NASA, China in Space Link?

The Chinese National Space Administration recently invited NASA’s head to visit China. The hope is that would be the first step in future cooperation between the two agencies, a first date in case “we need to get married some day.”

This kind of exchange – and the cooperative work that would hopefully come of it – can only be good. Confidence Building Measures between China and the US, particularly in space, are absolutely essential. Both America and China have each expressed concerns about the other looking to weaponize space:

“The pace and scope of China’s military build-up already puts regional military balances at risk. China is likely to continue making large investments in high-end, asymmetric military capabilities, emphasizing electronic and cyber-warfare; counter-space operations…” Quadrennial Defense Review, Feb 2006

“China is developing or improving counter-reconnaissance and counter-space capabilities using a range of solutions from low-tech denial and deception… to high-tech lasers and space-tracking devices.”
DOD Assessment of China’s military power, 2005

“At present, the danger of weaponization of outer space is increasing with each passing day. Taking weapons into outer space will lead to an arms race there and make it a new arena for military confrontation.”

“The nuclear deterrence strategy based on the first use of nuclear weapons has yet to be abandoned. The trend towards lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons and developing new nuclear weapons is worrisome. There has been greater danger of weaponization of and an arms race in outer space.”
China’s White Paper on Arms Control, Sep 2005

Each nation is likely to weaponize space in the coming decades if it’s convinced the other is trying to do so – that’s Arms Races 101. There’s no guarantee (and, admittedly, not a great chance) that cooperation in peaceful space exploration will prevent a space arms race. But it can’t hurt.

-- Matthew Tompkins

UPDATE 9:30 AM: Looks like there may be some cooperation between the Russian and American military space programs, too.

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