“All of our partners and allies should understand
how important space is and understand that
we will do what is necessary to preserve it,”
Bridenstine said. “And to the extent that NASA
and JAXA continue to explore space, it will only
be because it is secure.”
This week, NASA and the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency, or JAXA, confirmed Japan’s
participation in America’s lunar and Mars
exploration projects, including an Artemis
lunar mission.
The U.S. and Japanese governments are
expanding their security alliance into space
amid China’s growing activity.
Bridenstine said it’s time to advance to the next
stage — sustainable human presence on the
moon, and eventually on Mars. He said he has
high expectations for Japan’s contribution to
future missions.
Bridenstine said he is in Japan to gain Japanese
support, including funding, for the manned
moon mission planned for 2024.
Responding to a question about the feasibility of
sending astronauts to the moon in three years,
he said NASA would rather accelerate the timing
to avoid the political risk of taking too long to
get the program achieved.
Also, a Japanese rocket blasted off from a JAXA
launch site in southern Japan to deliver powerful
new lithium-ion batteries for the space station.
The shipment should arrive at the space station
Saturday for spacewalking astronauts to replace
old-style batteries with new ones.
JAXA is among several organizations making
periodic deliveries to the space station.