“Space activity in the region will expand rapidly over the next decade, giving rise to new global competition.
“Competition for resources such as orbital slots and radio frequencies has already begun and will intensify. China urgently needs to establish a top-level roadmap for developing near-Earth lunar space infrastructure and gaining competitiveness in the emerging near-Earth lunar economy.”
For example, the US Air Force is developing satellites called the Geostationary Highway Patrol System to demonstrate the ability to detect, track and identify man-made objects at lunar distances (437,000 km or 272,000 miles), more than 10 times the detection range of conventional geostationary satellites (35,785 km or 22,236 miles).
Civilian space agencies in the United States, Europe and Japan have also proposed similar infrastructure to support scientific exploration and commercial activities on the Moon.
“The United States, Europe and Japan have plans but have not yet implemented them, giving China a unique opportunity to grab a large share of the emerging Earth-to-lunar space industry,” the researchers wrote.
According to Yang and his colleagues, the construction of China’s near-Earth lunar infrastructure will unfold in three phases.
The second phase will expand the system to include 10 satellites orbiting the Moon, Earth, and a specific location called the Earth-Moon Lagrangian point. The second lunar ground station will increase data transmission speeds to 5 gigabytes per second and improve navigation accuracy to 100 meters in the lunar south polar region.
The third and final phase will integrate a comprehensive network of 30 satellites, three lunar ground stations, and existing Earth-based communications and navigation equipment to achieve data rates of 10 gigabits per second and improve navigation accuracy to 10 meters (32 feet) for lunar surface operations and 50 meters (164 feet) for travel between the Earth and the Moon.
“The development of near-Earth Moon infrastructure must follow the principles of gradual development and dynamic expansion,” the researchers emphasized.
“The need for international compatibility and cooperation should also be taken into account to support China’s space power ambitions and foster a new domestic aerospace industry.”
