Hey, everyone who eats melons, today let's talk about an "old antique" in space - the International Space Station (ISS).
Did you know? This space fortress, which once attracted the attention of the world, is now facing the embarrassing situation of "retirement".
That's right, it is the ISS that once made us look up at the stars and sigh at the greatness of human science and technology, but now it is like an old man in his last years, ready to leave the scene.
And the story behind it, which is called a twist and turn, is even more exciting than the movie!
"Antique" retirement plan: $843 million "old age"
Here's the thing, recently, NASA announced an embarrassing decision: they will spend $843 million to ask SpaceX to design an orbiter that will guide the safe retirement of the American module of the ISS.
Doesn't it sound like arranging an aftermath for an old hero? Indeed, NASA plans to decommission the spacestar in an orderly manner by 2030.
However, the complexity and challenges behind this are much more difficult than "aging".
Why not upgrade but retire? The aging "body" can't bear it
You may ask, why not just refuel the ISS and let it continue to serve in new orbits? Hey, it's not just a matter of "refueling".
NASA engineers have said that the structure and function of the ISS have a life limit, just like people, when they get older, various parts of the body start to fail.
ISS's solar panels, radiators, and other key components have begun to age, and if they are barely used, it will be a big deal.
Therefore, when it comes to the disintegration stage, the United States must be responsible for returning its own module to Earth safely, and it must also ensure the safe fall of "Nemo Point" in the South Pacific, so as not to pose a threat to the environment and security.
The "selfish" principle of the United States: to each his own door
In international cooperation, it is not uncommon for the United States to "sweep the snow before its own door."
They don't want to take full responsibility for cleaning up alone, and they don't want to let the core technology leak.
However, the date of decommissioning is set for 2030, while Russia's support is only until 2028.
This means that the decommissioning of the ISS is not only technically complex, but also accompanied by international cooperation.
It seems that cooperation in space is not so easy, and each country has its own little ninety-nine.
America's space dilemma: powerlessness and capital short-sightedness
Speaking of which, it seems that the United States is no longer able to maintain the International Space Station.
Did you know? Boeing's first manned spacecraft had frequent quality problems, resulting in gas leaks and thruster failures when docking with the ISS.
This incident has caused a lot of uproar, not only exposing the problems of US space technology, but also making its safety guarantee in the field of manned space flight appear to be stretched.
Now the ISS is still overloaded, and the space station that was originally designed to carry 7 people is now crowded with 9 people, which is not a joke in an emergency, maybe it is a big hidden danger.
And the commercial interests of the U.S. aerospace community are also influencing the future of the ISS.
To put it bluntly, as long as the ISS can still "move", it will continue to be used, even if it is "sick work".
This speculative attitude is a big surprise.
It seems that in this space game, the power of capital is often more important than the long-term consideration of safety and scientific research.
What a speechless reality!
The Rapid Rise of the United States and China on Own: The New Landscape of the Space Race
Let's talk about the current situation of the United States.
At present, the United States also relies on Russia's "Soyuz" for the transportation of materials and astronauts on the space station.
Once this cooperation ends, the United States will face a huge challenge.
The deterioration of relations between the United States and Russia indicates that the United States may need to independently assume more responsibility for space.
However, in the face of China's rapid rise and the success of the Tiangong space station, the United States seems to be lagging behind in its industrial and space capabilities.
Did you know? In less than a decade, China has established a full range of space industry chains, covering satellites, spacecraft, rockets and returners.
This speed is simply stunning! If the United States wants to replicate China's success, it will need more time and resources.
Now, the United States is not only lagging behind in the field of deep space exploration, but the development of aerospace as a whole is also showing fatigue.
It seems that the United States' space supremacy is in jeopardy!
What does the future hold for ISS? America's space strategy needs to be reinvented
Speaking of ISS, as the space fortress nears the end of its "life", the United States must face a series of challenges: technological updates, international cooperation challenges, and how to safely and effectively retire this once-space glory.
Of all these questions, perhaps the most pressing is how to arrange the two overloaded American astronauts.
With limited resources, their presence can be an additional drain on supplies and could jeopardize the safety of the entire space station.
The U.S. space strategy really needs a radical overhaul.
The future of ISS is a key node in this revolution.
How to deal with this aging base floating in space will not only test the technological strength of the United States, but also test its morality and responsibility.
This is an important test related to the future of space, and we will wait and see whether the United States can successfully pass the test.
But ah, to be honest, looking at the embarrassing situation of the United States, the space hegemon, I am really a little happy with the melon-eating masses! After all, the new landscape of the space race is getting more and more interesting!
Write at the end
Hey, having said that, we have to think about it.
Is the retirement of the ISS just the beginning of America's space dilemma, or the end of the change in the entire space race landscape? Looking at the powerless appearance of the United States, we have to sigh: Time is not forgiving! Even the former space overlord can't escape the ravages of time.
However, we also have to see that new space powers are rising, such as our China.
This space race is getting more and more interesting! As for what the future holds, let's see while eating melons! But I still have to say that the United States has to work harder on the matter of space!
Otherwise, this position as the space hegemon will be snatched away by others!
What are your thoughts on this? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area to discuss
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