is doing nothing but what the US/UK and Eurozone are doing.