Space: A Lucrative Proposition? Or true Science???

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Space:

Is it a lucrative proposition? Or true science???
And why all that interest “seemingly” concentrating on the lunar surface all of a sudden
after all that dormancy since the Apolo Missions???

1) European Venture:
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ariane5_launch_030929.html
Europe’s First Moon Mission Launched on Areane-5

2) Boeing News:
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-03zzg.html
Boeing Managed Rocket Launches Boeing Built Satellite

3) Sea Launch???
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/launchers-03v.html
Interesting, but what is it???

4) The Asian connections:

The countdown starts her???
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/shenzhou_tech_030924.html
Shenzhou Secrets: China Prepares for First Human Spaceflight

Costly proposition:
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/business/japan_h2_991208_wg.html
Japan to Abandon Troubled H 2 Rocket Project. Cool launcher however.

c) India, China reach for the moon
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EH14Df01.html
2007? That’s roughly 4 years away. Time flies, however!!!

d) Space is trully the next frontier as it seems:
http://www.spacedaily.com/2003/031002092001.3u5ezc6u.html
India plans to launch three satellites next year

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