INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
"Space and the exploration of space is meant to be, according to the Outer Space Treaty, for the benefit of all mankind," said Aarti
Holla-Maini, director of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).Holla-Maini spoke to CGTN ahead of this year's Space Day of
China on April 24, an event that underscored the importance of global collaboration in humanity's pursuit beyond Earth.Space exploration
requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders
Global cooperation not only ensures more equitable participation, but also accelerates scientific progress and fosters capacity building –
especially for developing countries
However, not all spacefaring nations are on the same page
The United States has urged its allies to avoid participating in China's space initiatives, citing concerns over technology transfer and
security, according to a report obtained by Defense One, a US-based military and national security news outlet.The power of satellite data
sharing Satellite data sharing is often overlooked, yet it is essential for effective risk management and disaster response that can save
lives and protect communities.As the magnitude-7.9 earthquake rocked Myanmar on March 28, China activated over 30 satellites, including
Gaofen, Ziyuan, and Jilin series, to capture high-resolution imagery of the affected regions in support of disaster response
This rapid deployment enabled the identification of more than 480 suspected disaster sites within a 120-kilometer radius of the epicenter
near Mandalay.China's Fengyun meteorological satellites now serve global disaster prevention efforts
According to the China Meteorological Administration, these satellites have provided data and products to 133 countries and regions as of
April, 2025, supporting weather forecasting, climate prediction, and natural disaster monitoring.Shared missions, shared risksAs low Earth
orbit (LEO) satellites continue to revolutionize Earth observation and global communications, their potential extends even further – to
safeguarding Earth itself."An efficient monitoring of near-Earth objects, certainly early detection, and then a globally coordinated
mitigation strategy," the executive director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Christopher Feichtinger told CGTN.I also
learned from Tan Yuhua, the deputy chief designer of Chang'e-7, the necessity of international collaborations in ground-based observations
She delivered a keynote speech calling for global participation at the 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference (IDSEC)."We look
forward to collaboration with some of the world's major observatories
We could jointly observe asteroid targets in order to fully prepare for the implementation of asteroid defense missions."China's role in
leading global collaboration This is not the first time geopolitical rifts have shaped the trajectory of space programs
Due to US restrictions, China was excluded from the International Space Station program
In response, China took an independent path and developed its own orbital platform, the China Space Station (CSS)
Today, that path has led to a globally accessible research platform in orbit. Through a partnership with UNOOSA, China has selected nine
international experiments from 17 countries to be conducted aboard the CSS
According to a 2024 report by China Manned Space Agency, over 1,000 research projects are expected on the station in the next 10 to 15
years, spanning scientific outreach, technological innovation, and international collaboration."The projects we collect via the United
The China-Europe joint projects are going on
And we are expanding more international cooperation," said Zhang Wei, a researcher from the Space Application Center at the Chinese Academy
of Sciences. China is also laying the groundwork for its ambitious International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)
At the recent IDSEC, China and Senegal signed a cooperation agreement – an encouraging step for African nations seeking to join the global
space community."We need support to train people in Senegal in space science, we need to build infrastructures; we need to empower our kids
Being part of a very big project, international cooperation project is the best way to interest the next generation in working in space
It will be a very big achievement for developing countries like Senegal
So, this is what we are expecting in this collaboration
It is very important for our roadmap to be part of this ambitious program," said Maram Kaire, the director general of the Senegalese Agency
for Space Studies, in an interview with CGTN.The Chang'e-6 lunar mission recently exemplified the spirit of open collaboration
Four payloads from different countries and organizations hitched a ride on it, including Pakistan's first CubeSat and a Detection of
Outgassing Radon (DORN) instrument by France.Pierre-Yves Meslin, the principal scientist of the DORN project, shared with me his take on
having this collaboration."Together with my team in France, and in China, we have now an instrument on the moon, on the far side of the moon
And it will stay there forever."China continues to invite global participation in its lunar plans
Ten international scientific and technological projects have been selected to join its Chang'e-8 lunar exploration mission that's scheduled
The mission will target the Leibnitz-Beta Plateau near the moon's south pole, a region of high scientific interest for future lunar base
development.On the commercial space side, China also launched a remote-sensing satellite for Oman, which was designed in a collaborative
effort between Omani space-tech startup Oman Lens, Chinese private aerospace firm Star.Vision Aerospace, and an Omani investment
company. Launched on November 11, 2024 by China's commercial carrier rocket Lijian-1, this mission marks the first time a Chinese
commercial space enterprise has provided launch services to an international user.As space exploration continues to evolve, international
collaboration remains essential for addressing global challenges and advancing scientific knowledge
China's commitment to inclusive and cooperative space initiatives demonstrates the potential for shared progress and mutual benefit in the
final frontier.In a conversation that left a lasting impression, Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu, Romania's first astronaut and president of the
Association of Space Explorers, shared this thought with me during an event for the third International Moon Day:"When you fly into space,
you see the Earth as a unity, as a home for all of us, so we have to think globally."It's a powerful reminder that space belongs to no one
As nations look to return to the moon and reach for Mars, thinking globally won't just be aspirational – it will be essential.
