China’s recent advances in space technology show that the country can even become the largest and most powerful cosmic force in the world. However, the US is concerned that these breakthroughs are part of China’s space strategy.
In one such breakthrough, China’s space program will provide a lighter and more efficient energy supply with the help of new power switch and converter devices built using third generation semiconductor components. I’ll take a step closer to secure it.
According to Chinese media, the Silicon Carbide (SIC) power device designed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was tested in orbit since November 2024 when the Amane-8 cargo spacecraft was delivered to China’s space station It’s been done.
“The main challenge of this mission is to carry out spatial verification of domestically developed high voltage, radiation-resistant SIC power devices to verify applications in aerospace power supply,” China on February 2nd. He spoke to Xinhua to the provincial news agency. “We will study the radiation effects, improve the production of aerospace digital power sources in China, and support a single module in the future to reach kilowatt-level power,” Liu said.
SIC-based electronics are considered essential for future spacecraft missions near the Sun, bases on the Moon and Mars, and other space expeditions. SIC power devices can reduce launch costs, enhance cargo loading capabilities, simplify heat dissipation equipment, miniaturize space power systems, and increase the power to volume ratio by 5 times.
Building the next-generation aviation technology needed for China’s space aspirations, such as creating a lunar research facility and transporting personnel to the moon by 2030, will greatly depend on the development of lighter, more efficient power systems. I will. Therefore, successful tests could be a breakthrough for the National Space Agency of China (CNSA).
This development comes days after astronauts at the Tiangon Space Station successfully carried out experimental extraterrestrial photosynthesis in orbit prior to the major space exploration mission.
China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said the innovation is likely to serve as a technical basis for the country’s upcoming manned deep space exploration missions.
Tiangon Space Station is the youngest in the world and has been working for over two years. That complete assembly was completed in November 2022, following the addition of the Mengtian Science module. Currently, the Space Station is getting additional upgrades to expand its functionality.
China is also working with Russia to establish a lunar base. The lunar base is expected to end by 2035, and will be located near the moon’s Antarctic in the first phase. The second phase will expand to a wider network and must be completed by 2050.
Additionally, China could launch a historic attempt to bring samples from Mars to Earth two years before scheduled in 2028. According to leading mission designer Liu Jizhong, the country’s Tianwen-3 mission will begin “around 2028” to retrieve samples of Mars.
Meanwhile, the European Space Agency’s plan to retrieve NASA and Mars samples remains under review amid uncertainty over the complexity of the budget and mission. NASA, which first landed on Mars decades ago, said it is evaluating a faster, more affordable way to get faster results than the 2040 sample returned .
Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken out about China’s ambitions to become a global cosmic force, indicating that space domination is at the heart of China’s military vision.
By 2050, China hopes to control the space industry. Its comprehensive strategies include examining subjects such as quantum mechanics, the origins of the universe, habitable planets, and extraterrestrial life, in addition to the Moon, Mars and the deep sea.
However, these breakthroughs and enormous advances in China’s universe have sparked doubts in the West. China emphasizes its universe’s ambitions are benign, but the US believes Beijing wants to militarize space on a massive scale.
Interestingly, China developed the space station after being denied access to the ISS due to concerns about its close ties with the space agency’s military, particularly the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
We are worried about space militarization
The West has doubted China’s intentions since its establishment of the Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) as an independent branch of the PLA in 2015.
This was seen as a driving force for what China calls a future “informationized” war. This led the Trump administration to find the rationale for creating the US Space Force (USSF) in 2018.
China has ratified all agreements regarding the peaceful use of the universe. In 2007, it successfully tested anti-Medicine Weapons (ASATs) by blowing up a long-standing Chinese weather satellite. China is said to be developing and testing antiserum weapons that could kill enemy satellites in low and high orbits.
China has tested rendezvous and proximity operations, specifically targeting the Earth (Earth Orbit) belt. In 2022, for example, a Chinese satellite snatched another long-time satellite, throwing it into a “cemetery” orbit 300km away. Such abilities can be used to remove or disable functional satellites of enemies during war.
The US Space Force’s National Space Information Center reported in January 2024 that China was developing a system to inspect and repair potential satellites.
According to the study, PLA’s GEO satellites with robotic arms represent a threat to “juicy targets,” including US satellites that lack fuel for operation. These threats have been growing recently.
Last year, US Air Force think tanks have trained satellite operators for satellite refueling in orbit, a key capability to manage space logistics in both peacetime and wartime scenarios. He said there was.
Recently, Chinese scientists have conducted simulation operations targeting American billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network.
Computer simulations showed that only 99 Chinese satellites could successfully approach around 1,400 Starlink satellites in about 12 hours. These satellites are equipped with lasers, microwaves and other tools for tracking, reconnaissance and other operations.
“The potential military application value of the Starlink Megaconstellation has been highlighted in the Russian-Ukurein conflict. In recent years, space militarization has intensified, poses a major threat to China’s space security. Project The team wrote:
General Chance Saltzman, commander of the US Space Force, said in November 2024 that China’s emphasis on militarizing and space-making could seriously put international security at risk. It warned that this would greatly increase the possibility of a war on the worlds.
“The number of different categories of space weapons (made by China) and the speed at which they are doing it is highly threatened,” he emphasized.
In an interview with Politico, Saltzman also highlighted the scope of China’s space capabilities, including the launch of “hundreds of satellites” aimed at accurate targeting of assets on Earth. He explained that Beijing’s vast satellite network allows operations beyond basic surveillance, allowing for sophisticated targeting systems that can be used as weapons.
Beijing is also advancing technologies such as hypersensitivity glide vehicles that can bypass traditional air defense systems and avoid satellite-based early warning systems. The technology, alongside satellite targeting systems, demonstrates broader military ambitions. In addition to this, several reports suggest that China is developing leading energy weapons for space with an eye to extracting hostile satellites in case war breaks out. I’m doing it.
Finally, the Pentagon’s annual Chinese Military Power Report, published in December 2024, shows Beijing’s space advancement pursues global technology and strategic leadership goals in addition to preparing for future space warfare. I warned that it suggested that it was.
