China and Russia Jointly Establish Space Weather Center in Beijing

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] China and Russia have announced the joint establishment of a space weather center in Beijing. The space weather center is an institution responsible for overseeing satellite operations and aviation safety in outer space. This move is interpreted as a measure to strengthen cooperation between the two countries amid escalating controversies, such as the recent threat to the International Space Station (ISS) caused by space debris generated from Russia's satellite interceptor missile test following China's similar test.

According to China's state-run Global Times on the 17th, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced the establishment of a space weather center in Beijing, which will be operated by the China-Russia Consortium (CRC). The space weather center will comprehensively manage satellites located in outer space, aviation safety, and networks with the ground. The CMA stated, "As China begins manned missions for the construction of its independent space station this year, the need for space weather capabilities is increasing, and the space weather center will enhance China's international influence in the field of space weather."

Space weather is known to be essential not only for the civilian sector but also for maintaining the performance of satellite navigation systems (GPS), which affect military high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles, precision-guided weapons, and ballistic missile strikes. The Global Times reported that there are already three civilian and state-run space weather centers within China.

Recently, as Russia's satellite interceptor missile test generated a large amount of space debris threatening the safety of the ISS, criticism from the United States and the West has continued, and this is seen as a measure to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier, on the 12th, the ISS adjusted its orbit to avoid debris from China's meteorological satellite caused by China's 2007 satellite interceptor missile test, and on the 15th, it conducted an avoidance maneuver to evade about 1,500 satellite fragments generated by Russia's satellite interceptor missile test.

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