China intends to implement an extensive lunar surveillance system, drawing insights from Skynet's success in the country's video surveillance network. The Moon base's security is the primary focus, as detailed in a research paper from the nation's space agency.
The full moon is seen above a building during the mid-autumn festival in Shanghai on September 10, 2022.
Skynet 2.0: Advanced Surveillance System for Moon Base Security and Global Space Leadership
China's ambitious lunar surveillance system, inspired by Skynet, encompasses high-tech security cameras equipped with AI chips. These cameras, weighing just 100 grams each, can independently identify, locate, track, and target suspicious entities. The system, detailed in a paper from China's National Space Administration, remains vague about response measures to detected abnormalities.
To achieve seamless coverage, these cameras, arriving on the moon in batches, automatically connect, forming an interconnected network. The proposed International Lunar Research Station, larger than a Disney theme park, requires robust monitoring for long-term stability and safety.
The station, housing scientific facilities, a command center, and more, will rely on a lunar Skynet for continuous, 360-degree surveillance in critical zones.
While critics argue Skynet infringes on human rights, China sees it as vital for safety and transparency in Moon exploration. The lunar Skynet faces challenges such as a minimum 10-year lifespan, extreme lunar environmental conditions, and potential external threats. Chinese authorities hope technology companies can contribute to overcoming challenges in lens design, chip technology, protective materials, and AI algorithms.
The paper emphasizes the need for resilient encryption techniques to secure communication and data transmission in deep space. It is imperative to establish fresh standards specifically designed for deep-space missions to guarantee the integrity and security of mass-produced optical surveillance terminals. The lunar Skynet's objectives extend beyond security, aiming to strengthen China's standing as a prominent space power on the global stage.
China, Russia Partner on Moon Research Station and Innovative Habitat Construction
China, in partnership with Russia, plans to establish an expansive lunar research station, surpassing the scale of any Disney theme park, with a radius approaching four miles. The envisioned facility will encompass crucial components such as a command center, power station, communication hub, and research facilities.
The ambitious timeline aims to initiate construction within the next few years, with a groundbreaking objective of creating a fundamental setup employing lunar soil by 2028.
To accomplish this lunar endeavor, a specialized robot named 'Chinese Super Masons' is in the works, designed to craft bricks from the abundant lunar soil.
Ding Lieyun, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, emphasizes the importance of constructing a lunar habitat for sustained exploration. Proposing innovative concepts like the Lunar Pot Vessel, Ding expresses optimism about achieving this goal despite acknowledged complexities.
China's lunar aspirations extend further, with plans to retrieve the world's inaugural soil sample from the moon's far side, potentially as early as 2025. This follows their successful Chang'e-5 mission in 2020, which collected soil samples from the moon's near side.
With an eye on extended lunar habitation, China envisions astronauts spending prolonged periods on the moon once the lunar research station is established, marking a significant stride in their space exploration agenda.
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