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Scanned from best available copy IQP/MQP SCANNING PROJECT George C. Gordon Library WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE I I Project Number: JMW AEGS - 4" I I A Chinese Critique of the Apollo Program I An Interactive Qualifying Project Report I submitted to the Faculty I ofthe WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE I in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the I Degree ofBachelor ofScience by I I Z~~ I e/avid T. KIlcoyn I I I Date: March 1999 I I ~I I I I Table of Contents: I Introduction p.l I Overview ofApollo p.8 I Project Mercury p.9 Project Gemini p.12 I Unmanned Lunar Probes p.13 I Saturn V Launch Vehicle p.17 Apollo Spacecraft p.19 I Apollo Spacesuit.. p.24 I Apollo Infrastructure p.27 Lunar Orbit Rendezvous p.28 I Apollo Missions p.34 I Apollo Program Critiques p.35 Chinese Space Program p.46 I Project 921 '" p.52 I Lunar Landing Methods p.55 I Conclusion p.64 I I I I I I I Table of Figures: I Project Mercury p.ll I Project Gemini p.lS I Saturn V Launch Vehicle p.18 Apollo eM '" p.20 I Apollo SM p.21 I Apollo LM '" '" p.22 Apollo Spacecraft p.23 I Apollo Spacesuit.. p.26 I Apollo Mission Diagram (Leaving Earth) p.31 Apollo Mission Diagram (Landing on the Moon) p.32 I Apollo Mission Diagram (Returning Home) p.33 I I I I I I I I I I I Introduction: I The Chinese are presently at a technological level comparable to the United States in the early 1960's with regards to manned space flight. In the next twenty years I China will also have the capability to accomplish lunar travel. This creates an I interesting moment in U.S.-China relations since the U.S. dismantled its space systems I capable ofreaching the Moon. Certainly any nation considering a lunar exploratory mission would carefully study the U.S. Apollo program, critique it and then construct a I superior program by avoiding Apollo's faults. The U.S. visited the Moon but did not I stay, so it is clear how one would surpass their achievement. Hence, I have given myself the task ofpredicting future Chinese actions in space by planning a Iunar mission from I their perspective. I China wants to be viewed as it was 500 years ago, a superior technological power in the world. The Chinese take pride in their ancient moral and philosophical I traditions. China feels deeply humiliated by centuries of imposed foreign political, I military, and economic control that showed little respect for Chinese culture. China's sense of honor and pride is important. 1 Great national prestige and world acknowledgement as a technologically advanced nation will be given through manned I space flight and a presence on the moon. I In critiquing the United States' Apollo Program from the vantage point ofa team charged with creating a Chinese plan ofgoing to the moon (with the intention of I establishing a permanent presence there) my interactive study achieves WPI's goal for I the IQP by enabling me to explore how society shapes technology. By analyzing the I faults ofthe Apollo program China can construct and implement a program superior to I 2 I the Apollo mission in terms ofboth efficiency and Chinese values. Hence, I will also be I addressing WPI's emphasis on globalization and cross culture perspective in undertaking this study. To prepare a lunar mission plan for China the following three I questions were addressed: 1. Does the Chinese space program have the ability to attempt such an undertaking at the present time? Ifnot, how long will it take for them to achieve this capability? I China has some ofthe world's largest rockets and a strong space program that I dates back to its first domestic launch in 1970. Since then China has launched more I than forty telecommunications and remote sensing satellites for itselfand commercial clients. 2 Highly publicized launch failures early in this decade have given the Chinese I space program an undeserved reputation of inferiority and low reliability. The United States had more failures at a similar level ofdevelopment. By having successful consecutive launches since late 1996, the Chinese have proven themselves again. I The Chinese succeeded in recovering their first Fanhui Shi Weixing (FSW) satellite from orbit in 1975. It was their first satellite recovery attempt. This equaled the Soviet Union's success on their first satellite recovery attempt. The U.S. did not I succeed in recovering a satellite from orbit until Discoverer 13. China has launched and I recovered nine FSW-O satellites, four offive FSW-ls and three FSW-2 satellites. The I Chinese have therefore succeeded at one important area ofmanned fl ight. 3 China is aiming for a possible manned launch before 2000 even though almost all major aspects ofChina's manned space program began within the last five years. I One ofthe strongest motivations for the program is political prestige. The Chinese tentatively planned a manned flight for October 1, 1999 to commemorate the 50th I I 3 I anniversary ofthe People's Republic ofChina. This maybe delayed until 2000 due to I setbacks. Testing ofthe launch vehicle, a Long March 2-EA, was planned for late] 998 but never occurred. The Chinese rocket can put about 9 metric tons into low Earth I orbit. China's manned spacecraft supposedly weighs about 8.4 metric tons. The limit of I the new Long March has been speculated to be i 2 tons. They have a 9(f% chance of success, the same as other world space powers.'; They have or will shortly have the I capability for manned space flight. The next logical question therefore is what they I intend to do with this capability. 2. Does China have a desire to pursue manned space flight and travel to the Moon? The number one priority ofthe Chinese government is internal stability, which I occurs through economic development and prosperity.s The Communist Party views I stability as a way to avoid any form ofupheaval or dissent in a population of L2 biiiion people. Stability is maintained by providing returns that contribute to economic I development for the people. Beijing wants to link China's wealthy urban and poor rural I areas, knowing that political discontent has come from rural areas in the past. 6 The average Chinese, aware ofthe political problems ofthe last century, is more interested I in peace than democracy and freedom. The Chinese population will support I Communism ifonly for the stability it seeks. Chinese know that continued economic I advances will lead to political changes and are waiting patiently.7 Space is very important to China. China's leaders realize that along with I economic returns from commercial launches many areas critical to continued economic I growth and stability are provided by the space program. These include sateiiites, a l:1 ul:iai necessity as more Chinese gain television, phone and computer services. I I 4 I Satellites are also extremely important for military and meteorological needs. World I prestige given through technology is another area well recognized and understood by China's leaders. China wants to pursue manned space flight in the future but is more I concerned with stability at the present time. So, there is no firm time table as there was for Apollo but the future intention is clear. 3. How would China view the Apollo Program based on their ideals and what I parts of the plan would they incorporate and which would they change? I Forming critiques based on the Chinese psyche was difficult. Material specifically examining the Chinese cultural point ofview is difficult to locate. The I process often entails piecing together information from various sources to form a policy I stance and worJdview into a viewpoint that you believe is correct. After creating views or ideals, a comparison ofAmerican and Chinese societies was undertaken. This was I accomplished by using two societal types defined by Robin Williams, author of I "American Society". Examining core-value system differences is a step toward understanding how China, based on one type ofsociety tends to differ in both thought I and action from the United States, which is based on an opposite societal form. I There are two types ofsocieties: community and association. Gemeinschaft and I Gesellschaft describe a communal society and an association society respectively. Communal societies are usually based on small internally homogeneous units and have I stable systems. Association societies are rapidly changing, specialized and segmented. I These polar extreme alternatives are called "Ideal Types" in sociology and do not describe any real society perfectly. Two areas used to compare cultures and give greater I I I I 5 I credibility to my ideas on the contrasting mindset ofthe space program covered in this I project were: A. The communal society is slow to embrace social change, and the integration of I sub-units is evident. There are many universally accepted values, goals, and conduct. The association society lacks universally accepted goals and behavioral I codes; importance is given to law and administrative controls. Integration is based on interdependence ofunits that are part ofan elaborate division oflabor. I B. One ofthe central characteristics ofassociational relations is the furthering of one's own interests. Relationships are instruments to achieve a personal goal. I Communal relationships are valued for their own sake and stress attitudes such as respect, affection and loyalty. In association relations, emphasis tends to I center on performance; in communal relations questions ofmeaning, intent, I motive and feeling are emphasized.

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