Space Race or Space Cooperation?

Published in Lianhe Zaobao
(Singapore) on 3 May 2010
by Mai Chen (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Qu Xiao. Edited by Catherine Harrington.
The space race is all over the news in the past two months. I just heard that China put more graffiti on the American satellite that spied on China’s aircraft carrier in Shanghai. China’s high-speed low-orbiting satellite approached the U.S. spy satellite, accurately calculated its orbit, and launched a mist missile at it, which contained magneto-electrical materials with macromolecules and a high viscosity. Such materials temporarily blind the sensor on the satellite if attached. Twenty-seven minutes later, the magneto-electrical material gradually dissolved and the satellite returned to normal. But, by this time it was already way past its reconnaissance target. Like other actions taken against U.S. reconnaissance activity in China’s South Sea, the repeated graffiti shares the same purpose.

After America’s high-profile announcement of its X-37 aerospace plane and the establishment of CPGS (Conventional Prompt Global Strike), China soon reported its first success in an aerospace plane’s test fly. China has taken many small steps to attain its manned space flight and lunar probe project, while America claims that they’ll land on Mars in 2035. However, China’s anti-aircraft carrier missile is on par with America’s CPGS. While America has been carrying out anti-missile tests again and again, China kept up by testing its Land-based Mid-course Phase Anti-ballistic Missile. Since January 2007, both America and China have launched missiles to destroy satellites, a fact that was ridiculed in a Disney cartoon movie, The Secret of the Magic Gourd. At the beginning of the movie, a missile destroyed a satellite, causing the protagonist to save a spaceship damaged by the shrapnel. Does all this mean the exciting space race is on once again?

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union took the first lead in the space race, launching the first satellite and sending the first human being into the space. Soon after, America achieved the first landing on the moon. The Soviet Union then gained the upper hand when it comes to space stations, with America leading in terms of space shuttles. Europe, Japan and China each subsequently made achievements in space exploration.

Every country has its own advantages and disadvantages in space exploration. The Soviet Union has achieved much at a low cost, but is also rather isolated from the rest of the world. America spends a great deal but allows companies and universities to participate in their space projects, so the knowledge and technology can be spread widely, inspiring more innovations (there were 200 universities, 80 research institutes and 20,000 companies that took part in the Apollo project, with many new inventions and technologies, such as disposable baby diapers, induction cooker and electro-communications, resulting from this work). China likes to emphasize order and integration in its space program — low risk, low cost and very few failures. Though this method may not make China stand out when compared with other nations, its overall achievements are immense. Europe does a good job in commercialization and has advanced rocket technology, while Japan’s accomplishments are huge. The country’s H-2 rocket technology surpasses China, it has the most sophisticated test capsule in the International Space Station and its H-2B ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) has successfully docked. But, the country’s output is disproportionate to its input. The Japanese space program carries on without ambition or long-term plans; there aren’t enough projects, and the technicians are not fully competent or experienced.

After China’s implementations of reform and the Open Door Policy in 1978, it gave up its large-scaled space program and turned its attention to applied satellites, specifically those related to telecommunications and meteorology. Once the Cold War ended, the space race ceased to exist and many countries cut funding for space programs to a significant degree. Since then the world has been sharing space and space facilities in peace. The American space shuttle and Russian Mir space station often carry out united missions and contribute to the International Space Station.

However, the space race seems to have made a come back in the 21st century. China has re-launched the manned space flight and lunar probe projects, has plans to also explore Mars and to launch a scientific test satellite, with limited practical utility — something like the Harbor space telescope to help Chinese scientists win a Nobel Prize. Regionally, the space race is raging between China, Japan and India, three countries that have just realized their dreams of exploring the moon. Currently, China’s satellite system is gradually evolving from area navigation to global navigation. Japan is working on its Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, and India has established an Area Navigation System containing seven satellites. Even North Korea and South Korea are taking up the space race, competing by launching their own satellites.

Internationally, China, America and Russia are competing in space exploration. Russia has good technology but not enough funds. However, it has perfected its Global Navigation Satellite Systems GLONASS and now is seeking cooperation with China and America and hopes to land on Mars allied with China. Europe is constrained by public opinion on the space program, with the "Galileo" navigation satellite project threatening to break up because the European nations can hardly reach an agreement. Consequently, Europe is not considered as a reliable partner by other nations.

With the development of modern technology, the costs of space programs are becoming lower and lower. But, at the same time finances are growing tighter and tighter and public support for space programs is wearing away. Today’s space race hasn’t yet reached its peak, so it’s unlikely to inspire the public support today like it did during the Cold War. Here the authorities need to regularly justify the cost of space programs, even if the Chinese people have already been very supportive.

China demanded to participate in international space cooperation as an equal partner with other nations, which, unfortunately, hasn’t been very successful so far. Maybe ten or fifteen years later, when China catches up with America and Russia, it may start to be regarded as an important partner in space cooperation. After the financial crisis, China became an important force in the IMF and World Bank, despite the fact that it still lagged in space development.

To catch up with cutting edge technology is not an easy thing to do. In China, people haven’t got a clear picture about the importance of science and technology; whereas in Europe, America and Japan, the audience ratings of television stations like Discovery is much higher than that of soap operas. In America people will ask questions like why could the Soviet Union launch the first satellite, while in Russia classical music is very popular. Actually, technology and art are like a person’s left and right arm — only when combined together can they produce the desired result. The combination of technology and the art of architecture in contemporary China is even more awful than that of ancient times. It looks like China’s technology still has a long way to go.


太空竞赛到太空合作?

最近2个月,太空竞赛新闻和传闻很多,刚刚有消息说中国卫星为侦察上海航母的美国卫星再次涂鸦-用低轨高速运行的卫星在接近敌方侦察卫星时,准确计算轨道向其发射 “漆雾”弹,对方卫星临近时,让“漆雾”喷向对方卫星。 “漆雾”弹内含高分子高粘度磁电材料,喷散后强力吸附在敌方卫星的光学和电子传感器上,使之暂时致盲,27分钟看不到侦察目标,磁电物质在太空环境中会逐步挥发,卫星即恢复正常功能,这时卫星已经掠过目标上空。 多次涂鸦与对抗美国在南中国海对中国侦察性质是一样的,但是发生在太空。

  美国高调公布空天飞机X-37和建立全球一小时打击系统,中国随后报道中国空天飞机样机也已经试飞,是机载发射型,空天飞机各国都在试验阶段。中国载入航天和登月计划也是按部就班,美国公布要在2035年登陆火星。中国反航母导弹与美国最新全球一小时打击系统很接近。美国多次进行反导试验,中国也展开了中段反导试验。更早的是2007月1月后中美先后发射导弹摧毁卫星,迪斯尼拍的儿童片《宝葫芦的秘密》对此嘲讽,电影开始,一枚导弹摧毁卫星,小主人公救被卫星碎片打伤的国际太空船。 激动人心世界太空竞赛又开始?

  冷战时代,美苏展开太空竞赛, 苏联先拔头筹,第一颗卫星和第一次载人航天,美国则实现了阿波罗登月。苏联在太空站领域取得领先地位,美国是航天飞机。此时欧洲,日本和中国先后取得太空成就。各国有优缺点,前苏联太空计划成本低,成就大,但是比较封闭。美国耗费大,但是美国太空计划发动企业和大学参加,实现了知识创新和扩散,阿波罗有200所大学、80个科研机构、2万家企业、出来纸尿布到电磁炉和电子通讯多种新技术。中国则比较讲系统规划和集成,量力而行,成本低,失败少,虽然单个项目未必先进,但是成果巨大。欧洲商业化很成功,火箭技术先进。日本成就不小,H-2火箭技术超过中国,在国际太空站上负责最复杂的实验仓,H-2B转移飞行器实现了对接,但是成果与投入不成比例,没有雄心和长远计划,没有项目,系统能力不足,经验比较差。

  中国在改革开放后,先放弃了大型太空计划,从事应用卫星,搞通信和气象卫星。冷战结束后,太空竞赛一度停止,大幅度削减太空经费。世界进行太空和平利用,共享太空设施,美国航天飞机与俄国和平号太空站经常联合执行任务,之后建立国际太空战。

  进入21世纪太空竞赛重新开始,中国重新启动载人航天和登陆月球计划,也计划探测火星,计划发射实用性比较低的科学实验卫星,像哈勃太空望远镜之类,帮助中国科学家获得诺贝尔奖。在区域上,中日印展开太空竞赛,首先是日中印先后实现探月,中国逐步从区域导航卫星扩展到全球导航卫星,日本正在建立至少3颗卫星的“准天顶”区域导航系统, 印度建立由7颗卫星组成的区域导航系统。甚至朝鲜和韩国也正在进行太空竞赛,发射卫星。

  在全球上,出现中美俄竞争。俄国有技术储备,但是财力不足,但是把已经存在格格纳斯全球导航卫星完善,与美国和中国合作,希望与中国联合登陆火星。欧洲在太空项目上,受制于公众舆论,多国很难达成一致,导航卫星伽利略计划趋于破产,被其他国家认为不是一个可以信任的合作伙伴。

  随着技术成熟,虽然航天工程耗费越来越小,但是各国政府财政支出越来越紧张,公众对航天支持也越来越少。现在太空竞赛是低烈度的,很难像冷战时代那样激发公众支持,要向公众解释花费的合理性,就是中国公众对太空计划比较支持,也经常向公众解释。中国要求以平等伙伴身份加入太空合作,但是目前还不是很成功,估计还要10-15年赶上美国和俄国,成为太空合作重要伙伴。2035年火星计划要实现,只可能由中美俄为主联合完成。金融危机后中国在IMF 和世界银行成为重要力量,但是太空上还显落后,在技术上赶上困难得多。中国科学技术文化意识上还比较落后,在欧美日等国,探索发现之类的电视节目收视率超过电视剧。美国研究苏联为什么第一个发射卫星-苏联的古典音乐很普及。科技和艺术是一起的,中国新建筑在科技和艺术结合上还不如古人水平,科技既是硬也是软,赶上时间要很长。

  广州 麦辰
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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1 COMMENT

  1. Ah yes…satellite wars…can’t wait until it turns into a shooting match.

    I don’t see any real cooperation between the world powers on space flight, as space is primarily a military objective, no matter how much the citizenry of any of the countries involved may not want it to be.

    In battle, the side that holds the “high ground” has always had the advantage…and there is no higher ground than space itself.

    It would be nice though, wouldn’t it, if we could see each other as one world of humans instead of competing civilizations? But I doubt it will happen any time soon.