US Faces Consecutive Failures... Is China's 'Prophecy' Coming True? [Reading Science]

NASA Delays Artemis 1 Mission "Engine Malfunction and Other Issues"
SLS, with 30 Trillion Invested, Faces Troubles Again... Fifth Delay Since 2017
Chinese State Media Recently Claims Overtaking, "Pressuring NASA with Deadlines... We Are More Technologically Advanced"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The United States is facing difficulties in developing a massive launch vehicle worth 30 trillion won to resume manned lunar exploration. Recently, a Chinese state-run media outlet claimed, "Compared to the United States, which is under pressure to meet deadlines, we are better prepared technologically," and this claim seems to be materializing.

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on the 29th at 8:33 a.m. local time that the Artemis 1 mission, scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was postponed due to an engine malfunction. Although the exact cause has not been disclosed, it has been revealed that one of the four engines (engine number 3) in the first stage of the Space Launch System (SLS), the massive rocket used for the Artemis 1 mission, encountered a problem. It was confirmed that liquid hydrogen, used as a coolant for the engine, leaked during the propellant loading process involving fuel and oxidizer, and cracks were suspected in the internal connection parts of the fuel tank, which can hold about 3.3 million liters of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

NASA plans to attempt repairs and, if possible, reschedule the launch between October 2 and 5. However, weather conditions at the launch site are expected to be unfavorable during this period, making the launch uncertain even if repairs are completed. If the launch cannot proceed again, it is expected to be postponed until after October.

As the launch vehicle issues continue to delay the Artemis 1 mission, controversy over NASA's SLS development is expected to intensify. First, trust in NASA's launch vehicle technology is declining. Although NASA completed final checks, including two to three propellant loading tests (Wet Dress Rehearsals, WDR) on the SLS this year, it has repeatedly failed to detect errors and revealed last-minute problems.

The astronomical cost increases and budget waste due to development delays are also targets of criticism. NASA has been developing the SLS for deep space exploration since 2011, initially planning to invest about $10 billion by the end of 2016. However, budget cuts, design changes, and political obstacles have delayed the completion and first launch from 2017 to 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and this year?five times in total. Consequently, development costs have exceeded $20 billion, and including launch costs of about $8 billion, total expenses have become unavoidable at over 30 trillion won. Some even worry that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which has cost over $10 billion, and the still incomplete SLS could bankrupt NASA.

Moreover, since 2016, private space company SpaceX has been developing the Starship, a next-generation massive launch vehicle for Mars exploration with similar performance to the SLS but expected to be much cheaper, raising questions about the necessity of NASA continuing to develop the SLS. In fact, Lori Garver, a former NASA Deputy Administrator in the 2010s, recently published an autobiography in which she opposed the development of the SLS and argued its futility. In an interview with a media outlet, she pointed out, "NASA will receive much attention with the SLS launch, but the public will have many doubts."

Meanwhile, as the difficulties in SLS development become apparent, China's reaction is also drawing attention. The Chinese state-run media Global Times published an article on the 21st that seemed to 'predict' the difficulties the U.S. would face with the SLS launch. The article compared NASA's Artemis program, which includes the SLS development, with China's lunar exploration plans. It stated, "While NASA is working hard to recreate the glory of the Apollo project, China is focusing on innovative plans to independently carry out manned lunar exploration," and claimed, "Although the U.S. has set a specific year as a deadline, we are moving forward more steadily and surely, focusing on technological preparation." The article particularly cited Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of an aerospace magazine based in Beijing, who said, "China's manned lunar landing aligns more with scientific principles," and criticized, "NASA is becoming more hostile toward China in space as it suffers enormous pressure to maintain international leadership in lunar exploration."

China is developing the next-generation massive launch vehicle Long March 9, which has similar performance to the U.S. SLS, and plans to conduct manned lunar exploration around the next decade using it. China began serious lunar exploration with the Chang'e program in 2003. It successfully carried out Chang'e 1 in 2007 (3D mapping of the lunar surface), Chang'e 2 in 2010 (high-resolution 3D mapping and communication experiments), Chang'e 3 in 2013 (lunar rover landing and exploration), Chang'e 4 in 2018 (far side lunar landing and exploration), and Chang'e 5 in 2020 (lunar sample return). In 2024, Chang'e 6 is scheduled to be sent to the permanently shadowed region of the lunar south pole on the far side to confirm the presence of ice, collect samples, and return them to Earth.