Adam Minter, Columnist

NASA Should Boldly Go ... to China

Barring collaboration deprives U.S. scientists of rich opportunities for innovation and exploration.

October 19, 2015 at 9:00 AM UTC

Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the business of sports. He is the author, most recently, of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale."

If it was up to Congress, Damon would still be stuck on Mars.
Photographer: Fred Duval/Film Magic/Getty Images

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When Matt Damon is rescued from Mars in this fall’s sci-fi blockbuster, “The Martian,” an assist from the Chinese space program is critical to getting the American home. The plot twist is heartwarming -- not to mention about as far-fetched as a large-scale manned Mars mission.

The problem is U.S. law, which since 2011 has prohibited bilateral collaboration with China in space. In other words, a mission to rescue Matt Damon would be illegal.