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See the original image at news.bbc.co.uk

France plans revolution in space

news.bbc.co.uk — Ambitious plans for European missions to the Moon and Mars are being considered by the French government.

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  • Androfire, on 07/01/2008, -15/+9Sacre bleu?
    • OwdenBowden, on 07/02/2008, -7/+3It has been reported that France will launch a few of its citizens into space and then have all of the planets revolve around France.

      But only for 4 hours a day.
      • nuno86, on 07/02/2008, -1/+3It has also been reported that you're an idiot.
      • OwdenBowden, on 07/02/2008, -4/+1@ nuno86

        Hey did you think of the cleaver digg user name yourself?

        For the record!

        I would rather be an Idiot than French. Mater of fact the only good to come from France was the "French Revolution" during WW wars ( which was started by an AMERICAN because the French are too ***** stupid to do anything by complain). And with your wonderful comment I have alred deduced that you are FRENCH because only a ***** ***** who just Joined Digg could come up with that quick witted sentence. Why don't you do the world a favor. Place a Plastic bag over your head and kill yourself so as so spare the world your seed and the fact that you are taking valuable oxygen from the rest of us.
      • nuno86, on 07/03/2008, -0/+2Lool.

        Do you really think i care what you (or anyone else) think about my username? Even i myself don't care about my user name. That's just stupid.

        No, you presumptuous idiot, I'm not French, I don't give a ***** about France, and I don't give a ***** about your retarded country.

        And what the hell was that about the world wars? Lol. You really are an idiot. In my first comment I wasn't sure, but now i am sure you really are retarded. But i mean, you're american, so i guess it's okay for you to be retarded, i wasn't expecting much from your person.
  • hollywoodphony, on 07/01/2008, -33/+9Europeans have a space agency?
  • HuskyPuzzle, on 07/01/2008, -31/+6Silly Frenchies, space is for the big dogs. Mars? I'll believe it when I see it.
    • illt, on 07/02/2008, -5/+24silly nationalists...science, and especially space should be an international endeavour that all humans can embrace and rejoice in

      It's a shame we have nasa, esa, china, russia and japan all working on separate programs with similar goals
      we need some more scientific diplomacy
      • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -2/+2That's because competition works better than cooperation. There's no real incentive to work hard when you don't have to beat the other guy. Sorry, just the way the real world works.
  • wonderchemist, on 07/02/2008, -24/+70Well, at least when the first space war starts, there will be someone to accept a surrender from.


  • rockus, on 07/02/2008, -17/+3Yeah...a revolution indeed!
    http://digg.com/comedy/Le_idiot_2
  • bosssmiley, on 07/02/2008, -3/+21As usual France has the big idea, then gets the Germans to underwrite them (ESA, CERN, Eurofighter, Airbus A380) while still making enough noise to ensure that a substantial proportion of the research and factory facilities are in France.
    Say what you like about Johnny Frog, but he's not daft...
  • shutaro, on 07/02/2008, -7/+29This can only mean one thing: Orbital Guillotine.
  • petemcfraser, on 07/02/2008, -8/+5Vive la resistance!
  • SolidBones, on 07/02/2008, -8/+6I don't think guillotines work in space...
    • atchon, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5just need to attach small thrusters to the blade. Rocket powered guillotines.
    • PabloMac, on 07/02/2008, -1/+1Hydraulics.
    • blackjack75, on 07/02/2008, -1/+1I am pretty sure that if you put a King and a guillotine alone in space, the King willl die first.
  • RationalXubrnce, on 07/02/2008, -3/+1Space is a Harsh Mistress.
  • wasincox, on 07/02/2008, -7/+2We'll be seeing an Eifel Tower on the Moon pretty soon.
  • ericjohnson0, on 07/02/2008, -11/+4I would say the French know quite a bit about what is revolting, indeed. This pic pretty much expresses my feelings concerning French initiatives of most kinds...

    http://thesaloon.net/blog/_archives/2008/6/4/37278 ...
  • Kanele, on 07/02/2008, -2/+1itt Sarkozy giving credit to himself
  • Commonwealth, on 07/02/2008, -1/+24Maybe the possibility of France getting to Mars first will get a lot of the Americans who don't support NASA to change their minds.
    • mrjah, on 07/02/2008, -8/+3First you'd have to convince those Americans -- or anyone else, for that matter -- that the possibility of France getting to Mars first actually exists.
    • Number23, on 07/02/2008, -11/+2A country whose citizens won't work more than 35 hours a week in going to beat America to Mars? Sure....
      • roodammy44, on 07/02/2008, -1/+6Coming from a country that's getting dumber and dumber?
        Have you never heard of that irritating phrase "work smarter not harder"?
        It really doesn't matter how long they work if they're clever enough.
      • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1Is that why France's electronics and aerospace industry is on artificial life support? :D
      • Slovenian6474, on 07/02/2008, -0/+3idk, for a country who has a hand in the world's largest particle accelerator AND working on a large scale experimental fusion reactor AND a pioneer in high speed rail...I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the French.
    • jsavage58, on 07/02/2008, -3/+1Shouldn't we really take care of the problems here first?
  • Conwaysb0718, on 07/02/2008, -1/+9I wonder how much more could be accomplished if we (a couple of countries) could all agree on missions, objectives and pool our funds... I mean, im sure this is happening at some level, but i wonder what it would do for relations down here on earth as well if we work together towards something...
    • diceau, on 07/02/2008, -2/+1And thoughts and so on ... yeah always wondered the same, who knows.
    • f4nt0m4s, on 07/02/2008, -0/+2nothing wrong with a little competition...let's not forget that Russia helped keep the United States on top of their game when we were trying to get to the moon.
      • Conwaysb0718, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1totally agree, but was that not because relations got so bad? i mean, it sounds like the U.S. could use a little positive P.R. with the global community nowadays. Granted, someone will make the comment about stopping the war or working on pollution first, but working together for at least a little bit for the future of human kind might not be a bad thing.
    • Tebixan, on 07/02/2008, -0/+3Unfortunately, I think if all of the nations were pooling their resources together to achieve a common goal, they would each contribute much less than if working separately.

      Everyone would have the "someone else will do it / pay for it" mentality. Why should we pay X when Italy is only paying Y!

      Probably the best we can hope for is that if someone makes a breakthrough, they'll share it with everyone else, for a licensing fee of course.

      Though, there is someone to be said in allowing everyone to follow a different path. What if the idea's the Chinese, Europeans, and Americans have end up being dead ends, but the Japanese got it right?
  • billbugger, on 07/02/2008, -7/+2i don't think the guillotines work in space... gravity issue.
    • Renian, on 07/02/2008, -1/+5Simple fix: Add thrusters to the guillotine's blade.

      That'll add a new meaning to the abbreviation RPG.
    • kevro, on 07/02/2008, -1/+2it would be a rocket guillotine of course. Blades still work in space.
    • billbugger, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1touche
  • Locnar, on 07/02/2008, -11/+5What?!? Did they run out of land to surrender on Earth?
    • Depravo, on 07/02/2008, -4/+3I say, here's a bit of fun for you to try.

      Go to Google and enter 'French military victories', then hit the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button.

      It's only funny because it's true.
  • f4nt0m4s, on 07/02/2008, -5/+3If only the moon was made out of cheese...then all the French would need to bring is wine and crackers.
  • Kenzan, on 07/02/2008, -8/+2Great..Now we'll have a bunch of pretentious snobby restaurants in Space.
  • PaxRomana, on 07/02/2008, -7/+1We know how French Revolutions end...
    • blackjack75, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1... with a space Napoleon taking power?
  • sonar1, on 07/02/2008, -13/+2on behalf of Earth: PISS OFF!
  • chantron, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5I don't know, but to me it seems like the most logical and economically feasible way to go about space exploration is to do it internationally, through the U.N. or some new coalition. Get all interested parties to pitch in for the cost. You'd be able to get a much much larger budget and everyone could work on the same page!

    Yeah, fat chance getting everyone to work together, but I'm an idealist, maybe this could be the start!
    • barc0de, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1The problem is money, no-one wants to spend a chunk of thier gdp funding something which they then have to share credit for. Christ, America wont even pay full wack for the UN as it is.
  • mlrigsby, on 07/02/2008, -1/+4Does anyone remember a few years ago when Bush announced the US would return to the Moon and begin planning Mars expeditions? It was all over cable news for about a week, and then it disappeared into the memory vault. Weird.
  • reland1, on 07/02/2008, -5/+2French Fried Fesa!
  • chocula78, on 07/02/2008, -9/+1Since WWII the French have made bad airplanes. Their aircraft always have one major design flaw. There is no way in hell they can be successful in space.
    • roodammy44, on 07/02/2008, -1/+5The only supersonic passenger plane was bad?
      Besides, this is ESA - I'm sure the Germans will sort out any of the design problems.
    • matu4251, on 07/02/2008, -0/+6bad air planes? Seriously, you have commercial planes: concorde, airbus ... then military: mirage, rafale... sorry but those aren't failures.
      If there is one thing that France doesn't suck at is engineering. If you think otherwise, you should start lobbying your government not to by French nuclear reactors in a very near future (as they are probably looking into right now since France is the leader in that too).
  • rationalbeats, on 07/02/2008, -2/+22Too bad Obama wants to cut funding for NASA and does not believe space exploration is worth while.

    man he is more disappointing with each passing hour.
    • schneb, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5Just had a tour of Kennedy Space Center last month. They have posters of all the great innovations that we are enjoying today, thanks to the technology advances via NASA. Example: Some boating excursions are now quieter, cleaner and their boat engines enjoy improved fuel mileage and increased durability thanks to NASA inventing a new, stronger, lighter aluminum alloy. Hello? And that is just boating!

      Obama is short-sighted, and that is disasterous for the Executive Branch.
  • S3Captain, on 07/02/2008, -13/+3Really? France into space? 56% of their public thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth. Can we really trust them not to blast off in their rockets and not fall right back down on the rest of us?
    • jeriqo, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5Where the ***** did you get that number from?
      • psevium, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1It was on a French who wants to be a millionaire show, 56% said the Sun revolves around the Earth and the rest said the moon. So not the entire public but a bunch of chumps
    • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -3/+0You're wrong: the French believe that the Sun revolves around Paris. With all the rest.
    • Slovenian6474, on 07/02/2008, -2/+1Lets hope they don't mix up miles and kilometers and smash a multi-million dollar mars rover.
  • kinship, on 07/02/2008, -8/+1And we all know how the last french revolution turned out ;)
    • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -2/+0You mean, when they overthrew a King and ended up with an Emperor?
  • maxlightz, on 07/02/2008, -11/+1at least now they'll have an excuse for being a smelly unshaven nation
  • delmar14, on 07/02/2008, -7/+2France is basically bankrupt, so I don't see this actually happening.
    • matu4251, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5And the american economy is doing oh so well this days...
  • Alexcarrier, on 07/02/2008, -1/+24You sure as hell all defend Obama from racism, while at the same time spitting out the same stereotypes and slurs over and over again about the French.
    • cnot3, on 07/02/2008, -0/+9Yeah, come on guys, haven't the French taken enough ***** already?
    • eigenweasel, on 07/02/2008, -1/+7Here in the UK it's impossible to open a tabloid newspaper without seeing some insult directed at either the French or the Germans.
      It's a curious defect in Anglo-Saxons that they seem to hate their brothers and sisters in neighbouring countries while praising "diversity".
      • Ramble, on 07/03/2008, -1/+1Is it the Daily Mail by any chance?
      • cnot3, on 07/03/2008, -0/+1I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse. - Charles V

        Best insult I ever heard directed to the Germans.
    • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -5/+0You're right, everytime I visit France I find out new stereotypes. We could use them instead.
  • swr1ght, on 07/02/2008, -0/+4"It wants to kick-start a revolution in space by letting EU politicians not bureaucrats decide on priorities for the European Space Agency (Esa)."
    Horrible idea. Politicians should never, under any circumstances, be allowed to make decisions. If they could make decisions, they wouldn't have become politicians.
  • aggromonkey, on 07/02/2008, -6/+0USA! USA!! USA!!!
  • sporg, on 07/02/2008, -0/+9I can remember when NASA wasn't just for launching orbital weapons and spy satellites.
  • cnot3, on 07/02/2008, -9/+1If French spaceships are anything like their cars, there's no way in hell one is going to make it to the moon.
  • sHockz, on 07/02/2008, -2/+3I commend France for taking an active role in getting off this planet. I think humanity as a whole needs to look to space for answers and expansion. If we wait too long and never get off this rock we could have some asteroid or comet smash into us (apophis in 2029 anyone?!) and then bam, bye bye humans.
  • srodolff, on 07/02/2008, -8/+2When France and revolution are mentioned in the same sentence I get a mental picture of JarJar Binks saying "My give up. My give up."

    It's quite disturbing on both counts......
  • nuno86, on 07/02/2008, -0/+9Maybe France alone can't beat America in the race to Mars, but the European Space Agency can... and they will if they want to.

    In fact, this is all about the European Space Agency that includes 17 european countries... it's not France alone. It only happens that right now France have the presidency of the European Union.
    • Pixelante, on 07/02/2008, -3/+0Yes, but they will have to ride on an American spacecraft.
      • nuno86, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1Oh really? I don't think NASA sells spacecrafts.

        But no, ESA have the technology to build their own spacecrafts and space stations.
  • Panda200x, on 07/02/2008, -9/+4Sweet now the white flag will go up on the moon.
  • AlternativeDigg, on 07/02/2008, -0/+14I don't understand the need to constantly bash and ridicule the French! Napoleon Sarkozy yes, but the French are lovely people. They have a beautiful country who the few Americans with passport always love to visit. They have great food, great wines and they can teach us a few things about enjoying life. They obviously can build good technology. Their trains and airplanes have always been top notch. They helped America in it's revolution and they have always loved Americans. They, like us, are not a reflection of their government. Is that how we should treat our friends?

    Then there is the consistent lack of knowledge. We've been had again. The billions of public money spent on NASA are really for creating the ultimate high ground for war and world dominance. Complete with nuclear reactors and laser weapons.

    There is a pattern of public money funding research and the private sector inheriting it all for pennies. Corporations will mine the universe, make huge profits and we will have paid for it all.

    But hé why worry about important things when we can just bash the French.

    • Alexcarrier, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5I could not have said it better.
  • christophelyon, on 07/02/2008, -0/+5The simple fact is : the French government is pushing other European countries because France is the only European country to have a spatial launch base (Kourou, in French Guyana), and no other European country has a suitable territory to build one, so if this project is carried on, it will obviously use the Kourou installations, and therefore essentially bring money to France interests.
  • kronzdigg, on 07/02/2008, -8/+1And who is going to pay for it? Their ever vacationing frenchies or their immigration (Muslim) masses?
    • blackjack75, on 07/02/2008, -0/+3If they can have the standard of living they have while getting three times more vacations than you do, then you should start wondering who's the idiot.

      As for the "immigration masses" you refer to, most of them are french citizens and they should be treated as such.
  • digjam, on 07/02/2008, -1/+1For a "Revolution" in Space...all you need to do is to Revolve it once and leave it.... it will revolve forever............Trust me!
  • schneb, on 07/02/2008, -2/+5"I blast off in your general direction!"
  • roflcopters, on 07/02/2008, -2/+1"It wants to kick-start a revolution in space by letting EU politicians not bureaucrats decide on priorities for the European Space Agency (Esa)."

    Wait, EU politicians are not bureaucrats?
  • yaosio, on 07/02/2008, -4/+2Welcome to 1969 Europe!
    • skadd, on 07/02/2008, -2/+2What happened in 1969?
      Oh, you mean the fake moon landing?
  • Ezzilo, on 07/02/2008, -4/+1France already had plans to go to the moon years ago. But a team of one of their best scientists found out the moon actually isnt made out of cheese. They then scrapped the program and used the money to buy the biggest indian cheese company.
  • ASSASSYN360, on 07/02/2008, -4/+1Knowing the French they will probably use somone else to do all the work then take the credit.
  • uptwolait, on 07/02/2008, -0/+10FIRE ZE ROCKETS!
  • rohde, on 07/03/2008, -0/+4I have never understood why you Americans dislike the French so much - didn't they help you in the war against the English?

    Also considering what that country has produced of food, wine, and art just makes the bashing less understandable. Is it some kind of intellectual inferiority complex?
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