Beijing and Paris are to begin sharing satellite control networks in hopes of upgrading their satellite control capacity. The Xian Satellite Control Centre will begin co-operation this year with France's National Centre for Space Studies to interconnect their networks, a Xinhua report said yesterday, without specifying a start date. The project will allow France to use mainland control stations - designed to launch and maintain the orbit of satellites - to follow its satellites movements, and will allow the mainland to observe its orbiters using French networks. In addition to the central station in northern Xian, six other control stations are spread across its boundaries, and one station in the Pacific.