Our analysis of China’s military intentions in space concludes today.
At a recent Congressional Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Subcommittee on Space hearing Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) reported that “Unlike the United States, China does not have distinct military and civilian space programs. The Chinese military is functionally in charge of all space activities[and]… has demonstrated a strong disregard for interests of other countries in outer space through its anti-satellite tests…When China launched its first person into space in 2003, it caught the world’s attention. Over the years, our focus has waned and now China’s accomplishments in space have become common-place. We cannot ignore Chinese achievements and become complacent…If the United States fails to reassert its leadership, China’s rise may undermine U.S. plans to transfer low-earth orbit habitation and human spaceflight from a government activity to a sustainable economic activity undertaken by the private sector.”
Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas) criticized the Obama Administration’s record:
“President George W. Bush sought to revitalize our nation’s space program by challenging NASA to return to the Moon and then chart a course for Mars. Steady advances were made towards those goals with strong Congressional support for the Constellation Program. NASA made solid progress towards the development of the Ares 1 and Ares 5 vehicles. The Commercial Cargo program was initiated and the International Space Station neared completion.
“All of that success came to a screeching halt when President Obama was sworn in. His FY2010 budget request slashed well over a billion dollars from the exploration budget…President Obama cancelled Constellation in its next budget request, redirected even more money to Earth Science to support its radical political agenda, and guaranteed dependence on Russia for access to space for an extended period of time.
“So what does this have to do with China? Well, this vacuum of leadership has led not only to extended dependence on Russia for access to space, but also facilitated the ascendance of China as a leading spacefaring nation. China has capitalized on this administration’s weakness by offering partnerships with other nations on missions, like a return to the Moon, which the U.S. chose to walk away from.
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“Rather than charting a bold course that inspires the international community to engage with us, the Obama administration has alienated historic allies and potential partners alike. Only because of Congress is NASA building deep space exploration capabilities. Unfortunately, the administration refuses to let NASA show any detailed plans for a “Journey to Mars” beyond a PowerPoint chart. China, on the other hand, has demonstrated a willingness to answer calls for collaboration with open arms…They have already placed astronauts in orbit five times, launched a space station, and placed a rover on the Moon. They have announced plans for a larger space station, a first-of-akind mission to the far side of the Moon, and potentially a manned mission to the Moon in the 2030s.
“The administration’s abdication of leadership in space exploration has significant consequences. If we do not lead, someone else will. Leadership in space means security, technological prowess, and innovation. Our future prosperity depends on our leadership in space. If we do not lead, we will not set the terms and condition for those who follow. When the U.S. explores and embarks on adventures of discovery, we take with us our ideologies and principles…The Obama administration has already told the Europeans that that they are not interested in their Moon Village proposal. They’ve tried to walk away from their commitments to the Germans on SOFIA and actually abandoned ExoMars…China also threatens our nation’s cyber security. Couple that with their irresponsible antisatellite tests, and one is hardpressed to find a reason to reward their behavior with increased cooperation. We may not be in a space race with China. We may not even be competing with China in space, but the strategic choices we make clearly impact China’s space capabilities – something that we should all pay attention to given that China’s civil space activities are inseparable from their military…”
Mark A. Stokes, Executive Director of the Project 2049 Institute which analyses Asian-Pacific issues, testified “The evolving capacity of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to leverage space assets presents a number of challenges for the United States, allies, and friends in the AsiaPacific region…The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is gradually developing a capacity to project military power vertically into space and horizontally beyond its immediate periphery…… The PLA appears to be investing resources into ground-based radar systems capable of providing queuing quality data for engaging targets in space. The PLA also has invested in electronic countermeasure technologies that could degrade an adversary’s satellite communications, navigation satellite signals, or SAR satellites operating within line of sight of an emitter. Overview of Military Space Organization and Requirements Guided by the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Political Bureau, the Central Military Commission (CMC) and State Council establish national space and counterspace requirements.
According to Dean Cheng Senior Research Fellow for Chinese Political and Security, China’s National Security Law passed in 2015, states that outer space is a “commanding height” in the international strategic competition. “In the newest edition of Science of Military Strategy, a chapter is devoted to discussing military conflict in the space and cyber (as well as nuclear) domains, where it is noted that the importance of space has grown significantly.”
James A. Lewis, speaking for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stressed that “The U.S. and China are in a quiet competition for military advantage in … Space has been an area of disinterest by American leaders and this helps to explain the disconnect between exploration and strategic goals and why in any discussion of a space race, the U.S. appears to be lagging.”