Charles R. Smith
Friday, April 5, 2002

Possible U.S.-PRC Joint Space Station Mission

NASA and the U.S. State Department are reported to be seeking new ties with China after its successful launch and recovery of an unmanned Shenzhou spacecraft.

According to Aviation Week and Space Technology, two days after the Shenzhou launch, NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe told a forum in Washington that he and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage are spending "a lot of time" exploring whether and how to bring China into closer cooperation with the U.S. in space.

China has previously sought to join the U.S.-led International Space Station (ISS) as a partner. According to Luan Enjie, director of the China National Space Administration, the space station "is not a true international program" without Chinese participation.

"We want more frequent communication with entrepreneurs, engineers and enterprises in the U.S. so that we can have extensive cooperation in the future," stated Luan in a November 2001 interview published by Aviation Week and Space Technology.

Chinese Army Runs Space Program

However, the People's Liberation Army runs virtually all of China's space efforts. Chinese President Jiang Zemin appeared at the Shenzhou launch on March 25 dressed in an Army uniform, underscoring the military significance of the PLA manned program. The Long March 2F vehicle lifted off at 10:15 p.m. Beijing time. At launch, the combined launcher and spacecraft weighed 1 million pounds.

The Shenzhou orbital module is reported to have carried a piggyback satellite that was released later in the flight. This is the first time a Shenzhou has carried an additional satellite. The Chinese have not disclosed the satellite's mission.

According to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, President Jiang sent a message of congratulations on the successful return of the Shenzhou spacecraft.

Jiang reportedly sent the message in a telephone call to PLA General Cao Gangchuan, head of the General Armaments Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief director of the national manned spacecraft program.

"I believe that this is the first time that General Cao has been identified as 'chief director of the national manned spacecraft program.' As GAD (General Armaments Department) head, he oversees the collection of, and development of, all PLA technology and weapons," stated Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.

"As an ISS partner, would General Cao be feted all over like the equal of the NASA Director? One must at least consider the possibility that all ISS information the PLA can get will go straight into their military space programs," said Fisher.

China Wants U.S.-made Satellites

According to Aviation Week, the new U.S.-PRC space cooperation could also play into the possible loosening of U.S. aerospace export restrictions that have prevented the commercial Chinese launch of U.S.-built communications satellites and European satellites containing U.S. parts. Several U.S. space industry sources noted that the export restrictions have hurt both Chinese and American communications satellite sales.

However, the Chinese army has a long history of espionage operations inside the U.S. seeking missile and satellite technology. During the Clinton administration, Chinese Army General Ding Henggao and PLA General Shen Roujun were able to purchase U.S.-made satellites and launch vehicle technology from Loral, Hughes and Motorola. Gen. Shen, according to a congressional report, played a key role in acquiring classified missile technology.

The People's Liberation Army succeeded in obtaining a wide range of U.S. missile technology from the Clinton administration, including satellite control facilities, satellite image processing facilities, missile nose cone design, multiple warhead delivery systems, guidance systems, kick-motor designs and computer systems for ground and space control.

"PRC reports also note the Shenzhou 3 launched its own small satellite. This could be a possible nano-sat prototype that could serve a number of military purposes including ASAT (Anti-Satellite) missions. In addition, the orbital module remains in orbit, performing many functions including 'earth observation'," stated Richard Fisher.

"For a number of years the Europeans have been trying to sell China manned space technologies and they are pushing to get China into the ISS. One might imagine that U.S. companies would like to follow suit," noted Fisher.

Congressional Reaction Brings Swift NASA Response

In addition, the open publication of possible new links to China via the International Space Station brought a swift reaction on Capitol Hill. One congressional source demanded and received an official explanation for the statements from NASA.

"Over the last four years, at the request of the U.S. Department of State, NASA has informed all interested Chinese entities including the Chinese National Space Agency and the Chinese National Remote Sensing Center that a prerequisite for any potential new cooperation between NASA and China, would be China's adherence to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) guidelines and annex, and adoption of export control policies consistent with the MTCR," states an official response to the congressional inquiries from NASA dated April 3.

"Further, that once MTCR issues are resolved, NASA would be interested in renewing a dialog with China in areas of potential cooperation. This USG [U.S. government] position was reiterated to the Chinese Government by Embassy Beijing in bilateral discussions conducted in November 2001," noted the NASA response.

Congressional sources noted that the proposal being floated by NASA administrator O'Keefe and State Department Undersecretary Armitage are not, and have never been, official policy. NASA officials, backed by White House policy, will neither bring up nor support any Chinese participation in the International Space Station.

"By his own admission O'Keefe has yet to determine whether or not he'll be able to keep the promises NASA has made to our current partners, so it's premature for him to start looking for additional players," noted one source inside Capitol Hill.

According to the official April NASA response, "under the International Space Station agreements (ISS), it is possible for non-Partners to participate in ISS program through an ISS Partner.

"However, all other Partners must be notified and give their consensus prior to the non-Partner's participation in the program. Non-Partner participation could occur through contribution of hardware to the ISS or through collaborative research. The ISS international partners are currently not discussing any plans to pursue Chinese participation in this program," noted the official NASA response.

"The only purpose I could see in putting forth such a proposal is intelligence gathering for us," said Douglas Brown of the Nathan Hale Institute.

"Maybe something to dangle in front of them and to initiate some preliminary activities that would be useful for us but the idea of letting them in the ISS as full partners sounds like John Huang is now sending faxes from State. What's next? Co-piloting our recon planes?" asked Brown.

U.S.-China Framework for Peace Comes First

There is no question that the Chinese army runs all space activities from its brand new mission control facility located 30 miles northwest of Beijing. The control center is packed with U.S.-made computers supplied during the Clinton administration.

"The statements made by Jiang Zemin and General Cao surrounding the Shenzhou 3 launch were much more Klingon Empire than Kennedyesque. They very clearly link the manned space program to the PLA's military ambitions," stated the Jamestown Foundation's Richard Fisher.

"I'm all for space exploration cooperation with China but not before we create some peace on Earth, like on the Taiwan Strait and concerning China's missile and nuclear proliferation. The minimal 1970s level strategic framework that preceded space cooperation with the Soviet Union does not exist between the U.S. and the PRC. A strategic framework that promotes peaceful behavior on Earth should precede attempts at peaceful cooperation in space," concluded Fisher.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
China/Taiwan
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