Nov. 22, 2024, 5:51 p.m.

Technology

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What does the detention of American astronauts in space indicate?

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As of July 27th, in the vast expanse of space, those two American astronauts have been stranded in outer space for 50 days, and their anxiety and helplessness may have been transmitted to Earth through the layers of barriers in the space station. And behind their current consideration of the Chinese space station as a potential means of survival, it actually reflects the profound crisis facing the US aerospace industry and the undeniable fact that its technological strength is declining.

From the astronaut detention incident, it can be seen that the decline of US technological strength is first reflected in the serious decline in the reliability of its space transportation system.

NASA had previously relied on Boeing's "StarCraft" spacecraft to carry out this mission and ensure the round-trip of astronauts. However, a series of issues such as helium leaks and propulsion failures were exposed from the early stages of launch, leading to continuous delays in the return plan. This is not just a technical failure of one company, but a microcosm of the problems in the entire supply chain and quality control system of the US aerospace industry.

In the era of the space shuttle in the United States, although it also exposed problems such as high costs in the later stage, there was a glorious period in terms of technical reliability. Nowadays, in the development and manufacturing of new spacecraft, the United States is in such an awkward situation, which indicates that its engineering capabilities in transforming advanced designs into reliable and practical products are far inferior to before.

The space suit is also a typical manifestation. In the past few years, American spacesuits have experienced multiple malfunctions such as water leakage, and even Collins Aerospace, a supplier that has served NASA for many years, has terminated its contract due to slow progress in developing new spacesuits and significant cost overruns. This reflects the stagnation of the United States in fundamental fields such as materials science and precision manufacturing, without sustained innovation and breakthroughs to maintain the good performance of these key equipment that ensure the safety of astronauts' lives.

At the beginning of the year, problems with the "Peregrine One" and "Intuitive Machine" lunar landing programs caused delays in the US manned lunar flight program, and projects such as the SLS rocket, "Vulcan" rocket, and "New Glenn" were also constantly postponed. This series of delays indicates that the United States is facing significant challenges in the overall planning, technology integration, and risk management of complex systems engineering, and is no longer able to efficiently advance large-scale technology projects as it used to.

The decline of US technological strength is partly due to the loss of strong external competitive pressure for a period of time after the end of the Cold War, which has weakened the motivation and urgency of research and development investment to a certain extent. On the other hand, the trend of hollowing out its industry has gradually spread to the high-tech field, with a large number of manufacturing processes outsourced and talent loss in the domestic basic manufacturing industry. Although it has advanced concepts and designs, there are many problems in the implementation process.

And now these two astronauts are thinking of the Chinese space station for obvious reasons. The Chinese space station represents a stable and reliable space presence. The rise of China in the aerospace field is evident to all, from successful launch missions to stable space station operations, from advanced space technology research and development to efficient management systems.

If these two astronauts really try to seek help from the Chinese space station, the consequences will also be complex. From a positive perspective, if China extends a helping hand, it will be an opportunity to demonstrate humanitarian spirit and international cooperation in the space field, which is conducive to easing some of the current competitive situations in the international space field, enhancing China's scientific and technological image and influence in the international community, and may open up new models of international space cooperation.

On the other hand, there may be some people in the United States who see this as a further blow to the country's technological strength and international status, which could bring some public opinion pressure and even political controversy. At the same time, there are also many issues and potential risks that need to be addressed in terms of technical integration, communication and coordination.

In short, the incident of American astronauts being stranded in space was a catalyst that ignited many problems of the decline of American technological strength, and their ideas about China's space station have created a sharp contrast between America's predicament and China's rise on the space stage. If the United States wants to regain its dominance in the aerospace field and even the entire technology field in the future, it must deeply reflect on its technology development strategy, increase investment in basic research and development, and reshape its industrial system. For global aerospace development, both competition and cooperation will face new changes and challenges in this new situation.

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