Chinese scientists from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering have unveiled plans to create a communication network linking Earth and the moon. The network will consist of three lunar ground stations and 30 satellites, enabling over 20 space travelers to communicate via audio, images, and video simultaneously. It will also provide precise positioning, navigation, and timing services and track objects as small as one meter in cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon.
Led by Yang Mengfei, chief designer of the Chang’e-5 mission, the project aims to establish China’s lead in the emerging cislunar economy ahead of similar efforts by the US, Europe, and Japan. With rapid growth expected in cislunar activities over the next decade, this network is positioned to support multiple missions, enhance data transmission, and enable global cooperation in lunar and deep-space exploration.
This communication and navigation constellation reflects China’s ambition to build a robust space infrastructure to drive its strategic goals in lunar exploration, establish a Moonbase, and extend its reach beyond Earth’s orbit. The system’s capability to track small objects with high accuracy will improve space situational awareness, safety, and mission planning. It is a critical step in China’s roadmap to becoming a dominant player in the cislunar domain and the broader space economy.
This initiative complements China’s existing lunar relay satellites Queqiao 1 and 2 and upcoming lunar lander missions like Chang’e 7 and 8, aiming to create a seamless communication link from Earth to the lunar surface and beyond.
References:
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Moneycontrol: China’s Space Travel Initiative: 30 satellites for 'Information Superhighway'moneycontrol
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Jatan.Space: China’s lunar constellation plans and navigation communication networkjatan
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South China Morning Post: China’s first Earth-moon nav-com network operationalscmp
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