The United States is a bit annoying lately because China’s space program is progressing rapidly. “From the perspective of strength and status,” the United States feels a little strenuous. Seeing China approaching further, what should the United States, as a major aerospace power, do?
Three astronauts on the Shenzhou 13 manned space mission: Zhai Zhigang (middle), Wang Yaping (right) and Ye Guangfu (left). AP pictures
The Shenzhou 13 manned spacecraft was successfully launched on October 16, and the second batch of three Chinese astronauts then entered the “Tianhe” core capsule. This mission has achieved multiple firsts: the first long-term astronaut staying in orbit for 6 months; the first emergency rescue capability with multiple guarantees combining heaven and earth; China’s first female astronaut out of the cabin mission. Reuters said that with the decommissioning of the “International Space Station” (SSI) in a few years, the China Space Station will become the only space station operating in Earth orbit.
“From the perspective of China’s space program history, in the 1990s, China’s aerospace strength, or aerospace foundation, can be said to be quite low, and in these short decades, the achievements made are real. It’s unbelievable.” David Burbach, an associate professor at the US Naval War College, pointed out in an interview with CNN earlier: “The United States still has the world’s leading space program, but there is no doubt that, China is the second largest space power in the world today.”
Another CNN report: “In the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States has no competitors in the space sector and has maintained a dominant position. However, in recent years, American observers and politicians have repeatedly warned that America’s dominance is being challenged by China. China is rapidly developing its own space capabilities.” The analysis pointed out that China’s advanced space technology is related to the development of national science and technology and international status. Pushing into space, space has now become another key area of Sino-U.S. struggle.”
The BBC reported that Bill Nelson, the director of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), called China an “aggressive competitor” in the space sector. In May of this year, he warned in the U.S. Congress that the United States should not take China’s space development lightly. However, such “warm reminders” are regarded as “politically incorrect” by people of insight in the United States. Why? Should the United States treat China’s space program “friendly”? Stop teasing, the truth is like this.
Brian Weeden, the project director of the Secure World Foundation, believes that it is inappropriate to portray China as a serious threat, which is in line with China’s own political goals. The BBC quoted Wieden as saying: “China is working hard to use its space station to show that China has become a space power. The constant mention of the space race and concerns about the Chinese space station have strengthened the political message that China wants to transmit. He believes that the Chinese space station is put into use. It is an important achievement, but it does not mean that China has already kept pace with the United States in the field of space, let alone catching up with the United States.” In fact, if the US space program has steadily surpassed China, would you even be afraid that China “bragged”? As the saying goes, it’s not okay to talk about it.
The United States has strengthened its space program to ensure its superiority. (AP picture)
Why can’t China surpass the United States? It is said that the Soviet Union put the astronaut Gagarin into the earth orbit on April 12, 1961, making it the first astronaut of mankind. However, the United States rushed to catch up with the power of the nation. In July 1969, Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon, surpassing all previous achievements of the Soviet Union. Thus, “through the successful landing on the moon, the United States won the space race and brought an end to the space race.”
In the history of the human space program, the leader is not the leader in the end. What the critics say is an example of the Soviet Union competing with the United States. However, if another example is applicable, the leader this time is the United States. China is currently catching up with the strength of the United States. Does it imply that the United States is losing ground? What are you trying to say? Is it true that Americans are like their President Biden, with “spoken errors” from time to time?
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