The lander of the Chang’e-6 lunar probe is unveiled during a ceremony at the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in Beijing, capital of China, June 26, 2024. The lander of the Chang’e-6 lunar probe was launched open at a ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon. During the ceremony at the Chinese Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, researchers opened the return and examined key technical indicators. Photo: Xinhua
As the US space industry has recently faced more delays and stagnation with key components, including the manned spacecraft and spacesuits “going awry”, NASA has again resorted to its “sour grapes” rhetoric as it has seen China’s successful reclamation of cool lunar lands from afar. side of the moon, claiming that China did not directly invite its scientists to participate in lunar soil research.
This behavior is a typical blame-shifting ploy, Chinese experts said, noting that it is clear to all that it is the US’s own laws, not China, that are restricting space cooperation between the two sides. Instead of deluding themselves by distorting the truth, the US should face its own problem of a general weakening of engineering capabilities and a lack of long-term planning in its space industry.
After the Chang’e-6 samples, weighing nearly 2 kilograms, were safely transported to a special laboratory for further study on Friday, NASA spokeswoman Faith McKie told media that while China was working with the European Space Agency Space, France, Italy and Pakistan for this. mission, “NASA was not invited to participate in the lunar probe.”
NASA also received “no direct invitation” to study China’s moon rocks, as it welcomed all scientists from around the world to apply to study them, McKie told NatSec Daily.
Responding to the remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told the Global Times on Monday that China is open to having space exchanges with the US and we also welcome countries around the world to participate in the study of lunar samples. . “However, the US side seems to have forgotten to mention its domestic legislation, such as the Wolf Amendment. The real question is whether US scientists and institutions are allowed by their government to participate in cooperation with China,” Mao said.
“The existence of the Wolf Amendment has essentially closed the door on space cooperation between the two countries,” Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of the Beijing-based journal Aerospace Knowledge, told the Global Times on Monday.
Even if US research institutions are willing to work with China on opportunities such as lunar sample research, institutions there must obtain special approval from the US Congress due to the presence of this amendment, Wang explained. Currently, no such “green light” is in sight from Congress.
Moreover, China’s cooperation with international partners is based on equality and mutual benefit, utilizing their respective scientific resources, facilities and expertise. However, the US only wants what it doesn’t have, and its engagement with China would only benefit itself, Wang noted.
NASA has found itself embroiled in a number of high-profile issues recently, the most recent being the Boeing-powered Starliner spacecraft that experienced both a helium leak and propellant problems during a June 6 docking with the International Space Station. (ISS), which led to an indefinite delay for it. returning the crew to Earth, despite NASA’s insistence that they are not “trapped” in space.
The return of the Starliner capsule, while already delayed by two weeks, will be put on hold “through the summer” pending the results of new propellant tests, which are scheduled to begin Tuesday and last approximately two weeks or even more. according to NASA officials.
Earlier on June 24, NASA canceled a spacewalk to the ISS after a “serious situation” when one of the spacesuits experienced a coolant leak in the hatch. While broadcasting live, the astronauts reported “literally water everywhere” as they prepared for the extravehicular activity, space.com reported.
The report said this is the second time this particular spacewalk has been postponed, after a June 13 attempt with another group of astronauts was postponed due to a “spacesuit concern.”
Recurring problems with spacesuits are due to their service life, the media reported, as the puffy white ones currently worn by US astronauts were designed more than 40 years ago.
Despite the urgent need to replace them, NASA recently announced it is abandoning a plan to develop next-generation spacesuits it had pledged to deliver by 2026, CNN reported Thursday.
One of the main causes of such problems is that the US has developed many large technology conglomerates, which have long benefited significantly from government mandates and industry monopolies. Consequently, in many complex engineering fields, the level of attention given is very insufficient, Wang noted.
It also reflected the US’s lack of long-term strategic planning for its manned space program. For example, aging spacesuits should have been replaced a decade ago to ensure operational suits remain in usable condition. Failure to address the issue results in an impediment to necessary space station maintenance tasks and even poses life-threatening risks to astronauts in emergency situations, experts said.
The problems with Boeing’s spacecraft and space suits are not isolated problems, but reflect a systemic issue in the US space industry – the general weakening of engineering skills, they noted.