The Art Neuro Weblog

Roll Up For The Magical Mystery Tour, Step Right This Way
The Chinese allowed Western journalists to tour their launch facility for the first time.

It was the first time China let foreigners enter, though officials forbade photographs of the command-and-control center with its rows of computer screens or the mammoth assembly hall where workers built the spacecraft that lifted China's first astronaut into orbit last October.

For the secrecy-conscious national government, Jiuquan houses treasures to be guarded closely. But to local officials, Jiuquan is a blue-ribbon brand name just waiting to be marketed far and wide.

"No matter what products are named after Jiuquan, they will sell," said Hao Yuan, assistant to the governor of Gansu province, where part of the space center is located.

"We welcome foreign cooperation in the fields of aerospace and aviation," Hao said. "We would also like to provide launch services to foreign companies."

At competitive prices, no doubt. Considering China are only the third nation to send a human being into orbit through its own launch facility behind Russia and the USA, it stands to reason that they would like to front a shop in one corner of the burgeoning market place.

The question remains, why can't Australia open shop? After all, we have the real estate and the know-how. Why is it so hard for our government and industries to re-embrace the vision?

- Art Neuro