BEIJING: State media reported on Thursday that China, the third nation after the United States and Soviet Union to send a man into space, will construct ground stations in Antarctica to support its network of ocean monitoring satellites. Some nations have expressed concern that China's global network of ground stations could be used for espionage because it is supporting a growing number of satellites and space ambitions. China strongly refutes this claim. Due to "changes" in geopolitics, Sweden's state-owned space company declined to renew contracts with China or accept new Chinese business in 2020. In the past, the company had provided ground stations that assisted in the flight of Chinese spacecraft and the transmission of data. China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co. won the tender with a bid of 43.95 million yuan, or $6.53 million, and will build the stations at the Zhongshan research base, one of two permanent Chinese research stations on Antarctica, according to state-controlled China Space News. The report did not provide any technical information about the project, but it did include two illustrations of an artist's rendering of four ground stations at Zhongshan, which is near Prydz Bay in East Antarctica, south of the Indian Ocean. According to China Space News, the project was one part of a larger effort to build China's marine economy and make it a marine power. Despite China's assurance that the station's objective is peaceful space observation and spacecraft missions, a Chinese-built ground station in Argentina's Patagonia has raised questions about its purpose. The docking of a Chinese military survey ship last year at Sri Lanka's Chinese-built port of Hambantota, which analysts say monitors satellite, rocket, and missile launches, drew strong opposition from India, which was worried about possible spying. The third and final module of China's space station was launched in October, making it the second permanently inhabited outpost in low-earth orbit after the NASA-led International Space Station.
BEIJING: State media reported on Thursday that China, the third nation after the United States and Soviet Union to send a man into space, will construct ground stations in Antarctica to support its network of ocean monitoring satellites.
Some nations have expressed concern that China’s global network of ground stations could be used for espionage because it is supporting a growing number of satellites and space ambitions. China strongly refutes this claim.
Due to “changes” in geopolitics, Sweden’s state-owned space company declined to renew contracts with China or accept new Chinese business in 2020. In the past, the company had provided ground stations that assisted in the flight of Chinese spacecraft and the transmission of data.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co. won the tender with a bid of 43.95 million yuan, or $6.53 million, and will build the stations at the Zhongshan research base, one of two permanent Chinese research stations on Antarctica, according to state-controlled China Space News.
The report did not provide any technical information about the project, but it did include two illustrations of an artist’s rendering of four ground stations at Zhongshan, which is near Prydz Bay in East Antarctica, south of the Indian Ocean.
According to China Space News, the project was one part of a larger effort to build China’s marine economy and make it a marine power.
Despite China’s assurance that the station’s objective is peaceful space observation and spacecraft missions, a Chinese-built ground station in Argentina’s Patagonia has raised questions about its purpose.
The docking of a Chinese military survey ship last year at Sri Lanka’s Chinese-built port of Hambantota, which analysts say monitors satellite, rocket, and missile launches, drew strong opposition from India, which was worried about possible spying.
The third and final module of China’s space station was launched in October, making it the second permanently inhabited outpost in low-earth orbit after the NASA-led International Space Station.
