This country is planning to send 300 bullet-shaped satellites in space, its part of a dangerous…, India must remain alert due to…
Chutian project: In a worrying development amid India-Pakistan tensions, China– Pakistan’s “all-weather-ally”– is planning to launch a constellation of bullet-shaped satellites into Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), aimed to build a surveillance network, which could potentially capture images of any location around the world.
China to launch 300-satellite constellation
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, China’s Chutian project, which aims to build a 300-satellite constellation for high-resolution remote sensing and communication, as well as surveillance, has passed key technology checks.
A year ago, China had launched the Chutian-001 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC), displayed core capabilities, including satellite system performance, high-resolution smart imaging and space environment monitoring, the report said.
Chutian project to be deployed in 3 phases
Local local media sources, the report said the Chutian constellation will be deployed in three phases. In the first, initial technology and service verification stage, one experimental satellite was scheduled for launch last year to test operations in VLEO, after which a cluster of cluster of nine satellites will follow in 2025, to demonstrate real-time Earth observation capabilities, it said.
The Chutian project will enter its second phase from 2026-2030, focusing on large-scale deployment, during which CASIC aims to complete a 300-satellite network offering continuous global coverage with a range of imaging types – visible light, synthetic aperture radar, hyperspectral, and infrared – and response times as short as 15 minutes, the report said.
The third phase will be focused on integration and expansion, completing the full business system and pushing global response times to under 10 minutes, it added.
Zhang Chuan, project leader at CASIC, said the Chutian constellation will support a wide range of applications, from disaster response and watershed management to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, adding the satellite system is designed for high revisit rates, fast data processing, intelligent analysis and near-instant downlink capabilities.
What are the potential military uses and why India’s must remain alert?
According to experts, the Chutian constellation could be used as a global surveillance network, providing real-time target detection with precise satellite control and domestically developed technologies.
This could pose a potential security threat to China’s rivals, especially India after the recent developments where Beijing openly supported Pakistan in its conflict with India.
Notably, the bullet-shaped body of the Chutian satellites is designed to reduce atmospheric drag, which is a major challenge for satellites operating below 300 km (186 miles), where air resistance is much higher. VLEO satellites typically orbit Earth at altitudes between 150 km and 300 km.
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