NASA Chief Warns Of Chinese Space Station, And Rise Of China's Space Ambitions

The International Space Station serves as one of the biggest scientific achievements of humans to date. Since its inception in 1998, the space station has served as an abode to numerous science experiments.

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine now highlights that the ISS might be coming to the end of its useful life.

Reuters

In a recent interaction with US lawmakers, Bridenstine mentioned the importance of the US maintaining a presence in Earth's orbit, after the ISS is decommissioned. The importance was further stressed by the NASA chief considering China is set to launch its own space station soon.

As of now, the ISS is expected to be operated until 2030. Urging the concerned authorities to be prepared for the same well in advance, Bridenstine said "I'll tell you one thing that has me very concerned -- and that is that a day is coming when the International Space Station comes to the end of its useful life.¡±

"In order to be able to have the United States of America have a presence in low Earth orbit, we have to be prepared for what comes next," he said.

The space control race

International Space Station. (Image: NASA)

In line with these concerns, NASA is pushing for the commercialization of low Earth orbit, extending to 2,000 km (1,200 miles) or less from Earth's surface. The US space agency has requested $150 million for the 2021 fiscal year to achieve this goal.

"We want to see a public-private partnership where NASA can deal with commercial space station providers, so that we can keep a permanent uninterrupted human presence in low Earth orbit," said Bridenstine.

In essence, the newfound direction would not need the US to launch another space station to replace the ISS. Bridenstine instead calls for support to the commercial industry in the country to do the same.

"I don't think it's in the interest of the nation to build another International Space Station -- I do think it's in the interest of the nation to support commercial industry, where NASA is a customer."

Diminishing US space presence

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (Image: Reuters)

A crucial factor in Bridentine¡¯s call for the efforts is the upcoming space station by China. Named Tiangong (Heavenly Palace), the space station is expected to be operational by 2022.

China is partnering with multiple nations, many of which are already partners of the US on the International Space Station, for conducting scientific experiments onboard Tiangong. These countries include France, Germany, Japan and even developing nations like Kenya and Peru.

"China is rapidly building what they call the 'Chinese International Space Station,' and they're rapidly marketing that space station to all of our international partners," said Bridenstine. "It would be a tragedy, if, after all of his time, and all of this effort, we were to abandon low Earth orbit and cede that territory."

Bridenstine mentioned the US¡¯ necessity in maintaining the position. He suggested that funds to NASA can eventually be used to pay companies to set up a space station. NASA would then act as ¡°one of several customers¡± and hence will have a presence in the low-Earth orbit at a much lower cost.

He stressed that this was vital to "ultimately not cede that territory to another country that doesn't have our interests at heart."

(With inputs from AFP)