Presidential science advisor John Marburger, speaking Thursday morning at the Goddard Memorial Symposium, downplayed any prospects for a new space race between the US and China. “I think it would be a serious mistake to construe the relative activities of China and the US as the beginning of a new space race,” he said in response to a question after his prepared remarks. “It would lose the opportunity for synergistic efforts” between the two nations down the road.
Later, Marburger was asked how a Chinese manned landing on the Moon, before the United States returns, would be viewed here in the US. (NASA administrator Mike Griffin has previously said that when (not if, in his opinion) that happens, “Americans will not like it, but they will just have to not like it.”) “These are events that can seized upon by the multitude of advocates that we have… so who knows how that event will be ‘managed’, if you will, or spontaneously strike the imagination of the people,” he said. “If we’re in a very tense time with China when that happens, then it’s possible that the impact might be very great” but may have less of an impact here if relations with China are more “relaxed”.
Marburger made it clear he preferred that latter scenario. “We’re more effective if we can do this in a relaxed way,” he said, referring to the implementation of the exploration vision. “We can’t afford to make each one of these events a big, expensive show that doesn’t build for the future. We will be most successful in the future if we do this in a planned way and really try to signal our seriousness to other countries that we want to do this together.” In conclusion, he said, “We ought to try as hard as we can to exert a discipline on ourselves not to overreact, not to see in these various efforts by other nations opportunities to make a quick hit in some way, a quick splash of our own, and spend a lot of money and not get enough for it for the future.”
I’m impressed with Marburger’s maturity and diplomatic attitude. This is certainly a perspective that is lacking at NASA now.
I wonder what “opportunity” Marburger sees in the Chinese ASAT test? An opportunity for appeasement, it looks like to me.
Appeasement doesn’t come to mind in looking at how the world has reacted to the Chinese ASAT test last year. That event apparently was a huge embarrassment to the PRC supreme leadership. The fallout for the responsible personnel within the PLA will become known outside of China eventually.
I’m impressed with Marburger’s maturity and diplomatic attitude.
John Marburger is a scientific !@ss of the highest order.
John Marburger has done more to damage the scientific credibility of the United States of America more than any other individual in US history.
Well, Elifritz has managed to pollute comments after only three posts.
You cannot possibly defend the damaged reputation and credibility of the United States of America under the tutalage of John Marburger, and therefore you don’t. Less than one more and you !@sses will be ‘shown the door’, and it will have been people just as livid as myself that made it happen. Your party of incompetence and violence will just be more unfortunate American history.
If you are unable or unwilling to be civil here, please take your commentary elsewhere. Thanks.
HOW can they win the (new) moon race with China, if they plans to spend twice+ the money, in twice+ the time, to develop old-looking things like this BAD (phone-booth like crew cabin) Altair lunar lander? >>> http://www.ghostnasa.com/posts/025badaltair.html
Hmm. Now I’m starting to wonder if I should take a closer look at all of the Moon books I picked up over in China. I just wish I could read Chinese.
The myriad titles, most with links to the publishers’ websites (at least when I made the entries), can be found at:
http://www.outofthecradle.net/categories/kens-lunar-libraryyueh/
Maybe I’ll scan some of the timeline graphics when I get a chance…
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