BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Amidst the pristine silence of Antarctica, the colossal astronomical domes at China's Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in the continent, glide open.

Inside, an array of optical telescopes, operated by members of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team, begins its nightly vigil. These instruments represent China's "eyes on the sky" at the Earth's southern extremity, diligently monitoring deep space for interstellar visitors and safeguarding the shared orbital environment around our planet.

IDEAL WINDOW FOR MONITORING SPACE DEBRIS

As human space activities grow unprecedentedly dense, defunct satellites, rocket remnants, and collision fragments, traveling at speeds of 7 to 10 kilometers per second, form an increasingly hazardous web around Earth. The polar regions, especially Antarctica, offer an "ideal window" for observing space debris.

"Due to orbital inclinations, many human-made satellites and debris frequently pass over the polar regions. Deploying monitoring equipment here is like installing cameras at the busiest traffic intersection," said Jiang Peng, director of the Center for Space Physics and Astronomy at the Polar Research Institute of China.

In 2021, during China's 38th Antarctic expedition, the first experimental optical monitoring telescope for space debris was installed at Zhongshan Station. The system has now evolved into a comprehensive observation network comprising four 150-mm telescopes and one fast-tracking 310-mm telescope.

"Zhongshan Station is manned year-round and benefits from about two months of polar night. The stable atmospheric conditions are ideal for the sustained monitoring of space debris," said Zhou Xingyu, a member of the 42nd expedition team.

In preliminary observations, the array of 150-mm telescopes, in coordination with domestic stations, achieved an orbital determination accuracy of better than 50 meters for low-Earth-orbit debris. The 310-mm telescope can achieve an optimal detection frequency of up to 10 times per day for low-orbit targets.

Accurate tracking and forecasting of space debris orbits has become crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of space activities. China unveiled a three-year (2025-2027) action plan in November 2025 to boost the high-quality and safe development of its commercial space sector, which proposed initiatives including the sharing and application of space debris data and information, as well as the tracking, monitoring, risk assessment, and analysis of space debris.

"One of our primary goals in conducting space debris monitoring in Antarctica is to provide precise collision warnings and decision support for evasion maneuvers to spacecraft in orbit," said Jiang.

EXPLORING DISTANT CELESTIAL OBJECTS

In July 2025, Zhongshan Station successfully observed 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object confirmed to have visited the solar system from beyond.

"This successful observation is of extraordinary significance, marking a breakthrough 'from zero to one' in our capability to observe objects from outside our solar system," said Li Zhengyang, a researcher from the Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who has participated in three Antarctic expeditions.

The astronomical team at Zhongshan Station guided the telescopes for tracking based on precise orbital predictions. Using a stacking technique that combined 21 consecutive images, each with a 30-second exposure, they clearly extracted the faint signal of this interstellar visitor from the complex stellar background.

Jiang indicated that with the steady advancement of the Antarctic astronomical telescope system, they are continuously enhancing comprehensive capabilities in rapid response, high-precision pointing, and sensitive detection, aiming to achieve observations of fast-moving astronomical targets from Antarctica.

"Over the past two decades, China's astronomical research in Antarctica has achieved multiple scientific goals and realized numerous new breakthroughs," Jiang said, citing the achievement made by a 60-cm telescope in 2025.

The facility obtained observational evidence of the carbon cycle process in the interstellar medium, the matter existing in the space between stars, which was being influenced by feedback from massive stars.

This marked a critical step for China in the field of submillimeter astronomical science, Jiang added.

Looking ahead, even greater ambitions are taking shape.

Li said that constructing optical and infrared telescopes at China's Kunlun Station in the Antarctic interior will further enhance the country's key capabilities in deep-space exploration and space observation, contributing significantly to humanity's polar astronomy and deep-space exploration endeavors. ■