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One Giant Step for a Small, Crowded Country
Are the Japanese moving to the moon?
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Courtesy of JAXA |
Of course, Japan is not the only country looking moonward. NASA says their newly named Orion craft will reach the moon by 2020. Longer-range plans have not been discussed. China and India have also thrown their hats into the ring by funding their own moon programs. "We have to keep up with other countries' activities to retain our technological lead," Kawaguchi says. He warns against an "imbalance of power" should China and India attempt to stake their claim to moon territory. Still, national rivalry may not be enough to persuade the Japanese government to fund the project. As agency spokesman Satoki Kurokawa points out, "It is best to think of this plan as one of a number of visions for the future of JAXA."
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Moonbase or Bust |
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Japan will first use robotic missions to get exacting data about a building site (left), then begin building their moon outpost (right). Click to enlarge. |
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All images courtesy of JAXA |
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Read about how Japan collected pieces of an asteroid with their Hayabusa spacecraft.