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US China Nuclear Space Race? (http://www.nuclearspace.com/a_us_china_spacerace.htm)

In Greek mythology, Prometheus was the Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity. Arthur C. Clarke's early novel "Prelude to Space" featured a nuclear powered ram jet for the first stage of a moon mission; it was called Prometheus as well. Last week NASA Administrator, Sean O'Keefe, announced a new Prometheus -- a bold new nuclear space propulsion initiative that will do for spaceflight what fire did for humans of old.


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What if China follows our lead?

If China felt that a race with others was needed, they'd possibly win.

I'll admit I know little about how their system of gov't works there, especially now with the growth of capitalism. But I don't see them with the same restrictions on nuclear development as the US has. No public protest groups, no EPA for exhausts, and the gov't has more control over where money goes.

They are behind us only in what they've acccomplished, but they have similar technical abilities, maybe more. If they ramped up a nuclear space program, I think they'd succeed before us. It's a question of worthiness to them.