China tests superfast satellite that can prevent another MH370 tragedy

BEIJING: A Chinese satellite has tested a technology that can offer the most accurate means yet of tracking air traffic from space in the hope of preventing a repeat of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 tragedy, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

It says each aircraft in the sky emits a radio signal but constantly monitoring all planes over a large area is technically challenging.

“Beihang Kongshi 1, a small satellite in near-Earth orbit, can update the status of an aircraft every eight seconds – about twice as fast as American technology, meaning the tracking is more accurate,” it said, quoting a report in the state-run Science and Technology Daily.

Launched last November, Beihang Kongshi 1’s new radio surveillance technology and hardware, some of it being used in space for the first time, had achieved results that suggested it worked “quite well”, according to the report.

The project is still at an experimental stage, but could lead to a global tracking system involving “hundreds of satellites”, the report said. That would enable airlines to quickly locate a plane even if it lost contact.

Ground traffic controllers lost contact with MH 370, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, on March 8, 2014. Years of efforts failed to find the plane, which had 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. After the tragedy, there was an increase in interest in tracking air traffic from above the sky.

Ground-based tracking stations cover only 30% of the Earth’s surface, mostly over populated areas.

The report said most civilian aircraft are equipped with a radio beaming device known as an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). The strength of the ADS-B signal decreases at longer distances, but some calculations suggested it could be picked up by a satellite in orbit if its antenna was sensitive enough.

Germany launched PROBA-V, the world’s first satellite to test the idea, in 2013. After the MH370 tragedy, a few more countries, including Canada and Denmark, joined the race.

Although the performance of these satellites was not strong, they paved the way for more effective application of the technology.

In 2019, American company Aireon launched the world’s first space-based tracking service with a global network involving more than 60 new-generation Iridium communication satellites.

The company signed agreements with American and European air traffic authorities to use the data collected from space to improve the safety and efficiency of civilian flights.

However, no Chinese authorities or airlines bought the service. The reasons were not made clear, but it is widely believed that they were waiting for a Chinese solution. The technology was deemed sensitive because it could have military applications.

“The ADS-B data can be used for monitoring and reconnaissance of military targets in the air,” said Professor Chen Lihu, of the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha, in a paper published in peer-reviewed journal Chinese Space Science and Technology in June.

Tiantuo 3, the first Chinese satellite equipped with an aircraft tracking device, was launched in 2015. The early satellites did not perform very well, but the technology improved quickly.

Tiantuo 5, an upgraded version launched in August last year, could pick up more than three million messages a day with a detection range of over 4,000km, outperforming some European competitors, according to Chen.

The report said the new Beihang Kongshi 1 satellite ditched the traditional design for something more radical.

“Its antenna, taking inspiration from China’s latest missile defence system, can unfold in space with several layers, like a lotus flower. Capable of receiving and distinguishing many similar radio waves at the same time, its target tracking capability is eight times that of Tiantuo 5.”

The report said China has embarked on programmes that will send hundreds of satellites into near-Earth orbit for wireless communication.

“Although smaller than SpaceX’s Starlink programme, the Chinese satellite constellations will reach the global coverage necessary for aircraft tracking.”

The US remains the leader in the field, but the Aireon system has drawbacks, such as too many of its satellites being near polar areas where few aeroplanes fly.

The Chinese system has its own issues that are yet to be solved, such as some overlapping of signals in areas with high aircraft density, it added. FMT

China tests superfast satellite that can prevent another MH370 tragedy

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