<
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/02/heres-why-europe-is-abandoning-plans-to-fly-aboard-chinas-space-station/>
'Nearly six years ago the European Space Agency surprised its longtime
spaceflight partners at NASA, as well as diplomatic officials at the White
House, with an announcement that some of its astronauts were training alongside
Chinese astronauts. The goal was to send European astronauts to China's
Tiangong space station by 2022.
"We were welcomed as colleagues and friends by the ‘taikonauts’ and the
instructors," said European astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti at the time.
"Language and cultural differences are obviously a challenge, but also adds
value, as we are all focused on the common goal of space exploration."
European astronauts did not fly to the Chinese space station in 2022, however,
even though China completed its construction before the end of the year. In
fact, Europeans are now unlikely ever to do so, even as the Tiangong facility
flies for another decade, or longer, in low-Earth orbit.
During his annual press briefing in late January, Josef Aschbacher, director
general of the European Space Agency, said his focus remains on the
International Space Station Partnership with NASA, Russia, Canada, and Japan.
"For the moment we have neither the budgetary nor the political, let’s say,
green light or intention to engage in a second space station—that is
participating on the Chinese space station," Aschbacher said.
So what changed?'
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
