China Is Planning A 30-Satellite Information Superhighway To Connect The Earth And The Moon

China is making significant strides toward cislunar space dominance by unveiling an ambitious plan to establish a 30-satellite information superhighway connecting Earth and the moon. This groundbreaking satellite network is set to revolutionize communication, navigation, and monitoring capabilities between our planet and its natural satellite.

Researchers from the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering have outlined a vision for real-time communication, navigation, and monitoring services available to global users. The network aims to support over 20 simultaneous travelers, enabling them to communicate with Earth through images, audio, or video. Additionally, it promises precise positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for Earth-moon flights and lunar surface operations.

The satellite network will possess the capability to monitor and track moving targets as small as one meter in cislunar space the vast region between Earth and the moon. This initiative, detailed in the journal Chinese Space Science and Technology in June, underscores the growing importance of cislunar space as a new frontier for human activities. Chief designer Yang Mengfei of China’s Chang’e-5 mission and his team emphasize that activities in this region are expected to surge in the coming decade, sparking a new wave of global competition.

As nations vie for resources such as orbital slots and radio frequencies, China’s strategic roadmap aims to secure a competitive edge in the emerging cislunar economy. The United States, for example, is already advancing its Cislunar Highway Patrol System, a satellite designed to detect and track objects at lunar distances, far beyond the traditional geostationary detection range. Similarly, civil space agencies in the US, Europe, and Japan have proposed infrastructure to support lunar exploration and commercial operations.

To avoid redundant construction and optimize resource allocation for future missions, China’s cislunar infrastructure development will occur in three stages. Initially, two satellites and a lunar control station will support moon missions, catering to up to 10 users. The second stage will expand to ten satellites and a second lunar station, boosting data rates to 5 gigabytes per second and improving navigation accuracy to 100 meters.

As China positions itself as a leader in lunar and deep space exploration, this strategic initiative is poised to play a critical role in the global race for cislunar space dominance.