Before the International Space Station was launched into orbit in 1998, the U.S. signed a document with several other countries to agree to the peaceful use of the orbital laboratory. The agreement included Russia, Japan, Canada, and 11 European countries, while China was left out of the plan.
Nearly a decade later, China expressed interest in joining those on board the space station. The European Space Agency signaled support for the addition, along with South Korea, but the United States ultimately opposed the decision.
In 2011, Congress included in a spending bill direction to prohibit collaboration between NASA and China, citing concerns about sharing information that could give China a competitive advantage. Lawmakers argued that China’s space program was secretive and closely tied to its military.
China’s development of its own space station has sparked a new space race, with fears that NASA may face funding cuts and delays in launching new space stations. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy emphasized that the agency will not allow China to be the sole operator of a space station in orbit.
As China continues to make advancements in space exploration, officials at NASA are working on a different strategy for competition with China. The goal is to maintain leadership in space exploration and collaboration with international partners.
China’s increased cooperation with other countries, including hosting astronauts from Sweden, Russia, and Italy, has raised concerns about potential reliance on China for long-term needs in low Earth orbit. Commercial companies are also being urged to develop their own capabilities to avoid dependence on China.
One company, Arkisys, is working on a robotic servicing port for companies to use while in orbit, aiming to provide a form of permanent presence in space and keep the U.S. competitive in the evolving space industry. Wir können verschiedene Orbitransferfahrzeuge zulassen, um Fracht, Treibstoff und neue Nutzlasten zu bringen.
Bret Baier dient derzeit als FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Anker und leitender Redakteur von Special Report mit Bret Baier (werktags von 18-19 Uhr/ET), Chefpolitikanker des Senders und Co-Moderator der Wahlabdeckung des Senders. Baier ist auch Gastgeber des FOX News Audio Podcasts „The Bret Baier Podcast“, der Common Ground und The All-Star Panel umfasst. Er trat 1998 in FNC als erster Reporter im Atlanta-Büro ein und hat seinen Sitz jetzt in Washington, D.C.