老美看神九： 中国在太空的巨大进步

 （前言： 中国神九胜利升空，安全返回。是全世界华人的骄傲。可喜可贺。本人先生对此表达了由衷的祝贺，并发表了感言。咱明天要飞回祖国，收拾行李的时候抽空翻译了一下。感谢贝壳老A盛情相邀，咱提前结束在湾区别墅的度假，回到村里来共同庆贺这个伟大光荣的时刻。顺便带点手信，以飨乡亲）

（前前言： 请看 http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/29/opinion/chiao-china-space/index.html?hpt=hp_abar 是美国首位华裔宇航员 Leroy Chiao 写给CNN的。Leroy 曾经与我曾辅佐的前任（现正竞选）国会议员尼克兰普森同属与美国太空基金会。兰普森是基金会理事。本文作者曾经担任国会议员兰普森经济政策顾问）

老美看神九： 中国在太空的巨大进步

作者：罗杰    翻译：丹奇

2012年6月29日

上周中国三名宇航员在太空中停留１３天后平安返回地面，它标志着中国的太空项目迈出了一大步，同时也展示在加入载人太空精英俱乐部的技术方面的实力，成为能和其他两个国家，美国和俄罗斯，共享这一荣誉的会员国家。

中国在这方面进步的独特之处在于通过短短的九年时间实现了美国和俄罗斯化了几十年才完成的工作－将宇航员送入太空，并在两个空间站之间接龙。　

作为一名美国生长的美国公民，我为中国成功将宇航员送入太空并能安全返回行动鼓掌。太空飞行是一项十分危险的行动，在过去的五十年里，美国和俄罗斯为此项行动牺牲了不少宇航员。同时，作为美国公民，我为美国至今没有宇航器将宇航员送上太空而感到不安，我们作为一个国家，却必须依赖俄罗斯的宇航器才能进入国际空间站。

我们作为一个国家，是怎么陷入如此窘境的呢？说起来，最主要的问题是还是由于我们严重的政府债务引起的。在过去的几年里，我们国家把重点放在去打那些无意义的（伊拉克）战争，拯救那些富人银行和他们的投资人，而忽略将投资重点放在世界领先核心技术，特别是载人空间技术。

渐渐地，美国将失去和中国在这个领域竞争的优势（正如我们已经失去的在其他市政基础建设，如交通，道路和楼宇等方面的竞争，）　

为什么我们对太空（和基础建设）项目失去了兴趣？总的来讲，这是一个政治和财政难题，从政治上讲，我们的议员们，为数还不少呢，并不认为太空项目以及这些年由此开发的新技术有什么实际价值可言；从财力上讲这理由更充足，我们现在就是没有这么多钱来开发太空飞船项目。

我相信，现在很难争论中国的政治体制是否更适合开发空间项目和他们在基础建设方面的项目，在未来的一、两年里没有大选，这样就不会因此阻止政客们去做对国家发展有益的事情，这个决策过程更加合理，决策权在几个人手中，而不是几百个人手里，这几个人更有动力要把国家带入更高层面与美国和俄国在太空迎头赶上。

不幸的是，作为美国公民和空间项目的支持者，我们当前在继续我们的太空飞行方面的项目被我们的政客阻碍了，而此时中国正在迅速开拓空间项目的技术和获取更多的经验。

美国是一个伟大的国家，在过去的几十年里，她在经济，军事和技术方面一直引领世界，然而，中国在太空技术方面的迅速发展让我们看到了作为们太空技术持续的世界领跑者，我们在管理中所犯的错误。

最后，就我个人而言，我为中国能够拥有成功地将宇航原送上太空并安全返回地面的技术鼓掌。这是一项在短期内取得的巨大成就，光这点就值得为此喝彩！也许，来自中国的竞争是件好事，它将激励我们这个伟大的国家重新关注对我们国家和人民有益的事情，保持我们在空间技术的领先地位。

CHINA’S HUGE STEP FORWARD

IN SPACE       

By Roger S.

June 29, 2012

Just this past week China returned three (3) astronauts safely back to earth after 13 days in space, signaling a huge leap forward for their space program and showcasing their technological expertise to join the elite club of nations who have sent people into space – sharing this noble membership with just 2 other countries, the United States and Russia.

What’s unique about China’s progress is that it has achieved in 9 short years what took the Americans and Russians years longer to achieve – putting people in space and then transferring those people to another space craft after a delicate docking maneuver.

As a natural born United States citizen I applaud China’s rapid ascent into the heavens and to return people safely back to earth. Space flight is a very dangerous business as noted by the lost crews of the U.S. Space Shuttle program and Russian losses through the past 50 years.  Also, as a U.S. citizen I’m upset that as of this time the U.S. has no space vehicle with which to launch people into space. We, as a country, must rely on the Russians for a ride to get to the International Space Station ( ISS ).

How did we , as a country, find ourselves in such a situation? Well, first of all we find ourselves in a severe governmental budget deficit. Over the years we as a country have found it more important to fight unneeded wars ( Iraq ) and to bailout wealthy bankers and their investors than it is to invest in our world leading superior edge in technology , especially manned space flight.

Slowly, the United States is losing ground to China in this area ( as well as others such as new or updating infrastructure – roads, buildings, etc. ).

Why have we become so uninterested in space ( and infrastructure )? Basically, it’s a political equation and a budgetary one. Politically some members, enough of them, don’t believe there is a real merit to the space program or the new technologies that it has brought forth thru the years. Budgetary issues make the prior statement more easy to make – we just don’t have the money to fund space vehicle launches right now.

I believe, and it’s hard to argue the point, that the Chinese system of politics is better for space programs and their progress as well as a countries infrastructure. There is no upcoming election in the next year or two years that would stop you from doing what is necessary for the good of the country or its progress. The decision making process is much more streamlined. It’s left in the hands of a few rather than hundreds and those few have a driven interest for the country to proceed to the next level and match the Americans and Russians in space.

Unfortunately for us Americans we as citizens and supporters of our space programs are hindered by our politicians in continuing our space flight programs for the time being – all the while the Chinese rapidly gain ground in both experience and technology.

America is a great country and has led the world in economic, military and technological strength for decades but, China’s rapid gain in space technology only shines a light on our own missteps in how we manage our continued role as a world leader in space.

But, in the end I personally applaud the Chinese skill in sending humans into space and returning them safely to earth. It’s a great achievement in a short period of time, and should be applauded. Perhaps the competition for America from China will be good for us and motivate our own great country to again focus on what is important to us a country and a citizen and maintain our superiority in space.