Učënye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta: Seriâ Gumanitarnye Nauki (Dec 2016)
China’s Space Program: 60 Years of Evolution
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to identify and examine modern trends in the development of the People’s Republic of China’s space program, as well as to trace the most important milestones in its evolution. The key aspects of China’s space exploration, such as clear bias towards military developments and application of dual-use technologies, have been considered. In the course of the research, the comparative analytical approach has been used to demonstrate the most relevant tendencies in China’s current space program. Different views of experts on the issue have been thoroughly investigated and compared in order to develop our own position. The ultimate value of this research is its complexity. It examines the milestones in the evolution of China’s space program, from such aspects of the space study as launching the first satellites, manned space missions, and exploration probes to the moon, development of the Beidou global positioning system. Then it describes the last year’s construction of the world’s first quantum telescope having dual-use purpose and analyzes in detail China’s ambitions to complete the construction of its orbital space station. The research also distinguishes between the outcomes within the scope of peaceful space exploration and those as part of the secret military actions closely associated with the reconnaissance and anti-satellite weapon development and production. Considerable attention has been paid to evaluating China’s space program’s advantages compared to the one in the USA, because a whole number of experts suggest that China’s intensive exploration of space is the major threat to the USA’s global domination. The conclusion has been made that China’s space program made a significant leap forward in the last few decades. Nowadays, China’s space exploration projects are not lagging behind those of the major space powers, particularly those of the USA. It is clear that a “battle for space” may emerge between China and the USA in the near future. Finally, the outcomes of this research are most relevant to experts specializing in international relations or having particular interest in China’s space program development.
