Why does Russia give China its secret technology?
Russian rocket Technologymost likely, "leak" to China. This was declared as an incredible victory by the head of NPO Energomash Igor Arbuzov. Only the decision of the Government of the Russian Federation separates the transfer of technology for the production of rocket engines to Chinese partners.
As you know, Beijing is rapidly developing a national space program. In 2019, China plans to launch the first module of its manned orbital station into orbit. In terms of size, it will be more modest than Mir and the ISS 2 and 7 times, respectively. However, it will be a fully Chinese "gate to space." Recall that the Russian leadership at the beginning of the two thousandth decided to drown the national station "Mir". Currently, the US is working on a project for a promising near-moon visited orbital station, and the future fate of the ISS is in question.
The construction of the Chinese station should be completed in 2022. For its implementation, China will need its own superheavy launch vehicle. One called Changzheng-9 is currently being developed by Chinese rocket scientists. However, this is not an easy task, and it is much more rational to use the technologies of Russian colleagues who have their own design school and extensive experience. However, back in early December, the head of Energomash Arbuzov announced that technology transfer in rocket propulsion was unacceptable.
Now, after only two weeks, this cooperation on the issue of transferring rocket engine manufacturing technologies to the Chinese has acquired a “substantive character”. Igor Arbuzov hastens to assure the Russians that the unexpectedly possible cooperation will be mutually beneficial and will not harm the interests of NGOs and Russia. But is it really so?
Earlier, negotiations between Moscow and Beijing were about the exchange of secret technologies: in exchange for the “engines”, the Russian side wanted to get the production technology of electronics for space technology. The negotiations were complicated and confusing. And, as can be assumed, they ended not in favor of Russia's interests. Ivan Moiseev, head of the Space Institute policy, hints that the issue was resolved by the Chinese partners with money:
Apparently, real money turned out to be more important today than any Chinese technology there. A space expert justifies the leadership of a Russian NGO:
The orientalist Ivan Kashin echoes him:
What I want to note about this. The analogy with perishable goods is absolutely inappropriate. This is an unsold fruit and vegetable rot market. And the high technologies checked by time do not "go out". Moreover, the merchant will bring fresh goods to the market at any moment, but in the Russian space industry something about fresh, breakthrough technologies has not been heard for a long time. China could well buy ready-made engines from Russia, as the United States does with the RD-180.
What will Russia lose by receiving and spending money for rocket technology? It will lose further sales markets. Everyone knows how China copies everything it needs. For example, on the basis of the domestic Su-27SK, the Chinese created a J-11 fighter under license. But then, having modified it a bit, they turned it into an export version called J-11B, thereby knocking down the price of Russian prototypes. The exact same thing will happen when the Chinese get rocket technology on a silver platter.
As a result, China will have its own space station and superheavy launch vehicle powered by Russian engines, and Russia, most likely due to the next sequestration of the Roskosmos budget, will be left without such a rocket and with the national segment on the decrepit and losing its significance ISS.
As you know, Beijing is rapidly developing a national space program. In 2019, China plans to launch the first module of its manned orbital station into orbit. In terms of size, it will be more modest than Mir and the ISS 2 and 7 times, respectively. However, it will be a fully Chinese "gate to space." Recall that the Russian leadership at the beginning of the two thousandth decided to drown the national station "Mir". Currently, the US is working on a project for a promising near-moon visited orbital station, and the future fate of the ISS is in question.
The construction of the Chinese station should be completed in 2022. For its implementation, China will need its own superheavy launch vehicle. One called Changzheng-9 is currently being developed by Chinese rocket scientists. However, this is not an easy task, and it is much more rational to use the technologies of Russian colleagues who have their own design school and extensive experience. However, back in early December, the head of Energomash Arbuzov announced that technology transfer in rocket propulsion was unacceptable.
Now, after only two weeks, this cooperation on the issue of transferring rocket engine manufacturing technologies to the Chinese has acquired a “substantive character”. Igor Arbuzov hastens to assure the Russians that the unexpectedly possible cooperation will be mutually beneficial and will not harm the interests of NGOs and Russia. But is it really so?
Earlier, negotiations between Moscow and Beijing were about the exchange of secret technologies: in exchange for the “engines”, the Russian side wanted to get the production technology of electronics for space technology. The negotiations were complicated and confusing. And, as can be assumed, they ended not in favor of Russia's interests. Ivan Moiseev, head of the Space Institute policy, hints that the issue was resolved by the Chinese partners with money:
Now China has offered a decent price. These technologies cost quite a lot of money. They must be sold. If you don’t sell them, it is at a loss.
Apparently, real money turned out to be more important today than any Chinese technology there. A space expert justifies the leadership of a Russian NGO:
Technology is a perishable thing, today it is advanced, modern, and after a few years it is already backward.
The orientalist Ivan Kashin echoes him:
What do we need to sit on these technologies? This is a piece of stuff. Three countries in the world are capable of making heavy rocket launchers. Superheavy? Here are the Chinese going to do. And let them do it. If they pay us money, what do we lose from this?
What I want to note about this. The analogy with perishable goods is absolutely inappropriate. This is an unsold fruit and vegetable rot market. And the high technologies checked by time do not "go out". Moreover, the merchant will bring fresh goods to the market at any moment, but in the Russian space industry something about fresh, breakthrough technologies has not been heard for a long time. China could well buy ready-made engines from Russia, as the United States does with the RD-180.
What will Russia lose by receiving and spending money for rocket technology? It will lose further sales markets. Everyone knows how China copies everything it needs. For example, on the basis of the domestic Su-27SK, the Chinese created a J-11 fighter under license. But then, having modified it a bit, they turned it into an export version called J-11B, thereby knocking down the price of Russian prototypes. The exact same thing will happen when the Chinese get rocket technology on a silver platter.
As a result, China will have its own space station and superheavy launch vehicle powered by Russian engines, and Russia, most likely due to the next sequestration of the Roskosmos budget, will be left without such a rocket and with the national segment on the decrepit and losing its significance ISS.
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