The Lessons of Galileo
The Galileo project is a good example of how bold the Chinese are becoming in the satellite arena. Jean-Pierre Cabestan, senior researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Paris has watched the situation closely.
"China's interest was to get access to a GPS system that will help modernize its own observation satellite technology, and if possible, get access to the military side of Galileo project," says Cabestan. "The EU's interest is less obvious: get China's participation. The $200 million investment by the United States was not necessary, but the idea was to give China the option to get a non-U.S. commercial GPS system."
Of course, the problem is that Galileo is not just a civilian project, and this has triggered an intense discussion among EU security specialists. The French government is the strongest supporter of China, although other EU countries did not oppose having China on board.
And what about the EU assurances to the United States should China be tempted to use Galileo in an armed conflict with Taiwan?
"Galileo would become blind in such a case," says Cabestan. "But China keeps knocking at the door, hoping to get access to the military side of Galileo. My hope is that the EU will be able to resist. With Chirac and the like, as well as EADS's commercial ambitions in China, I cannot guarantee that we will be able to resist all their demands."
"The Galileo project underscores the need for a post-cold war coordination among Western countries and their [Eastern] allies [Japan, Korea] as far as dual technology exports to China are concerned. Should we help China to enhance its military edge in the Taiwan Strait and its capacity to project forces across the Strait as long as this country continues to constitute a threat to the peace and stability in the Strait and as long as Beijing has not dismantled its 500 missiles targeted against the island?" says Cabestan.
"China needs to commit itself to only using peaceful means to solve the issue, and to reach some kind of agreement with Taipei on this issue."
"The State Aerospace Bureau is now really pushing the development of space technology. Since the launch of its first manmade satellite in 1971, China has established itself in the world of space technology; especially as this relates to applied satellites," says Kathleen M. Sweet, Lt Col. (ret) USAF, and an associate professor in the Department of Aviation Technology at Purdue University. "Currently, China's research on recoverable satellites, soft-landing technology and microgravitation has entered a more mature testing stage."
Sweet reports that China plans on sending 30 additional satellites into space within the next five years, and that to date, China has successfully developed and launched 48 satellites with a success rate of 90 percent.
"China is purportedly developing laser weapons with the ability to destroy satellites and to disrupt communications systems. However, Chine realizes that a cheaper way is to simply disrupt the communications system with a computer virus," says Sweet.
Doors Are Opening, Optimism Is Vital
According to Peter Jackson, president of Asia Satellite Communications Co. Ltd. (Asiasat) in Hong Kong, China will continue to open up various parts of its media industry and foreign hardware suppliers that have offices in China or even joint venture manufacturing facilities in China will continue to see growth despite real competition from wholly owned Chinese manufacturers.
"With the frequent announcements of new partnerships and channels for national and overseas services, the China media scene is definitely a growth area," says Jackson. "For satellite operators, this increase in activity has created demand for facilities to distribute content to cable headends and customers, television viewers or even 3G service suppliers."
"There is a shift on the programming side in China as people recognize that there is a necessity for local or foreign content on the future DTH platform. For this reason, they allow many production houses with foreign programming companies," says Koh.
"The future for China generally looks very promising and the ability of any entity to do business in China requires that they have the right contacts and product. That is equally true in the satellite industry,"
Jackson says. "The regulatory situation in some industries does pose certain barriers, but no more than in other countries, just different. If I look at the barriers for Asiasat to buy technical products in the U.S. at this time it appears equally challenging."
China will continue to embrace satellite technology, and this eagerness will benefit many players in the international satellite community. But many issues must be resolved, and yet there is room for optimism, and a sense that solutions to these issues will be found.
Peter J. Brown is Via Satellite's Senior Multimedia & Homeland Security Editor. He also volunteers as a satellite technology and communications advisor to the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
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