been hearing a bit about this french space program that is almost up to the us and russian standards. it is suposedly based somewhere in south america on a remote country ruled by france. would like any more info on this since i dont visit france or read their news papers that much. thank you.

The french do have the greatest space launch capacity outside of the US, Russia, and China, although Japan is rapidly encroaching on thier title. The French Ariane rocket has a well proven track record, and is at least in the medium/heavy lift class of launch vehicles. (Still not up to the capacity of the Space Shuttle or the Russian Proton rockets, but still out lifts anything the Chinese or Japanese have fielded yet).

All French launches are conducted out of Guyana in South America.

I think you'll find this is a European wide effort, hence the name the European Space Agency!

The French launch complex at Kourou, FRENCH Guiana is used for all ESA Ariane launches. Technically speaking, French Guiana is part of France, and therefore part of the European Union. Natives are therefore European Union citizens!

The European Space Agency is, like you can see it on the name, European, and not french.

The Ariane launcher is European too, and not french. Parts are builded everywhere in the Union.

But the ESA spaceport is in french Guyana, South-America.That's why people think that ESA and Ariane are french.

Also, it's true that France like to think that ESA and especially Ariane are from France.

Maybe it's just me not liking you u-p, but what is this last post about actually. You need to summarize all that's already been said? There is virtually no new information which this last post adds to the discussion. "Way above", HA! My foot!

Devils Advocate, did you see the topic title ? " french space programs ".

I was just saying that ESA and Ariane aren't french.
And don't judge my "way above " on just one of my post.

Ok super-commie ?

[Edited on 6-3-2003 by ultra_phoenix]

You did sorta like repeat everything I said in the post previous to yours, U_P.................!!

Does your mood supposed mean anything!? 100110111000100 binary is 4DC4h or 19908 in decimal!? Am I missing something ?!


[Edited on 7-3-2003 by CupidStunt]

fisrt of all no communism was related to his post so that was pointless and childlike insult. i would also warn you not to take communism lightly. the largest reasons of it's failure in russia, north korea, and china, which is doing better, is mainly because the dictators were not willing to give up their wealth to make a no gov't society. the only way communism will work is when all the members of its host country are willing to work for the greatest cause of knowledge, not mere material things that the current nations work for, such as land control, economic power, or other things that are useless such as material pleasures like video games, the arts, trinkets, 16ooo $ watches and stuff like that. if communism is to succeed then the people must be educated, and work for more education, where knowledge is the power of the nation. work to find out why we're here what made us what our full potential and cause of living is. not nuclear weapons, trying to kick the crap out of the other guy, and no brutal civil war. the only way for people to accept that is if it shown to them in youth. once people turn into adults, their minds are corrupted with the wastefulness of capitolism and the mindless bickering of democracy.

I hate the unfairness of privileged classes, and people that are assured of wealth and success, just because they come from the 'right' social group (as in the UK Public School setup!), but Communism DOESN'T work !!

People are inherently lazy! If you only earn a set wage, most people will do the minimum amount of work! And in all Communist regimes, the most vicious, back stabbing thugs get to the top, and corrupt everything, in their paranoid need to look after no1. This happens in democracies too, but at least there, they can be exposed and removed far more easily!

Lets face it! Mao Zedong is revered in China, yet he killed 40 million of his own - far more than any other country could ever hope to!

[Edited on 8-3-2003 by CupidStunt]

Wasn't this thread about French/Euorpean space programs?

Hawkish Yank behavour is as repulsive to me as communism.............Making the same mistakes as the British Empire in the 1880s, but 130 years later !!

Like the Admin in the USA now hasn't progressed..............

It's sad, and counterproductive to everyone..........

phoenix_cross, you wrote a good " blah blah " post !

I bet that you was happy when you have read what you wrote.

And super-commie was not an insult. I wrote it cuz I knew that you are a commie.

I guess if there was an alien invasion the French would be the first country to surrender too...

This would be interesting...