CHINA: NASA chief Michael Griffin is in China on an exploratory visit aimed at space cooperation with China - the third nation to put a person in space.

Record ID: 837645

  • Title: CHINA: NASA chief Michael Griffin is in China on an exploratory visit aimed at space cooperation with China - the third nation to put a person in space.
  • Date: 26th September 2006
  • Summary: (BN11) BEIJING, CHINA (SEPTEMBER 25, 2006) (REUTERS) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE UNITED STATE'S NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) WALKING INTO ROOM JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, SAYING: "I have been very impressed with the capabilities, and education, and experience and intellectual quality of the people that we've met. And the facilities that we have seen have been first-rate. I am certainly not in a position to speak for China's commitment to China's manned space programme. That would take someone other than me. I can observe, as I opened up by saying, that China has clearly made very great strides in a relatively short period of time, becoming only the third nation to be able to put people into space on their own." JOURNALISTS IN CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, SAYING: "We welcome China to the fraternity of space-faring nations. I have had occasion to say in the past that there are, of course between countries and cultures, there are always things which divide us and set us apart, and things which bring us together. And the exploration of space is one of those things that, above almost anything else, all people of the world share an interest in and are excited by." PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING A PICTURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, SAYING: "I think with this visit, the United States is taking the first steps toward helping to establish closer relationships with the space programme of China. But again, collaboration on human missions would be well down the road. This is only the first step." VARIOUS OF WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, SAYING: "There are differences between our nations on certain key points. One of those major points is the control of missile technology. We have been very firm on that in the past, and I believe we will continue to be firm on the importance of appropriately controlling missile technology." JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL GRIFFIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA, SAYING: "The ISS programme - the International Space Station programme - in its present form is now approaching 13 years old. The partnerships that led to the development of the ISS are well established. I do not propose to change any of those arrangements at the present time."
  • Embargoed: 11th October 2006 13:00
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  • Location: China
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  • Country: China
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  • Reuters ID: LVABD5TNIZBDCTQEDCU9IDZ82B56
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  • Story Text: The United States' space agency chief Michael Griffin visited China this week in a visit aimed at creating some give and take between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and China's civilian space programme.
    Griffin told a news conference on Monday (September 25) that he was impressed with the strides China's space programme has made, and welcomed the nation to the elite group of nations that have sent a person into space.
    "I have been very impressed with the capabilities, and education, and experience and intellectual quality of the people that we've met. And the facilities that we have seen have been first-rate. I am certainly not in a position to speak for China's commitment to China's manned space programme. That would take someone other than me. I can observe, as I opened up by saying, that China has clearly made very great strides in a relatively short period of time, becoming only the third nation to be able to put people into space on their own," said Griffin.
    "We welcome China to the fraternity of space-faring nations. I have had occasion to say in the past that there are, of course between countries and cultures, there are always things which divide us and set us apart, and things which bring us together. And the exploration of space is one of those things that, above almost anything else, all people of the world share an interest in and are excited by," Griffin added.
    China put its first man in space aboard the Shenzhou V in 2003 and completed its second manned space mission last October. State media have said it aims to put a man on the moon around 2017.
    Griffin announced that the two nations would be trying to set up a yearly dialogue on space issues, and were considering forming working groups to cooperate in earth science, climate research, data sharing, and robotic exploration.
    But working together on human space missions was a long way off, he said.
    "I think with this visit, the United States is taking the first steps toward helping to establish closer relationships with the space programme of China. But again, collaboration on human missions would be well down the road. This is only the first step" said Griffin.
    Griffin also stressed that key differences remained between the United States and China on certain aspects of their space programmes, including what Washington views as Beijing's insufficient control over missile technology.
    "There are differences between our nations on certain key points. One of those major points is the control of missile technology. We have been very firm on that in the past, and I believe we will continue to be firm on the importance of appropriately controlling missile technology," said Griffin.
    Griffin added that the United States had no immediate plans to ask China to join the International Space Station (ISS) programme, on which the United States cooperates with 14 other countries -- Canada, Japan, Russia and 11 participating member nations of the European Space Agency.
    "The ISS programme - the International Space Station programme - in its present form is now approaching 13 years old. The partnerships that led to the development of the ISS are well established. I do not propose to change any of those arrangements at the present time" said Griffin.
    China's space ambitions include robotic Moon missions starting next year and plans to develop a non-polluting launch vehicle that can lift 55,000 pounds (25,000 kg) into orbit by 2010.
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