China sets sights on Antarctic bases
Beijing is to expand its presence in Antarctica with a base to promote ‘‘the marine economy’’ and become an ocean power, according to state media.
China plans to build ground stations in Antarctica to host satellites that monitor the ocean. It says the project, a collaboration between the National Satellite Ocean Application Service and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation to create up to four stations, will be a milestone for the country’s ocean exploration satellite system.
Ground stations are necessary to fly spacecraft and transmit data, and China has been building them in several countries.
A Chinese-built station in Patagonia, southern Argentina has prompted concerns about its real purpose, despite Beijing’s assurance that the goal is peaceful space observation and space- craft missions, rather than spying.
In 2020, citing ‘‘changes’’ in geopolitics, the Sweden Space Corporation refused to renew contracts to assist China with its ground stations.
Countries such as the United States and Japan have ground stations in Antarctica, and China’s new ones will be built at its Zhongshan science research station, located by Prydz Bay in eastern Antarctica.
An unnamed project worker told the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-run newspaper, that the project would include a 12m antenna base and transmission rooms as well as power
and communications cables.
The worker admitted that there were challenges with the project, including the hostile polar environment, and limited theoretical research and methodology of existing engineering projects from which to learn.
The ground station project crew spent 47 days at the Zhongshan station in 2018 to survey the site and test insulation materials.
China has made huge strides in its space programme. It became the first
country to land on the far side of the Moon, and is building its first permanent space station in Earth orbit.
Last year, it made more than 60 space launches, sending more than 180 satellites into orbit, compared with 19 orbital launches in 2015.
In addition, China is seeking to expand its footprint in polar regions, especially the Arctic, with expedition trips. President Xi Jinping has demanded that the country become a ‘‘polar great power’’ by 2030.