Space has never been a lucrative enterprise in the U.S., though, unless you were a senior executive at one of the few large contractors. Even in the Apollo era, I'm pretty sure bankers and lawyers tended to make more money than NASA engineers.
I agree with you about the essential importance of education and a strong economy. I also agree with you that China see space achievements as a good way (among many) to express its desire for leadership.
But China lags significantly behind the U.S. in areas of education, economy, and freedom of expression. The latter is important because it is an essential ingredient for long-term innovation.
I think we'll see China do some great things in the near term, perhaps even put people back on the moon. Americans will be freaked if that happens. (I'm sad to say--I wish people would take a broader view of humanity, but oh well.)
But in the long run I think we'll be doing big things in space too. It just looks shitty now because we're between big launch systems.
But China lags significantly behind the U.S. in areas of education, economy, and freedom of expression. The latter is important because it is an essential ingredient for long-term innovation.
We're at the point where China can simply use existing technology to gain a lead in space presence. More permissive societies are bound to appear, given a serious program of Chinese space settlement. Also, the Soviet experience shows that you can have technological innovation in aerospace without freedom of expression.
It's fine by me if a dictatorship takes the lead in space. Their people might suffer as a result. Our goal should always be to raise the average standard of living. If that means taking a back seat in some area, why not?
I agree with you about the essential importance of education and a strong economy. I also agree with you that China see space achievements as a good way (among many) to express its desire for leadership.
But China lags significantly behind the U.S. in areas of education, economy, and freedom of expression. The latter is important because it is an essential ingredient for long-term innovation.
I think we'll see China do some great things in the near term, perhaps even put people back on the moon. Americans will be freaked if that happens. (I'm sad to say--I wish people would take a broader view of humanity, but oh well.)
But in the long run I think we'll be doing big things in space too. It just looks shitty now because we're between big launch systems.