China mulls global satellite surveillance after flight 370 riddle
Beijing mulls launching network of dozens of satellites, giving it the ability to monitor the whole world, in wake of lost flight 370
China is considering massively increasing its network of surveillance and observation satellites so it can monitor the entire planet, scientists working on the project said.
The government is mulling building more than 50 orbiting probes, which Chinese researchers said would make the nation's satellite surveillance network on par with, or even larger than, that of the United States.
Frustration with the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft over the past three weeks had led the project to win strong backing from decision makers in Beijing, the researchers said.
"If we had a global monitoring network today, we wouldn't be searching in the dark. We would have a much greater chance to find the plane and trace it to its final position," said Professor Chi Tianhe, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth.
"The plan is being drafted to expand our regional monitoring capability to global coverage."
The number of surveillance and observation satellites now operated by China, which largely focus on the nation and surrounding region, is a state secret, but Chi estimated the US operated about 50 similar satellites.