Will the United States fall into the background? Soon the universe may have a new master

For decades, Americans have undoubtedly ruled space. The rivalry with the Soviet Union is long gone, but another player has recently become more and more daring.

The Defense Innovation Unit and the Air Force and Space Force Research Laboratory have released a report titled 2022 The State of the Space Industrial Base. Its authors call for a plan to provide the United States with economic, technological, environmental, social, and military leadership for half a century or more.

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Without proper action, Americans will have to prioritize the Chinese, who can become leaders by 2032. However, it will be important to overcome bureaucratic difficulties with innovation and technological advancement. Moreover, the report’s authors claim that the Middle Kingdom has a decades-long plan to ensure its economic and military dominance in space.

The United States and China are the biggest competitors in space today

Plan of the United States, marked as north starIt is to protect their leadership position. As the report notes, many of America’s advanced commercial launch pads and satellites lie idle – often for months or even years – while various federal agencies contemplate impact studies, environmental assessments, licensing, export controls, and an endless list of other requirements before they become consent. Released to work.

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In addition, the authors point out the necessity to fight for the future of the Earth. If this ends with the victory of our species, it will be very important to develop technologies that will enable the exploitation of resources located beyond the boundaries of our planet, for example on the Moon. It seems that plans to use deposits on asteroids, which are rich in elements and compounds almost not found on Earth, are a little further.