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Since September last year, Japan has banned mainland space experts and scholars from going to Japan for exchanges, and has called it "for the sake of national security." However, in May this year, Tsinghua University, a top university in the mainland, took the initiative to ask Japanese experts to go to the "Tiangong" space station for strategic cooperation.
As soon as this news came out, Tsinghua was also complained by many netizens, saying that they were "too generous". However, Tsinghua's response to this is quite atmospheric: "Science and technology have no borders, and cooperation can be win-win." "So, is this cooperation technically straightforward? Or is there a deep political intent?
The United States and Japan joined forces to suppress China's space development
Since the mainland's space industry embarked on the road of rapid development, the old "space powers" represented by the United States could not sit still. They not only encircled and blocked China in terms of technology, but even worked hard to create momentum in the international community and set up obstacles for the development of the mainland's space industry.
The director of NASA has publicly stated that "China's space work has always been carried out in secret, and they not only do not report the development process to the international community, but even do not share the space data they obtain." China's approach is obviously not conducive to the development of the global space industry! ”
Not only that, but he shamelessly proposed a solution to this matter; "We should demand that China's space sector be monitored by international organizations, and the data they obtain should be scrutinized." Of course, we in the United States can act as the authority for this monitoring. ”
As soon as this news came out, it was instantly ridiculed and criticized by many countries in the international community. After all, China's development of space technology has always relied on its own strength, and the United States even blocked technology at this stage, refusing to provide any help and cooperation.
Now that the mainland's space industry has finally developed, they are anxious to obtain data. This is clearly to force China to share scientific research results through public opinion. Therefore, almost no country in the international community agrees with this proposal of the United States.
However, Japan, as the strongest "lackey" of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region, naturally wants to follow the orders of the United States. Therefore, Japan quickly jumped out and united with the United States, not only stating its attitude in public, but also strictly banning exports to China in terms of technology and equipment.
Not only that, the United States and Japan also took the lead in signing the Wolf Clause, which intends to use international legal means to prevent other countries' space agencies from cooperating with China. Under such a strict encirclement, pursuit, and interception, the development of China's space industry can only rely on its own strength.
However, it is precisely because of the malicious intentions of the United States and Japan that Chinese astronauts have accelerated the pace of independent research and development. Especially in recent years, the mainland has developed the Long March-2F rocket, known as the "divine arrow", and the launch success rate has reached 100%.
Not only that, our mainland has also independently built a high-thrust rocket "Fat Five", which can help us continue the construction of the space station in the future. Even the "Tianwen-1" was successfully launched under its impetus. On the other hand, Japan, which has always been hostile to China's space industry, has suffered setbacks and achieved nothing in the space industry in recent years.
Repeated failures have affected Japan's space development
In March, Japan's next-generation H3 carrier rocket lifted off from Tanegashima Space Base. However, after 8 minutes, the second stage engine failed during the ignition session. Just 15 minutes later, the Japanese space agency declared the launch a failure and issued a self-destruction command.
In fact, the rocket has already experienced a delayed launch in February this year, and the reason given at that time was "equipment failure". Although after this, the relevant departments have announced the lifting of the fault. However, judging from the later performance of H3, it is clear that there are still many difficult technical problems piled up.
Since 2014, the Japan Space Agency has been working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and they spent 200 billion yen to finally build the H3 launch vehicle. According to the original plan, the rocket could not only be used to launch satellites and probes, but even carry the latest air cargo carriers.
Not only that, but even NASA had high hopes for H3. Prepare to use it to deliver data and supplies to the space station. However, after a series of accidents, the United States also suspended cooperation with the H3 launch vehicle for a while.
After all, the H3 has become Japan's workhorse rocket in recent years, and it is also about to take on many important transport missions. However, in this accident, H3 showed many drawbacks and could not be fully trusted. Even Okada Takashi, the head of the project, bluntly called it a "complete failure."
Coincidentally, the small rocket "Epsilon" launched by Japan last year also suffered the same problem. In the process of ascent, the arrow body suffered a serious failure and had to choose to self-destruct.
This succession of accidents has also made the Japanese people full of anxiety about the development of the space industry. After all, they have been ambitious since decades ago. Not only did he follow the United States to become a member of the International Space Station, but even in 2014, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakada became the first Japanese space station commander in history.
For the current bottleneck, Japan not only did not reflect on its own problems, but even "dumped the pot" internationally. They believe that all of China's pursuit of cooperation is aimed at "stealing data" and even refuse to cooperate with us in this field.
However, China has developed rapidly in the field of aerospace in recent years, and has not taken Japan's "stinginess" in the slightest. And after repeated failed launches of Japanese rockets, it still technically threw an olive branch to Japan. It is hoped that cooperation can be strengthened, and they can even be invited to visit China's space station "Tiangong".
Repay grievances with virtue and strengthen cooperation
Since July, Tsinghua University has launched an international space program. This time, their research interests include space life science and rocket engine technology. Considering the need for international collaboration, Tsinghua University invited a total of 17 countries to participate, and Japan was also prominently listed.
Although since the beginning of the year, Japan has banned Chinese aerospace experts and students from going to Japan for exchanges. But this time they participated in the space program of Tsinghua University. In the face of such "inconsistent" practices, many countries in the world have also turned their noses up at Japan. After all, they chase and block Chinese scientists from a political point of view, but when they have the opportunity, Japan still cheekily joins Chinese-led scientific research projects.
And Japan has no time to take care of face, after all, since last year, their space launch road has been extremely bumpy and full of mistakes. Now, they have lost the opportunity to launch rockets, and their experimental needs in space can only be met by other countries.
The United States is currently struggling to take care of itself under the influence of internal and external troubles, so Japan can only choose to come to China to "hold its thighs" in order to realize their scientific research needs. This time, they hope to use the "Tiangong" to conduct cooperative experiments and deepen space cooperation with China.
However, although Japan has temporarily bowed its head technologically. But many Chinese netizens did not buy it, and some even protested to Tsinghua University, saying that they wanted the university to remove Japan from the list of partners. In the face of the requirements and doubts of netizens, Tsinghua University's reply showed its grand style: "Science and technology have no borders, and cooperation can be win-win." ”
Having said that, China's space program is very safe, and the cooperative experiment for the "Tiangong" has been approved by the state as early as 2018, and even the Ministry of Defense has joined the list of cooperation in this experiment. Therefore, the project will be carried out "in full view". Even if Japan has the intention to steal data, I am afraid that it will not be possible. Therefore, the outside world does not need to over-interpret it.
Epilogue:
After all, China and Japan are both technological powers in Asia. Although there is some unfriendly history in history, the relationship between the two countries cannot be ignored. At present, international competition is becoming increasingly fierce, only by abandoning the past and deepening cooperation can we seek opportunities in future development and promote the development of our country to the greatest extent.