讀後心得

Two American astronauts, whose mission was originally planned for eight days, were delayed at the International Space Station for nine months and finally returned safely to Earth on March 19 aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. Boeing's Starliner manned flight was delayed due to a malfunction, resulting in significant losses for the company this year. In contrast to Boeing's predicament, SpaceX has performed well, becoming NASA's preferred partner and is set to participate in the "Return to the Moon" and Mars missions in the future. Musk is actively reshaping NASA's space program and vying for support from Trump to secure funding for the Mars project.

News Summary

What was originally an eight-day mission has transformed into a "Space Long March" lasting over nine months. Two American astronauts, after spending nine months at the International Space Station (ISS), finally safely returned to Earth on March 19, Taiwan time, aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Key Highlights

A well-known corporation is striving to reshape its space program, reallocating federal funds and placing loyal supporters in positions to advance its long-standing goal of sending humans to Mars.

Looking back at the beginning of this "Space Long March", it was initially just a scheduled eight-day short-term mission. Two American astronauts were sent to the International Space Station by the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, but encountered propulsion failures and helium leaks along the way. NASA assessed that the risks of returning to Earth as originally planned via Starliner were too high, leading to the decision to keep them at the International Space Station.

The inaugural crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner was supposed to be a significant milestone, but due to the malfunction issues, the two astronauts remained in space for as long as nine months. During this time, Boeing faced significant losses, with a total annual deficit of $11.83 billion, including a loss of $5.413 billion in its defense and space security sector, primarily due to multiple fixed-price development projects resulting in major losses.

Analysts pointed out that Boeing's improper cost control while executing fixed-price contracts, combined with staff turnover and organizational complexities, led its divisions into a structural bottleneck. As NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense's confidence in Boeing wanes, they are turning towards more flexible commercial partners, and if Boeing cannot effectively transform, it risks being marginalized in the commercial space market.

In contrast, SpaceX has been performing well in the space business. Crew Dragon has become NASA's preferred partner for crewed missions, successfully transporting dozens of astronauts back and forth to the International Space Station multiple times, and also handling cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station, completing numerous Dragon spacecraft launches.

Additionally, SpaceX's Starship rocket has been selected as the official lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program for returning to the Moon, and it will also be tasked with landing astronauts on the lunar surface in the future. As the International Space Station approaches its retirement by the end of 2030, NASA has also signed an $843 million agreement with SpaceX to handle the final journey to the International Space Station.

Elon Musk has significant influence over the budgets, personnel, and technical systems of various federal agencies and is working to reshape NASA's space program. Reports indicate that Musk plans to garner more support and budget by showcasing his Mars program to the public. On the personnel front, Trump has appointed a partner of SpaceX as the NASA Administrator. It is reported that NASA's resources will be reallocated to focus on the Mars project, with SpaceX employees being told to prioritize the Mars project over lunar projects when conflicts arise.