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Does China need a space data bureau to support its ever-growing satellite networks?
- CASC’s Zhao Xiaojin has suggested setting up a national agency to coordinate information gathered by satellites
- The number of such Chinese devices in orbit has grown exponentially, with 100 launches estimated to take place in 2024
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A national satellite data management agency should be established to coordinate the information being gathered by the ever-growing number of Chinese satellites in orbit, according to a leader in China’s aerospace sector.
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Zhao Xiaojin, Communist Party secretary of the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), said a dedicated data bureau could support the burgeoning aerospace sector in China and prevent collected information being wasted.
The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) member made the comments on the sidelines of the conference on Wednesday.
“China prioritises satellite construction over operation. We need to find a way to make the best use of our satellites,” Zhao said.
“According to Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, China has a substantial number of satellites in orbit, incurring huge operational and depreciation costs, which amounts to tens of millions of yuan every day. Yet, the data collected by these satellites is under-utilised.”
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The answer, he proposed, was the establishment of a national-level agency to oversee the coordination of all that data, as well as to improve satellite data storage, processing, distribution and application.
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