China is embarking on a mission that has revived concerns about espionage. A report in the Daily Mail said it plans to launch as many as 13,000 satellites in space – a “mega-constellation” – that will orbit Earth in lower orbits.

The company responsible for the work said the mission’s primary goal was to establish supremacy in low-Earth orbit, the report further said.

Strengthening 5G networks is the goal: China

According to the Daily Mail, China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for Defense (SASTIND) has called for the orderly development of small satellites.

It said the group of satellites would be able to conduct surveillance over large parts of the planet and enhance internet facilities.

The report further said that while the details of what the network will cover and how it will work are unclear, it is aimed at filling gaps in terrestrial communications, especially in rural areas, to enhance its 5G network services.

Similar to SpaceX Starlink

According to China’s plan, the 12,992 satellites will operate in low-Earth orbit like SpaceX-Starlink’s satellites — in a “mega-constellation”. Their range will be between 498.89 kilometers and 1144.24 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

The Daily Mail reports that some companies have been awarded contracts to start development work in Chongqing.

A “megaconstellation” is a network of thousands of satellites covering the length and breadth of the Earth to provide internet service. SpaceX Starlink is currently the most developed, with nearly 2,000 satellites in operation.

Satellite internet constellations are a top priority for the Chinese government.

This program is not a new program. As early as 2020, China first applied to the International Telecommunication Union to allocate spectrum for two constellations of low-Earth orbit satellites. But now, following reports that China has offered the contract, Western governments are starting to worry.

The United States and its allies believe this is a plan by the Chinese government to spy on them in China.

Relations between the two countries have seen friction as China ratchets up the sword over the Taiwan issue and purportedly covers up the emergence of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

China has been monitoring every move on Earth from space. To that end, it has launched two Earth observation satellites called Gaofen. China claims the satellites monitor marine disasters, the marine environment and water conservation.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times