I don't understand stories like these at all. Why are still seeing this from a Cold War perspective? First, in what possible sense is a Chinese manned spacefli

I don't understand stories like these at all. Why are still seeing this from a Cold War perspective? First, in what possible sense is a Chinese manned spaceflight program a challenge to the U.S. If we apply the same standard to the Russians, haven't we've already "lost"? What's with the International Space Station, can China not join the club? The first item in the National Aeronautics and Space Act [1]: >(a) Devotion of Space Activities to Peaceful Purposes for Benefit of All >Humankind.--Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States that >activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of >all humankind. Second, why no division of labor? Let China do manned spaceflight. Hell, let's chip in (aside from debt service on all those T-bills). We can do plenty of cool stuff: start flinging bacterial spores into interstellar space, submersible probe(s) on Europa, etc. [1]: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ogc/about/space_act1.html#POLICY http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ogc/about/space_act1.html#POLICY