Congress, NASA

Wolf to Bolden: don’t even think about China

At last week’s meeting of the heads of the space agencies involved in the ISS, in Quebec City, Canada, the subject of potential future Chinese participation in the station apparently came up. “I am in favor of seeing how we can work together with China,” ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain told reporters, as the Canadian Press reported, but admitting that it will take “some time” to include China or other new partners. NASA administrator Charles Bolden reminded the news agency, though, that NASA is prohibited by law from cooperation with China, but added “he hopes the space partners will continue their conversations with the Chinese”.

The author of that legal provision that prohibits NASA (and the Office of Science and Technology Policy) from cooperating with China is not happy that there’s even discussion of possible cooperation. In a letter to Bolden that was first reported by SpacePolicyOnline.com, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) said he was “concerned” to read about that discussion of Chinese participation in the ISS program mentioned in the Canadian Press report. “NASA should make clear that the U.S. will not accept Chinese participation in any station-related activities,” Wolf wrote, later asking for a “detailed report” on those discussions in last week’s meeting regarding China.

19 comments to Wolf to Bolden: don’t even think about China

  • Ben Russell-Gough

    Purely in my opinion, serious moves to include China would represent a tacit admission on the ISS coalition’s part that Russia is not 100% reliable as sole crew provider. It would also mean they have no confidence that the various NASA crew launch programs (commercial and Orion) can deliver a working spacecraft in a reasonable time-scale.

  • amightywind

    Moves to include China in the US space program only highlight what we already know, NASA (like most government agencies) is run by muzzy thinking transnational idealists with no regard for America’s security. Cooperation with China is not only a no, it is a heck no! Let them come back in 100 years when they have a new political system.

  • Scott Bass

    Would kinda be like showing up at a keg party moments after everyone had bought the keg. If China wants in they better bring a big check to cover their share of design and construction.

  • Dark Blue Nine

    “Purely in my opinion, serious moves to include China would represent a tacit admission on the ISS coalition’s part that Russia is not 100% reliable as sole crew provider. It would also mean they have no confidence that the various NASA crew launch programs (commercial and Orion) can deliver a working spacecraft in a reasonable time-scale.”

    Not really. China’s flight rate of one mission every couple to few years could not support, or even contribute materially, to ISS crew rotation or resupply. At best, Shenzhou could provide a one-time emergency backup if Soyuz had a bad day before commercial crew is operational.

    An interim crew backup would not be a bad thing to have, but between his positions on China and commercial crew, Wolf is apparently determined to maintain Russia’s Soyuz monopoly on ISS crew transport as long as possible.

  • Wolf is another paranoid whack-job.

    He probably doesn’t have any fine china in his house either.

    Would Wolf prefer China go their own way and build a space station over which we have no say or influence? That we can’t even see inside?

    I’d also like to hear from a constitutional scholar whether Congress can even legally tell the President he can’t talk to other nations. Article II Section 2 of the Constitution states:

    The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

    He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

    The ISS agreements aren’t treaties, but foreign relations has always been within the purview of the presidency.

  • Robert G. Oler

    Stephen C. Smith wrote @ March 7th, 2012 at 9:23 am

    Would Wolf prefer China go their own way and build a space station over which we have no say or influence?>>

    I cannot speak for Wolf…but for me? I wouldnt mind it one bit. I dont for the life of me understand why anyone is talking to the Chinese…

    I am oppossed to Chinese involvement across the board…but I will just mention three reasons.

    First the space station is at least now “complete”. It is in my view (a regretable) balance of this country did that for X amount of time on orbit for its people Y amount of Kilowatts etc…Really what this entire “barter” notion is, was a way for NASA to construct large parts of the space station outside the US and pay for the privilege (because it could not do it internally)…and so while the US put the entire thing together and did the lions share of the heavy lifting and paid most of the cost…we are mostly screwed in terms of “what” we get. This wont get better with the Reds on the station.

    Second; What does the PRC hve to offer? Chinese food?

    Third…what on the creators earth are we doing dealing with a nation that is systematically in its policies trying to bring down this country?

    Look I didnt like any of the deals which made the space station possible…and by possible I mean “what did we get from it”? But playing that game once again with the Reds does nothing…good anyway.

    Wolf is a turd…but sadly he has ventured into the truth on this one RGO

  • Robert G. Oler

    Stephen C. Smith wrote @ March 7th, 2012 at 9:23 am

    I’d also like to hear from a constitutional scholar whether Congress can even legally tell the President he can’t talk to other nations. ”
    |
    No…he/she the POTUS can in foreign affairs do just about anything that they want. Even start wars…ask Bush RGO

  • vulture4

    Here’s an idea – call Congressman Wolf at (202) 225-5136

    Unfortunately Wolf, and many NASA managers, are basically delusional and think this is still the Sixties, at least in the distorted way they remembers it. They think Mitt or Rick will suddenly “see the light” give them $500B to race the Chicoms to the moon in some sort of Apollo, the Sequel. They don’t see any connection between the tax cuts they demand and the lack of money for STS/Orion. They hate Obama so bitterly that they instinctively believe anything he proposes must serve some secret devious purpose.

    Time to get real. China is as capitalist as we are, and within a decade China’s GDP will exceed that of the US. The ISS is short on access and short on cash. It needs a new partner with deep pockets and big rockets, and the Shenzou is so far more reliable than the Soyuz. The real rivalry between the US and China is in manufacturing and exports, not in the obsolescent technology of the ISS. The most important thing we can do for world stability is to build trust and understanding between our countries, and hopefully avoid a new cold war.

  • General Sherman

    Meanwhile, Rep. Wolf’s party is being funded by foreign cash, but allowing China to participate in a peaceful international science station? We must put a stop to it!

  • amightywind

    Time to get real. China is as capitalist as we are

    Umm, except for that small matter of a currency peg. If the market determined the value of the yuan many of the imbalances that plague the world economy would disappear. What is unreal is this generation’s unwillingness to confront the darker side of the rise of China.

    and the Shenzou is so far more reliable than the Soyuz.

    It’s only flown manned three. Nobody from the west has ever inspected it. An absurd claim. Of course they have flown dummies more often. Perhaps we could crew ISS with them. No one would be the wiser.

    The real rivalry between the US and China is in manufacturing and exports

    The real rivalry is for military technology. We have more to lose, the chicoms have more to gain.

    The most important thing we can do for world stability is to build trust and understanding between our countries, and hopefully avoid a new cold war.

    Tell that to Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, and Taiwan who are exposed to China’s extravagant territorial claims. The cold war is already here. A lot of people are just in denial, or hope to make a few bucks.

  • Robert G. Oler

    vulture4 wrote @ March 7th, 2012 at 11:17 am

    Time to get real. China is as capitalist as we are, and within a decade China’s GDP will exceed that of the US. >>

    I dont know that I agree with either of those.

    The Chinese are no more capitalist then the Santorum crowd is for religious freedom…as for the Reds GDP…lets see. I think that their economy is about to well “slump” RGO

  • To show you how nutty Wolf is on China … In 1995 he claimed that eating human fetuses is a delicacy in China.

  • Dark Blue Nine

    “… within a decade China’s GDP will exceed that of the US. The ISS is short on access and short on cash. It needs a new partner with deep pockets and big rockets, and the Shenzou is so far more reliable than the Soyuz. The real rivalry between the US and China is in manufacturing and exports, not in the obsolescent technology of the ISS.”

    I would not characterize China as a potential partner with “deep pockets”. China’s economy is in an increasingly bad position, it suffers from deep internal divisions that are a huge drag on budgets, and geopolitically it has few good (if any) options. (See link to analysis below.) After Europe, China is probably the biggest threat to the ongoing global economic recovery. The rate at which China has been able to fund it’s human space flight program has been very slow and is unlikely to accelerate for the foreseeable future.

    http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/state-world-assessing-chinas-strategy?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20120306&utm_term=gweekly&utm_content=readmore&elq=f482bd9d699148cc8eca8ab83e0aab09

  • amightywind

    Third…what on the creators earth are we doing dealing with a nation that is systematically in its policies trying to bring down this country?

    Hard to figure you out. Sometimes you think too clearly to be classified as a liberal.

  • E.P. Grondine

    I think that the Wolf amendment is unconstitutional as written, as it intrudes on the President’s ability to conduct the foritgn policy of the United States.

    In any case, ther amendment has no effect on ISS partners’ conversations with China’s space leadership.

  • DCSCA

    Charlie Bolden– the Peter Principle at work.

  • Explorer08

    Blue Dark Nine said:
    “I would not characterize China as a potential partner with “deep pockets”. China’s economy is in an increasingly bad position, it suffers from deep internal divisions that are a huge drag on budgets, and geopolitically it has few good (if any) options.”

    If you hadn’t used the word “China” there I could’ve sworn you were talking about the USA!!

  • DCSCA

    @Dark Blue Nine wrote @ March 7th, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    I would not characterize China as a potential partner with “deep pockets”. China’s economy is in an increasingly bad position, it suffers from deep internal divisions that are a huge drag on budgets, and geopolitically it has few good (if any) options.

    Nonsense. But you’ve already demonstated poor judgment on matters relating to space policy. THe PRC has climbed a long way in two decades. America, not so much. But you go ondenying the obvious and keep whistling past that graveyard. You, too, Smitty.

  • Dark Blue Nine

    “THe PRC has climbed a long way in two decades.”

    So what? China has only completed three manned missions in their entire history. Since 2005, they’ve only managed one launch every three years. And that’s using a Shenzhou capsule derived from 45-year old Russian technology.

    Whoop-dee-freaking-doo.

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