Scientists in China have laid out an ambitious road map for creating a network infrastructure between Earth and the moon, a move expected to revolutionize space travel and exploration.
The comprehensive plan, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, envisions a network comprising three lunar ground stations and 30 satellites. This infrastructure will provide monitoring services, navigation, and real-time communication to global users, facilitating more efficient space travel and lunar operations.
In a recent publication in the journal Chinese Space Science and Technology, researchers explained that the network would offer accurate positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for spacecraft traveling between Earth and the moon, as well as for operations on the lunar surface. Additionally, the system will monitor and track moving targets in the cislunar space – the region between Earth and the moon – even those as small as one meter.
“Cislunar space has become a new frontier for human activities,” said Yang Mengfei, chief designer of China’s Chang’e-5 mission and leader of the research team. “Space activities in this region are set to expand rapidly over the next decade, driving a new round of global competition.”
Yang and his team emphasized the urgency for China to establish a strategic road map to develop cislunar space infrastructure. “The competition for resources such as orbital slots and radio frequencies is already on, and will only get more intense in the future. There’s an urgent need for China to gain a competitive edge in the emerging cislunar economy,” they added.
Cislunar space, which includes the orbits of satellites around Earth and the space where the orbit of the moon is situated, is becoming increasingly important as nations and private enterprises ramp up their space activities. The researchers highlighted that China’s growing role in deep space and lunar exploration necessitates strategic planning to avoid repetitive construction and optimize resource allocation for future missions.
China’s strategic planning encompasses exploration missions to the outer solar system, the construction of an international lunar research station, and crewed lunar landings. While the United States, Europe, and Japan have similar plans, none have yet been implemented, positioning China to potentially secure a substantial share of the emerging cislunar space industry.
With this road map, China aims to solidify its status as a major player in the space arena, pioneering advancements that could set the stage for a new era of space exploration and utilization.
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