In the realm of outer space technology, the competition between the United States and China, particularly in the satellite sector, has reached a point of tightrope walking. The race to explore the moon has become a new battleground for showcasing technological prowess between the two countries. However, experts generally agree that when evaluating based on the number of formal satellites and the scale of space military, the United States still maintains an overwhelming advantage.
According to Voice of America, the competition between the U.S. and China in the satellite arena includes communications satellites for global network dominance, remote sensing satellites for strategic reconnaissance, navigation satellites for the global positioning system showdown, and deep space exploration from the moon to Mars. In addition, the military satellites and space defense efforts of the U.S. and China have escalated into a covert and intense game.
After more than half a century, many countries with strong aerospace capabilities have regained interest in lunar exploration, with the United States and China leading the race back to the moon.
The Wall Street Journal pointed out that the goals of the United States and China are not just to undertake a brief lunar mission, but to establish a permanent human outpost in the most strategically significant location on the moon – the lunar south pole.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated in an interview with the BBC that the United States is in a space race with China to return to the moon. His mission is to ensure that the U.S. is the first to arrive there.
Currently, major countries such as the U.S., China, Russia, India, and Japan are competing to mine the moon as it harbors valuable strategic resources. Helium-3 (helium-3) and rare earth metals are among the minerals found on the lunar surface. Helium-3 is an isotope of helium, rare on Earth but abundant on the moon’s surface.
In addition, the new space startup Interlune aims to mine helium-3 on the moon and become the first private company to extract lunar natural resources and sell them on Earth. Helium-3 is primarily used in quantum computing and medical imaging, with anticipated applications in nuclear fusion as fuel.
NASA also stated that an estimated 1 million tons of this isotope are present on the moon. The European Space Agency noted that this isotope could provide vast clean nuclear energy for fusion reactions, as it is non-radioactive and does not produce hazardous nuclear waste.
Taiwan’s National Defense Strategy and Resources Chief, Su Ziyun, mentioned in an interview that lunar exploration in the 1960s was a significant display of a country’s space capabilities and a powerful political statement. With the discovery of abundant helium-3 on the moon’s surface, it is seen as a future source of new energy, particularly as terrestrial and oceanic resources on Earth become saturated, gradually shifting from space exploration to resource development.
However, he also cautioned that mastering space technology equates to controlling near-space, the primary operating range of hypersonic missiles, leading back to fundamental national security issues.
The military website “The Drive – WarZone” recently reported that the U.S. space startup company LeoLabs stated that the People’s Republic of China is likely pursuing anti-satellite systems capable of destroying Earth synchronous orbit satellites, potentially turning space into a battlefield.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, during a congressional hearing on April 17, expressed concerns to lawmakers about China’s secretive advancement of aerospace technology. He warned that China is enhancing its space capabilities through civilian projects to mask military objectives.
He further stated, “During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House in 2015, he promised that China would not militarize the South China Sea. However, since then, China has built airports and missile launch facilities on islands claimed by the Philippines and other countries, asserting exclusive rights to the region.”
Nelson raised alarm over China’s external expansion and expressed his desire to prevent such a situation from occurring in outer space.
On April 24 of this year, a United Nations Security Council resolution regarding the “Outer Space Treaty,” aimed at peaceful use of outer space and preventing an arms race in outer space, was vetoed by Russia and abstained by China.
In response, Su Ziyun analyzed that the primary reason Russia and China seek to boycott the treaty is to retain the potential for “semi-militarized” deployment in outer space. They aim to deploy laser weapons, nuclear weapons, or impact weapons like metal cone-shaped objects dropped from space orbits, similar to meteorites, which are formidable weapons.
Association researchers of Taiwan’s National Defense Security Institute, Shu Xiaohuang, told reporters that current space utilization mainly supports ground activities and has not yet transitioned to direct military deployment or direct military actions from space.
However, in July of this year, the U.S. Congress released a report from the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, established under the 2022 Fiscal Year National Defense Authorization Act. In the section concerning the threat from China, the report indicated that China has developed capabilities in space and cyber warfare comparable to or nearing those of the United States. It warned that China might use these capabilities to disrupt vital U.S. infrastructure, including computer networks, satellites, and related support systems, to prevent U.S. involvement in regional conflicts.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, the U.S. currently has nearly 3,500 satellites, while China only has 700. Su Ziyun stated that based on these numbers of formal satellites, the U.S. still holds a decisive advantage. However, he acknowledged that China indeed has a rapidly increasing trend.
“In fact, the current space competition between the U.S. and China is extremely intense,” Su Ziyun remarked. ITU estimates that by 2027, the U.S. will have an additional 50,000 low-orbit satellites, such as Starlink or satellites launched by other companies, while China will have 12,000. Formerly powerful Russia has now become a minor player with only around 192 satellites.
Shu Xiaohuang also cited the example of the U.S. Space Force, established by Congress in 2019, as having budgets, organization, and capabilities to coordinate all space resources, including military branches and even private startup companies providing outstanding space services.
The Russian Aerospace Forces operate under the Air Force, while China’s so-called Aerospace Forces are merely an independent branch and cannot effectively coordinate various branches’ space resources. Therefore, overall, Shu Xiaohuang stated, “The U.S. indeed holds a substantial advantage.”