Russia and China are Going to Create a Single Moon Data Center and Internet Access Satellites / Yana Grigoryeva
Yana Grigoryeva, Intern at the Russian National Committee on BRICS Research - special for InfoBRICS
Russia and China intend to cooperate in the creation of a joint data Center for the exploration of the moon and deep space. The government of the Russian Federation in coordination with Roscosmos and the Russian foreign Ministry gave permission to negotiate an agreement with China "on cooperation in the creation of a joint data Center for the exploration of the moon and deep space."
The decision point was reached within the framework of the bilateral intergovernmental Commission and it has been expected by scientists of both countries already for a long time. The data Bank will collect all the available information about the moon from Soviet Union, Russian, Chinese sources, as well as from open sources in other countries. The data center will include, for example, pictures of the moon, the moon`s soil conditions, the orbital parameters. All of the further lunar exploration programs would use this data center as a single expert stock of information about the moon. So far only scientists from the two countries will have access to the data, but in the future third countries may be involved in this cooperation too.
Currently, Roscosmos and the Russian Academy of Sciences are developing the concept of a lunar program for the period up to 2040. The program involves 3 stages. The first stage (2021-2025) - "Foray". It includes testing of all technologies on the ISS, creation of the base module of the lunar station, testing of the manned spacecraft "Federation", unmanned flights of the "Federation" and explore the moon by automatic stations of "Luna" series (Luna-25, 26, 27, 28) in order to solve scientific problems, reconnoiter and prepare for the further steps. The lunar orbital station can be created on the basis of elements of the Russian segment of the ISS, in particular, a Node (2021), a manned transport vehicle and an energy module (2022).
The second stage (2025-2035) - "Outpost". It includes testing of means for access to the surface of the moon: manned flights with the landing of astronauts on the surface of the moon to create and place the first elements of the lunar base in 2026. In the period 2025-2030, communications satellites will be deployed in lunar orbit. The third stage (after 2035) - "Base". It is planned to complete the construction of a full-fledged lunar base. It also includes creation of scientific infrastructure - two astronomical observatories (radio astronomy and cosmic rays), extraction of water ice (and creation on its basis of oxygen-hydrogen fuel), construction of shelters from radiation. Creation of a unified system of manned and automatic means of lunar exploration. In the period 2036-2040 navigation devices will be deployed in orbit to lay routes on earth.
Currently, Russia is planning to launch three space missions to the moon - landing "Luna-25" and "Luna-27", as well as orbital "Luna-26". The moon landing of the first Russian astronaut is scheduled for 2030.
Russia in its turn has achieved great success in space exploration and development in recent years. In addition to manned spacecraft flights, Russia successfully completed the expeditions of the moon with the help of automatic stations and automatic stations flights to the planets of the Solar system — Venus and Mars, setting up landers on the surface with the image transfer of the surrounding landscape to the Earth. Russian scientists created manned orbital stations, reusable vehicles, space communication systems, remote sensing of the Earth, coordinate-metric complexes. At this stage, Russia's space activities occupy one of the key places in the geopolitics of the country. It is one of the most important factors determining status as a great power and as a country of high technologies.
China is one of the largest market players in providing launch services to other countries and organizations, as well as being a developer and manufacturer of satellites for the international orders (for example, Nigeria). Also, China participates in joint programs (for example, with Brazil). China's orbital constellation as at February 2015 included 131 spacecraft (the same number as Russia).
The project of Russia and China to create the united orbital constellation to provide high-speed Internet access will mark the beginning of technological cooperation between the two countries in space for many decades, overshadow the Russia's partnership with the United States and Europe. Similar systems that exist in the world now are “OneWeb” and “Starlink” from Elon Musk's SpaceX company. China and Russia this year will sign a specific agreement on the locations of GLONASS and "Baidu" stations. China is planning to create a national satellite system of about a thousand spacecrafts located in low, medium and geostationary orbit slots. Russia was offered a full partnership in the project with the assumption of half of the costs and the creation of 50% of the satellites group.
China understands that during the trade war with the United States, the country needs strong allies, and now the partnership is linked by long-term high-tech projects, such as the creation of a satellite communication system. Such a project will strengthen the partnership, so China will insist on implementing this project in order to get Russia as an ally.
In addition, the Russian market is necessary for China to prove to all the world that this satellite system can compete with the British satellite system “OneWeb” and the American “Starlink”. The creation of a single satellite system will be the first step towards the division of the planet into two technological blocks for many years. The next projects of cooperation will be the joint creation of a super-heavy rocket, a joint lunar program. From this moment China becomes Russia's main partner in space, as well as on earth.
China could create such a system on its own. The country has the necessary technical and economic resources, but China understands that the global system needs global partners. In the future, I hope that all BRICS countries will be able to become China's and Russia`s partners in space. After all, BRICS has a lot: huge intellectual resources, a powerful production base, unique technologies and even its own Bank.
BRICS can make huge leap in the conquest of space. BRICS is already implementing joint projects in space. The BRICs orbital constellation for earth remote sensing will include five spacecrafts: Brazilian-Chinese CBERS-04, Russian “Canopus-V” number 1, Indian Resourcesat-2 and Chinese Gaofen-1 and Ziyuan-3-02. In addition, ground-based data reception stations in Brazil, India, China and South Africa will be used for the benefit of BRICS. At the first stage, the scientists will create a virtual orbital grouping with earth remote sensing satellites, at the second - the actual grouping. The agreement on cooperation between the space agencies of the BRICS countries is at the final stage. Moreover, it has already signed the agreement on the joint space flight of Russian and Indian astronauts, the possibility of a joint launch of space rockets of Russia and Brazil is being considered, the problems of human resource capacity in the space industry in South Africa have been discussed at the international level etc. For now, Brazil, India and South Africa do not have enough experience in this area, but Russia and China are providing all possible assistance in space exploration.
Origin: http://infobrics.org/post/29397