Although the United States has a full 762 kilograms of lunar soil, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has its eye on China's 1,731 grams of lunar soilChina's lunar soil is too unique
In order to obtain and study lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-5, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is recently actively seeking to obtain a waiver from the Wolf Amendment by the U.S. Congress, according to a report from the reference news network. The main reasons for this application are -The lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 have a "unique value" and come from regions where NASA has not yet carried out sampling
According to an internal email sent by NASA a few days ago, NASA has submitted this "intent" to CongressIt is hoped that the researchers it grants will be able to apply for lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 in 2020。The email also noted that it was "very necessary" to obtain the samples taken in China. Because of their unique value, and China has recently announced that it will be open to the global scientific community for research use.
On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, the China National Space Administration released a good news that the lunar exploration project Chang'e-6 will be launched around 2024. It is worth noting thatThis time, Chang'e-6 will complete the first mission in the history of the first class to collect lunar soil samples from the far side of the moonIt is estimated that its scientific value will be very high.
Chang'e-5 was China's first unmanned lunar sample return mission, and at that time it became China's most complex and technology-spanning space system project. Implemented including:Lunar surface sampling, lunar take-off and ascent, lunar orbit rendezvous and docking and sample transfer, jump re-entry and returnand a series of technological breakthroughs.
After several meticulous flight plans, Chang'e-5 successfully returned to Earth and brought back 1,731 grams of lunar samples, which is undoubtedly the largest single sampling volume among the world's unmanned lunar sampling missions, which also lays a solid foundation for the construction of unmanned lunar scientific research stations and manned lunar missions in the future. It is indisputable that the Chang'e-5 mission has become another milestone in the history of China's space development.
Recently, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has opened applications from foreign scientific research institutions, which is the first time that China has promised to open up lunar samples to the international community to share. The latest application cycle will close on December 22。Applicants can log in to the sample issuance system to view the attributes of each sample, such as weight and size, and select up to five samples to bid according to their research needs.
Seeing that China's aerospace development is getting better and better, the United States has played the "double standard" game again, and now, it has even "shamelessly" asked the Chinese side for lunar soil. However, it is worth noting that the path of Sino-US space cooperation was sealed by the United States itself.
As we all know, more than 10 years ago, the United States also issued a "space ** order" to exclude China from the International Space Station project on political, technical, and financial groundsIn 2011, the U.S. Congress banned cooperation between China and the United States in the aerospace field with the Wolf AmendmentContain and hinder the development of China's aerospace science and technology industry
If it were not for the "hostility" of the United States towards China and its unilateral closing of the door to China-US space cooperation, China would have reciprocated generously on the basis of the "kindness" that the United States gave China 1 gram of lunar soil. Therefore, the biggest obstacle preventing NASA from obtaining Chinese lunar soil is the United States itself.
After all, under the constraints of the Wolf Amendment, NASA needs to prove it to the U.S. Congress and the FBIEngagement and cooperation with China will not result in the transfer of technology, data, or other information related to economic security to China or to Chinese companies。Only if these conditions are met will it be possible to obtain an "exceptional" clapper from Congress.
But even if the U.S. Congress gives the green light, it does not mean that China and the United States will be able to cooperate unhindered in space from now on. At the moment, NASA's application is only highlighted"Applicable to samples of the Chang'e-5 mission".In other words, the ban on NASA's bilateral activities with China remains in place.
If the Chinese side can read the 1 gram of lunar soil in that year and agree to NASA's request, then after Chang'e-6 collects lunar soil samples from the far side of the moon, if NASA has to make an "exception" to ask China for lunar soil samples, it will be difficult for China to agree again.
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