Chinese Manned Launch - Sunday

[Eric Mc]

Hadn't realised they came home safely yesterday morning - although a slightly bumpy landing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbMfI2Rn_Sk

[Simpo Two]

I like the flash of retro rockets at the last second.

Why do some countries choose water landings and others land landings?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Trouble is, when I watch one Chinese rocket launch, about half an hour later I fancy watching another.

[Eric Mc]

Simpo Two said:

I like the flash of retro rockets at the last second.

Why do some countries choose water landings and others land landings?

Only one country has ever chosen water landings for its manned craft, the US.

And it chose them because all its launches are out over the Atlantic, so the space capsule had to be designed for an emergency water landing anyway. The Russians had no choice but to launch over land, so their space capsules had/have to be designed to withstand a land landing if a launch is aborted shortly after lift off. The Chinese have followed the Russian technique.

[dirty boy]

I love the way they're carried out on chairs you'd find on offer in Aldi, then sat there, like puppets, waving.

Surreal.

[Eric Mc]

As the Russians do.