Was Shenzhou 20 hit by Americans? Why did the White House happen to appoint a new NASA administrator on the same day.

On November 5, the Manned Space Engineering Office released a notice: During the orbit period of the Shenzhou 20 manned spacecraft, it is suspected that it was hit by a small space debris. The mission team is currently conducting detailed analysis and risk assessment of the impact. Considering the safety of the astronauts' lives and the overall success of the mission, the original return plan scheduled for that day has been postponed.

This is not the first time China's space station has faced the threat of space debris. However, the timing of this incident is indeed intriguing - on the same day, the White House officially announced the appointment of a new NASA administrator, and this new administrator is Jared Isaacman, who is closely related to Elon Musk.

First, don't be too worried about not being able to return to Earth after the collision. The ground has prepared the Shenzhou 22 in full readiness, which has an emergency launch capability within 72 hours. This redundant configuration gives China strong mission flexibility when facing unexpected situations.

Second, why couldn't we avoid it this time? Because the impact object is likely to be millimeter-level space debris. The target is too small, and the radar can't see it. For millimeter-sized debris, no country currently has real-time monitoring capabilities. However, although these fragments are small, their kinetic energy is sufficient to penetrate the spacecraft's hull at an average speed of 7.8 kilometers per second in low Earth orbit.

Finally, is it really Americans who did it? It is basically possible to rule out this possibility. But if it comes to whether this space debris is from the Americans, it is very likely. As one of the largest sources of orbital debris, the United States is hard to escape blame. The White House's formal confirmation of Isaacman as NASA administrator clearly shows that the White House is a bit anxious, because besides SpaceX, the US has no other competitive companies.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847937881627657/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.