Chang'e-6: A major breakthrough in lunar soil collection
The success of the Chang'e-6 mission is not only a great event for China's aerospace industry, but also an important milestone in the global lunar exploration program. On June 25, Chang'e-6 landed on the far side of the moon and successfully collected 1,935.3 grams of lunar soil samples. This achievement not only shows that China has made great progress in lunar exploration technology, but also provides the global scientific community with research materials that did not exist before.
These lunar soil samples are quite precious. The far side of the moon is a special place, and the samples taken from there are of higher scientific value. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has said that it will follow the rules of international cooperation and welcomes researchers from all over the world to apply for the study of these precious lunar soil samples according to the process. This open-mindedness shows that we in China are very big in scientific research, that is, we want to work together and share the results together.
But the United States was excluded because of the "Wolf Clause" making trouble. This clause was coined by former U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf and passed in Congress in 2011 to prevent NASA and the China National Space Administration from engaging in bilateral cooperation. Its purpose is to prevent China from obtaining advanced US space technology from cooperation. However, with the rapid development of China's aerospace technology, the restriction of this clause is particularly unreasonable.
The "Wolf Clause": There are many restrictions and many problems
The "Wolf Clause" was coined by the former US congressman, and after it was passed by Congress in 2011, NASA and the China National Space Administration were explicitly prohibited from engaging in any bilateral cooperation. It legislated to prevent China from taking away the advanced space technology of the United States through cooperation. However, China's aerospace technology is developing too fast, and the restrictions of this clause are becoming more and more unreasonable.
This clause has many restrictions on Sino-US space cooperation: All space technology cooperation and exchanges must be subject to particularly strict review and approval. Even pure scientific research is difficult to avoid this legal obstacle. In 2023, NASA wanted to study the lunar soil samples collected by Chang'e-5, so it applied for an exemption and wanted to bypass the "Wolf Clause", which attracted a lot of attention and controversy.
This time, the Chang'e-6 mission has brought this contradiction to light again. When NASA Administrator Bill Nelson heard that China welcomes applications from other countries to study lunar soil samples, he said he would ask the U.S. Congress to give the green light so that U.S. scientists can participate. This not only shows that NASA attaches great importance to lunar soil research, but also reflects the complex thinking and double standards of the United States in the field of space science and technology.
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American Aerospace Technology: Ambivalent Mentality
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has been ambivalent. On the one hand, he praised the United States for opening up the Apollo moon mission, suggesting that China is learning from the United States; On the other hand, he said that any application for research on lunar samples must be strictly examined and must not violate the "Wolf Clause". This attitude shows that the United States is both resistant to and wants to cooperate with China's space development.
The same is true for researchers and legal teams in the United States. They wanted to study the results of lunar soil, but they also had to be careful not to violate domestic laws. This kind of mentality of wanting to participate and being on guard shows the dilemma of the United States in the field of space science and technology.
The attitude of US public opinion and academic circles towards China's aerospace development is also contradictory. On the one hand, the US media and academic circles are very concerned about China's aerospace achievements and feel that science and technology have made good progress. On the other hand, they are afraid that China's space development will threaten the United States, and they keep talking about a "space race" and a "space arms race," which has caused tension. This contradictory attitude not only affects Sino-US space cooperation, but also has a great impact on the development of global space science and technology.
The Lunar Soil: Scientific Value and International Strategy
The scientific research value of lunar soil on the back of the moon is a big reason why NASA is attracted to ignore the restrictions of the "Wolf Clause". By studying these samples, scientists can learn about the evolution of the moon and better understand the internal structure and resource distribution of the moon. This is very important for building a lunar base and conducting deep space exploration in the future.
In particular, the place where Chang'e-6 collected samples, called the South Pole-Aitken Basin, is one of the largest impact basins in the solar system. If there were anything in these samples that had been turned out of the depths of the mantle, it would be very helpful to understand the inner workings of the Moon. This kind of scientific value, which was not available before, has made the United States have to rethink whether the "Wolf Clause" is reasonable and necessary.
The strategic readjustment of the United States in the field of space science and technology can also show its contradictions in international cooperation and competition. On the one hand, it wants to use legal means to suppress China's aerospace development; On the other hand, it is necessary to recognize China's achievements and progress in this regard. In fact, the United States is afraid that its space supremacy will not be guaranteed, and that it is not steadfast about China's rapid development.
Under such circumstances, how the United States responds to China's space challenge will determine the future development of global space science and technology. Will we continue to use legal and political means to suppress it, or will we choose to promote scientific progress together with openness and cooperation? This choice will have a far-reaching impact not only on China-US spaceflight, but also on the space exploration of all mankind.
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