use Perl

• No Such Thing as a Free Launch (Score:2)

  by Ovid (2709)

  I can only assume you're referring to the Chinese successfully launching a taikonaut? If so, I have to say that I am extremely happy to see this. If, in fact, the rumors that China wants a lunar outpost are true, I will be one of the first to cheer them on. I can not say that I am a particular fan of China or the terrible things that they have done, but I am happy for humankind to be seriously reaching for space again.

  Time to find some old Heinlein to read.
  • Re:No Such Thing as a Free Launch (Score:3, Informative)

    by vsergu (505)

    The only problem I have is this silly "taikonaut" word. I understand that Chinese feelings are hurt that there's a special English word for Russian astronauts, so they want their own word too, but where do we draw the line? Do we need a new word every time a new country launches someone into space? The proper solution is to stop using "cosmonaut" and call everyone "astronauts". (And the Russians can stop using "астронавт" and use "ко
    • Re:No Such Thing as a Free Launch (Score:2)

      by Ovid (2709)

      The proper solution is to stop using "cosmonaut" and call everyone "astronauts".

      Given that Yuri Gagarin, a Russian, was the first man in space, wouldn't it be more appropriate then for us to abandon the silly word "astronaut" and start calling everyone "cosmonauts"?
      • Re:No Such Thing as a Free Launch (Score:3, Interesting)

        by vsergu (505)

        Possibly, except that the word "astronaut" was used in English as early as 1929, before Gagarin was born. If there's already an established word for a concept, there's little need to borrow a new word for it.
        • Re:No Such Thing as a Free Launch (Score:1)

          by hex (3272) on 2003.11.20 8:33 (#25926) Homepage Journal

          "Astronaut" translates as "star-sailor", which seems a bit silly, unless the person in question is travelling on a craft powered by a solar sail. Everyone should just say "spacer", like they did in SF novels from the 1950s!

          Reply to This

          Parent