Maybe.

I doubt if it will kick off a space race with Arabia, though. Mark Whittington will be disappointed again.

Does this mean that the moon would then become the 6,243,843rd most holy place in ilsam?

I'm not certain what Rand means by his typical snarky comment. There's nothing in the referenced article about any Arab manned effort to anywhere. For the record, I doubt that any Arab state could mount one.

One good strawman (for instance, your oft-repeated nonsense that I believe that the Chinese have benign intentions) deserves a snark, Mark.

I don’t dismiss the “possibility” that China could put a man on the Moon within 10-15 years if they choose to. I don't think they're planning to do so, but then 10 years ago I wouldn't have thought they would be where they are today (economically / militarily) either.

I thought only NASA had the technology to send payloads to the Moon -- or so Mr. Whittington has told us.

Funny, I read Mr Whittingtons' blog daily and I can't recall his ever stating such an absolute... do you have a link, whoever you are?

Oh, if that's you Ed, nevermind.

I thought Michael was referring to the patent Hughes applied for after their maneuver: 6,116,545. "Free return lunar flyby transfer method for geosynchronous satellites" This one has a requirement that the launch take place in May or September. Though this one: 6,149,103, "Free return lunar flyby transfer method for geosynchronous satellites havint(sic) multiple perilune stages"

Let the games begin!

(completing the thought on my first paragraph)

...has no such disclaimers.

> Funny, I read Mr Whittingtons' blog daily and I can't recall his ever
> stating such an absolute... do you have a link, whoever you are?

Why, yes, Mr. Trotter, I do.

http://curmudgeons.blog spot.com/2005_08_01_curmudgeons_archive.html#112405457460413008

Although, you may continue to argue that A is not A.

Try again Mr/Mrs "blank" but nowhere in the post you linked to did Mr Whittington state that "only NASA had the technology to send payloads to the Moon". He does expound on the differing roles of government and private enterprise but of course you assign your own meanings to what he wrote so as to promote your agenda. Typical.