U.S. Abandons Space

IBD Editorials ^ | September 30, 2011 | Staff

[Kaslin]

Exceptionalism: While the American space program is in a museum, Beijing orbits a nearly 9-ton space station module. Soon men will return to the moon, but they will likely be speaking Chinese.

While America was scanning the skies waiting for an aging satellite to fall to earth, China was looking to the skies and seeing its future.

On Thursday, Beijing launched into space aboard a Long March 2F rocket a space station module weighing 8.5 metric tons that will serve as a prototype for a 60-ton Chinese space lab to be in orbit by 2020.

Americans may yawn and say "been there, done that" and, besides, we have other things on our plate right now. But this latest nail in the coffin of American exceptionalism has serious implications for both U.S. leadership and security. China's space program is intimately connected to its military aspirations, and it views space as a venue for more than tadpole experiments.

Not long ago, Capt. Shen Zhong of the Chinese Navy Research Institute said: "The mastery of outer space will be requisite for military victory, with outer space becoming the new venue for combat."

Certainly the Chinese development of an operational anti-satellite program speaks to Beijing's view that space is not a demilitarized zone.

The Tiangong 1 module is expected to remain in orbit for two years. China, the third nation after Russia and America to put humans into space, plans to launch two Shenzhou spacecraft in 2012 for unmanned docking trials. A third may carry a crew to populate the Tiangong 1.

[Yosemitest]

And just how is it that the Chinese were able to overcome their problems with getting a two stage rocket to work?

Let's go back to the origins of the TREASONOUS ACT that "fixed" their problem. Let's review:

Clinton Administration Policy

On August 5, 1994, President Clinton released a National Space Transportation Policy that gave DOD lead responsibility for improving ELVs and NASA lead responsibility for upgrading the space shuttle and technology development of new reusable launch vehicles. The policy also sets guidelines for the use of foreign launch systems, the use of excess ballistic missile assets for space launch, and encourages an expanded private sector role in space transportation R&D.

Satellite Exports to China: 1998-2000 (Including the “Loral/Hughes”

Issue, the Cox Committee Report, and Lockheed Martin). On February 18, 1998, the President notified Congress that it was in the national interest to export Loral’s Chinasat 8 to China. On April 4, 1998, the New York Times reported that a 1997 classified DOD report alleged that Space Systems/Loral (part of Loral Space & Communications) and Hughes Electronics’ satellite manufacturing division (then a subsidiary of General Motors; now Boeing Satellite Systems) provided technical information to China that improved the reliability of Chinese nuclear missiles. The assistance was provided in the wake of the February 1996 Intelsat 708 launch failure (see above). The Intelsat satellite was built by Loral, which participated in an inquiry into the accident at the request of insurance companies seeking assurances that the Chinese had correctly diagnosed and solved the cause of the failure. Loral formed a review committee that included representatives of other satellite companies, including Hughes. According to Loral, the review committee did not itself investigate the accident, but listened to Chinese officials explain their investigation and then wrote a report. Loral conceded that a copy of the report was given to the Chinese before it was provided to the State Department, in violation of Loral’s internal policies. Loral says it notified the State Department when it learned that the Chinese had been given a copy. According to media sources, DOD’s 1997 report says that the companies provided technical information in violation of Loral’s export license. The companies insist they did nothing that violated the license. The Justice Department investigated the allegations and expanded the probe to include Hughes’ response to the 1995 APStar-2 failure. A grand jury reportedly was empaneled in 1999. The government reacted a civil settlement with Loral on January 9, 2002 wherein Loral agreed to pay a $14 million civil fine, and spend $6 million on strengthening its export compliance program. On December 26, 2002, the State Department charged Hughes Electronics and Boeing Satellite Systems with 123 export violations. The companies settled with the government on March 5, 2003, accepting a civil penalty of $20 million in cash, and $12 million in credits for money already spent ($4 million), or that will be spent ($8 million), on export program enhancements. Many hearings on the “Loral/Hughes” issue were held by various House and Senate committees. In addition, the House established the Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People’s Republic of China chaired by Representative Cox to investigate the issues. The Cox committee concluded that Hughes and Loral deliberately transferred technical information and know-how to China during the course of accident investigations. The committee investigated other cases of China acquiring technical information from the United States and made 38 recommendations (see CRS Report RL30231), including that the United States should increase its space launch capacity. The FY2000 DOD authorization act (P.L. 106-65) included language implementing many of the Cox committee recommendations. In brief, the Department of Justice must notify appropriate congressional committees when it is investigating alleged export violations in connection with commercial satellites or items on the munitions list if the violation is likely to cause significant harm or damage to national security with exceptions to protect national security or ongoing criminal investigations; companies must be provided with timely notice of the status of their export applications; enhanced participation by the intelligence community in export decisions is required; adequate resources must be provided for the offices at DOD and the State Department that approve export licenses; individuals providing security at overseas launch sites do not have to be DOD employees, but must report to a DOD launch monitor; and DOD must promulgate regulations concerning the qualifications and training for DOD space launch monitors and take other actions regarding those monitors and the records they maintain. In February 1999, the Clinton Administration denied Hughes permission to export two satellites for the Asia Pacific Mobile Telecommunication (APMT) system to China for launch. Export permission for APMT had been granted in 1997 (the President notified Congress on June 25, 1997), but Hughes changed the spacecraft design, necessitating new export approval. That application was denied. On May 10, 2000, the White House made its first certification to Congress under the new process detailed in the FY1999 DOD authorization bill, approving the export to China of satellite fuels and separation systems for the Iridium program. On August 18, 2000, the State Department stated it would continue the suspension of a technical assistance agreement for Loral regarding launch of Chinasat 8 because the concerns that initiated the suspension in December 1998 had not been rectified. In January 2001, Space News reported that the Chinasat 8 export application was returned to Loral without action. In April 2000, it became known that Lockheed Martin also was under investigation, in this case for performing a technical assessment, without an export license, of a Chinese “kick motor” used to place a satellite into its final orbit. On June 14, 2000, the State Department announced it had reached agreement with Lockheed Martin involving $13 million in penalties — $8 million that the company will pay over a 4-year period and $5 million that was suspended and that the company can draw upon to fund a series of remedial compliance measures specified in the consent agreement.

Also read RUSH: MY CONVERSATION WITH REP.CHISTOPHER COX ( A repost of 08/28/2000 ~~ NK discussed)

Why is it, that every time a Democrat is in the White House, they give the Communists our secrets?

[JRandomFreeper]

including reason, reality and laws of physics.

Well, that problem is self correcting in the long run. See Kipling's 'Gods of the Copybook Headings'.

Sure, it takes time. But water is wet, fire burns, and there isn't anything libs can do to change that.

/johnny

[Grizzled Bear]

I’m wondering why we need to thumb a ride to the space station.

[RKV]

It happened before after Apollo ended. It won’t last long. You ever had your car in the shop and had to leg it for a bit? Same difference.

[Yosemitest]

Also remember:

Clinton Agrees to Allow Shipment of Cray Computer to China. (Originated from Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Minn.)

Nov. 20--President Clinton gave the green light for sale of the first Cray Research supercomputer to China's weather service, wire services reported Friday from Seattle, where the president is meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

In addition to the approval of the medium-sized supercomputer to help forecast weather disasters, a tentative OK was given for the sale of U.S.- made power turbines for nuclear generators. The Cray sale was called a "done deal" by an unidentified U.S. official, but the turbine deal was said to hinge on China's willingness to improve treatment of dissidents and prisoners and to keep its markets open to U.S. goods.

Also available is

DOWNSIDE LEGACY AT TWO DEGREES OF PRESIDENT CLINTON
SECTION: STATUS OF US INTELLIGENCE
SUBSECTION: EXPORT CONTROL
February 6, 2001

NEVER FORGET:

You can't trust a Democrat COMMUNIST.

[PIF]

Great news! The USA controls LEO Space Tourism, China’s PLA controls everythng above that. Sweet. /s

[RKV]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Because the US has no way to get there.

[Molon Labbie]

Ya, American exceptionalism is so like, 20th Century.

[bmwcyle]

Obama sets goal to not put a man on the moon so we do not have to successfully return him to Earth.

[SoJoCo]

All the more reason to get the space program out of the hands of NASA and give it to the military. Space is a matter of national defense.

The DOD does not make its own aircraft or ships or bombs or satellites or bullets or anything else it uses. It just overpays for them. If the government let out bids for getting people and equipment into space I'd bet you would find that private industry could do it faster, better, and cheaper than NASA or the Air Force could.

[raptor22]

Surremder ping

[PIF]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

—

Wait and see ...

[B4Ranch]

>>Why is it, that every time a Democrat is in the White House, they give the Communists our secrets? <<

Because our TREATIES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS obligate us to share our advanced technology with all countries and ARM OUR ENEMIES.

Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease Program has changed names a few times but never ended.

[3boysdad]

Are you trying to say the military should be privatized as well?

[SoJoCo]

Are you trying to say the military should be privatized as well?

The space program should be.

[jmcenanly]

All is not lost. We are starting to think like Americans again There are companies who are stepping in where NASA is having difficulty.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Don’t just blame Clinton.

ALL of this, is paid for via “free trade”.

[3boysdad]

But your line of reasoning leads to both.

[3boysdad]

BTW, I’m not against private space industry whatsoever. I’m all for free market enterprise above the central government. But... our military should also employ a space program... and it should be the best in the world. I’ll pay taxes for that all day long over everything else we pay for.