NASA has barred Chinese nationals from accessing its premises and assets, even those who hold visas that permit them to reside in the USA.
The space agency introduced the ban last week and Bloomberg discovered it first. NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens has since issued a statement that confirms the agency “has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials and network to ensure the security of our work.”
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand why NASA implemented this policy: In July, dual Chinese/American citizen Chenguang Gong admitted to a lengthy industrial espionage campaign that saw him download information on sensors used by aircraft to confuse infrared-seeking missiles, plus data on radiation-hardened cameras that the US placed in orbit to give an early warning of incoming rockets and hypersonic vehicles. China has also recruited spies at the US Navy.
Given NASA does plenty of work with the US military, the risk of serious data loss is significant.
National pride is also at stake. China and the USA are both trying to land astronauts on the moon in coming years. Former NASA staff last week suggested Chinese Taikonauts will put boots on regolith before US astronauts leave their mark.
NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy has since rubbished that notion.
“Our mission is maintaining American dominance in space,” he said in a Wednesday video. “China wants to get there, but we’re getting there first.”
Duffy also re-stated US policy that returning to the Moon is a precursor for future crewed missions to Mars.
US law bars NASA from collaborating with China’s space program, or Chinese private space companies unless the aerospace agency applies to Congress for permission. NASA did so in 2023 after it deemed the Lunar material China returned to Earth aboard its Chang’e 5 mission was too important to ignore. Chinese state media claimed NASA’s request to view the samples shows the Middle Kingdom is now a significant space power that America cannot ignore. ®