U.S. Cooperates With Frenemy Russia In Space. Why Not China Too?

Cooperation needed in space exploration, South China Morning Post

"In 2015, New Horizons made a similar fly-by to explore Pluto, the first spacecraft to have done so. The project is perhaps the best kind of American technological ingenuity and leadership. Quite a few countries have active space agencies, but none has been as successful as Nasa, which has, as the Star Trek saying goes, boldly gone where no man has gone before. Nasa is also freely sharing valuable data with anyone or any country that takes an interest in the mission. Such missions are laying the foundation for planetary travels. It seems only a matter of time, perhaps decades, for humans to land on Mars. Led by America, such efforts should be cooperative and show what humans could achieve when they work together. This is the kind of leadership the world can and will admire about the US."

China, EU on path of expanding cooperation in outer space, Global Times

"Jan Woerner, director general of the ESA, told Xinhua that the ESA welcomes more cooperation with China's space program, and several European astronauts are now learning Chinese in preparation. China and the EU signed an agreement in 2015 concerning cooperation in a manned space program, stipulating that the period from 2015 to 2017 was the stage of technological exchanges, and the two sides taking part in each other's astronaut training programs."

Culberson Optimistic Restrictions on US-China Space Cooperation Will Remain, Space Policy Online

"Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) said today that he is optimistic Congress will continue to prohibit NASA from engaging in bilateral cooperation with China unless certain conditions are met after he leaves Congress. Culberson chairs a key subcommittee and has included that restriction in each of NASA's appropriations bills since he became chairman four years ago, continuing a practice begun by his predecessor Frank Wolf. Culberson lost his reelection race, however, so will not be returning in the 116th Congress."

China's First Payload Arrives at the ISS, earlier post

"There is always a clever technical solution to overcome cumbersome political policies. People just have to want to find the solutions. Every time you do something like this, the original problem becomes less of a hindrance and is eventually replaced by new, usually unexpected, opportunities. Congratulations to everyone who made this happen. If we can calmly and professionally share a space station with the country who tried to steal our election then we can certainly share it with the country that makes our iPhones."

Keith's note: The Chinese clearly want to cooperate with the U.S. in space. There is strong sentiment within NASA and the space science community for doing so. But edicts from an earlier Congress prevent this fron happening. Given all of the rocky - often hostile - relations between the U.S. and Russia these days space is a comparatively benign and productive realm of cooperation. So if we can work with Russia in space - why can't we try and work with China in space in an equally productive fashion? With Culberson's departure and new House leadership maybe the prohibitions can be softened - or removed.

Earlier posts on China

from NASA Watch http://bit.ly/2GY79ja
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