China Developing Satellite for Arctic Glacier Observation... 'Purpose of Promoting Arctic Silk Road?'

Jungsan University Completes Final Stage of Satellite Design... Aiming for Launch in 2022

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] China plans to launch a satellite that will precisely observe the Arctic glaciers. China explains that the satellite is for research purposes related to global warming, but there are observations that it is practically preparing for the Arctic Silk Road.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 11th (local time), Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in China have almost completed designing a satellite to observe the Arctic maritime route, aiming for a 2022 launch. Regarding the satellite development, the research team stated that it will precisely monitor changes in the Arctic glaciers, which are a major indicator of global warming and a factor in China's air pollution.

The research team said, "(The satellite under development) can capture images of the entire Arctic region about once every two days, more frequently than existing satellites with similar functions, and boasts significantly superior accuracy compared to existing satellites." The satellite will be positioned at an altitude of 720 km and plans to provide high-resolution maritime route images and information on the state of the Arctic glaciers.

There is also analysis that this satellite development is preparatory work for developing the Arctic Silk Road. It is being promoted as part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (land and maritime Silk Road).

Earlier in May this year, China imported liquefied natural gas from Russia using the Arctic sea route.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.