Launching of Lingxi-03, the first Chinese satellite with a flexible solar wing designed to absorb more energy from the sun, is part of Beijing’s project to establish a network of thousands of satellites in space.
China is moving closer to fulfilling its goal of establishing what is described as a “mega-constellation” of internet satellites, as it successfully launched into space earlier this week its first communications equipment with flexible solar wing designed to maximise use of energy from the sun.
Lingxi 03 was carried into space by a Long March 2D rocket that lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province, southwest of the Chinese capital, according to China Daily.
Lingxi 03 will further test new technologies, as it races full-speed with its plan to put into the space’s low-Earth orbit as many as 13,000 broadband communication satellites rivaling Elon Musk’s Starlink network.
Three remote-sensing satellites were also sent to space with the same rocket launch, meant to observe the Earth in the “radar, optical and infrared” wavebands for even clearer and sharper images.
According to reports, China wants to establish its so-called “megaconstellation” of satellites known as Guo Wang, which translates into state network, with the launch of the first batch of its satellites later this year.
At present, Musk’s Starlink has the most commercial broadband satellites with more than 4,400 already in orbit. It is also reportedly awaiting approval from US regulators to launch a further 30,000 of its satellites.
As of December 2022, Starlink said that its service had already reached at least one million global subscribers, highlighting the company’s commercial viability.
Combined with the envisioned Guo Wang satellites, the low Earth orbit will be looking very different and much busier in the next five to 10 years.
‘Flexible solar wing’
In a statement posted in its company website, Zhu Zhengxian, chief technology officer of GalaxySpace, was quoted as saying that Lingxi 03 is the first in China to use a flexible solar wing.
“It is extremely thin — each layer on it is only about one millimeter thick and when the wing was folded inside the rocket (before the launch), its overall thickness was only five centimeters,” he said.
“When fully unfolded in space, the array stretches to a length of about nine meters and a width of above 2.5 meters. It is characterised by a small folded size, light weight and modular design.”
Unlike previous satellites, that have a pair of “wings”, the Lingxi 03 also features only one “wing”.
The design makes it easier to store and transport, while at the same time capable of absorbing more solar energy.
Such technology was only used exclusively by the state’s own space station, Tiangong, according to a CCTV report.
Another first for Lingxi 03 is its adoption of “integral casting technology”, making it easier for its manufacturer to mass produce it in the future.
The launch was China’s 30th this year and also the 479th flight of the Long March rockets – the same rocket the country is using to launch its space station and other satellites.
Global implications
With the success of Lingxi 03’s launch, GalaxySpace executive Zhu said he expects the acceleration of the development of stackable flat-panel satellites that could be launched in the coming months and years.
The government itself is boosting the production of Long March rockets to help it meet the capacity it requires to launch its entire constellation.
To do so, it is building a new facility and launch pads at Wenchang Spaceport on Hainan island, according to news reports.
Writing for the security and defence think tank Royal United Services Institute, analyst Juliana Suess said that the space information corridor China has established could allow it to boost its influence globally, especially in developing countries.
These developments in space “may lead to a leapfrogging moment where African countries opt for the Chinese internet constellation over Western providers due to the fact that much of their infrastructure is already Chinese-built.”
For instance, she pointed out that that 70 percent of Africa’s 4G infrastructure is already built by the Chinese company, Huawei, “which would suggest that plugging into satellite-enabled internet would require comparatively little additional effort”.
The political debate aside, China’s acceleration of the launching of broadband internet is expected to bring economic windfall to the country.
Suess said that Guo Wang “is seen as a potential commercial opportunity for China, where growth in the private sector is still relatively recent.”
“One of the reasons that now might be a good time to invest can be seen in the current shortcomings of Starlink, such as rising prices for customers – particularly in Ukraine,” she said.
“If this trend continues, prospective customers may begin looking for cheaper alternatives.”
The world was recently shocked by reports of a new and dangerous trend in warfare: the weaponization of communication devices, with pagers being used as explosive devices across Lebanon. This unprecedented event marks a chilling escalation in the misuse of everyday technology, turning what was once a harmless means of communication into a tool of destruction. The implications for manufacturers and society at large are enormous, raising urgent questions about the responsibility of tech companies and the evolving nature of warfare.
Pager Explosions: A New Dimension of Warfare
In a world where technological advancements have connected people across borders, the idea of a communication device being used as a weapon seems both improbable and terrifying. Pagers, once ubiquitous in the 1980s and 1990s as a primary tool for sending short messages, have long since been replaced by modern smartphones. However, their simplicity and outdated technology may have ironically made them an attractive target for exploitation by malicious actors.
Recent reports from Lebanon suggest that a series of explosions triggered by manipulated pagers have caused significant damage and loss of life. These attacks represent a stark reminder that even outdated or seemingly benign technology can be repurposed for harmful purposes in the wrong hands.
The Implications for Manufacturers: Are They Doing Enough?
The transformation of pagers into explosive devices puts manufacturers in the spotlight. It raises critical questions about the security features in communication devices and whether manufacturers are doing enough to ensure that their products cannot be weaponized. While pagers may be older technology, the same concerns apply to modern devices, from smartphones to IoT gadgets, which are increasingly integrated into daily life.
Manufacturers must now confront the reality that communication devices, if not adequately protected, can be exploited for nefarious purposes. This includes ensuring that their products are not easily tampered with, hacked, or modified by malicious individuals or groups. The responsibility to design secure devices goes beyond just privacy concerns; it now involves protecting users from physical harm.
The Challenge of Preventing Device Weaponization
The weaponization of pagers in Lebanon highlights a significant challenge for both governments and manufacturers: how to prevent ordinary technology from being transformed into tools of war. As devices become more connected through the Internet of Things (IoT), the potential for their misuse increases. The world has already witnessed cyberattacks, data breaches, and surveillance scandals, but the physical transformation of communication devices into weapons takes the threat to a whole new level.
This new kind of warfare is complex and difficult to counter because it involves technologies that are readily available and widely used. Manufacturers must adopt stronger security protocols, including tamper-proof designs and advanced encryption methods, to prevent their products from being exploited. Moreover, collaboration with governments and law enforcement agencies is crucial to track and counteract these new threats in real-time.
A New War: The Global Community Must Take Notice
The pager explosions in Lebanon serve as a stark warning to the world about the evolving nature of conflict. The weaponization of communication devices signals a new form of warfare that can strike at any time, using technology that is widely accessible. Unlike traditional warfare, which is often fought with clear battle lines and military equipment, this new war can be waged anywhere, using devices that millions of people rely on for daily tasks.
This raises significant concerns for global security. Governments must now consider the potential for attacks that utilize communication devices as weapons, and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. From pagers to smartphones, the possibility of device manipulation must be taken seriously by all nations. The development of international regulations and standards for device security is now more urgent than ever.
The Role of Manufacturers in Safeguarding the Future
Manufacturers of communication devices are now faced with an ethical dilemma. While the primary function of their products is to enhance connectivity and facilitate communication, they must also take responsibility for ensuring that their devices cannot be easily weaponized. This requires a proactive approach to security, incorporating advanced technologies to prevent tampering, remote hijacking, or the embedding of dangerous software or components.
In addition, manufacturers need to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding the evolving threats posed by malicious actors. Investing in research and development to create secure, tamper-resistant devices is not just a business imperative but a moral responsibility in the face of this new kind of war.
Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for the World
The use of pagers as explosive devices in Lebanon is a chilling reminder that the future of warfare is no longer confined to the battlefield. The world must wake up to the reality that communication devices, if not properly secured, can be weaponized in ways that are both unexpected and devastating. The responsibility to prevent this lies not only with governments and law enforcement but also with manufacturers, who must take a leading role in safeguarding the technology they create.
The world must now prepare for a new kind of war—one where the weapons are not guns or missiles but everyday devices. The pager explosions across Lebanon are just the beginning, and the global community must act swiftly to prevent this new form of warfare from spreading.
The contribution of Muslim Scientists in Series The era which we are praising today is the product of the intellects of many millennium. Those are the gems of intellect that worked out at that time when there were no scientific resources. Those people have observed their surroundings and have produced resources for humanity. The intellectual […]
The era which we are praising
today is the product of the intellects of many millennium. Those are the gems
of intellect that worked out at that time when there were no scientific
resources. Those people have observed their surroundings and have produced
resources for humanity. The intellectual Muslims have contributed to every
field and their contributions are most valuable. Today all the advancements are
based on the discoveries and inventions of ancient scientists both Muslims and
Non-Muslims. Modern scientists are working and producing technological items that
are also based on the ideas of ancient ones.
Al-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham of Basra
is known to be the pioneer of Optics. He was the product of the Golden Age of
Muslim Civilisation that was a creative time period and brought out many
far-reaching advancements in the field of science, mathematics, and medicine.
He was the greatest Muslim physicist and one of the greatest students of optics
of all time. He was inspired by the works of other great philosophers and
scientists who were before him such as Aristotle, Euclid, Al-Kindi, Banu Musa,
Ibrahim Ibn Sinan, and Ibn Sahl. Ibna al-Haytham based his theories on the work
of Greek physician Galen. He is the one who introduced the methods of
verification, testing, and experimentation for the exploration of truth. He has
written books as well and in one of his books he says: “If learning the truth is the scientist’s goal . . . then he must make
himself the enemy of all that he reads.”
He was the person who has given
the concept of how vision works. And he has written a book about the “Book of
Optics” in which he has illustrated the eyes and optic nerves. He has drawn
images of eyes which have been used by the modern scientist to understand and
to produce lenses and other optics items. Al-Haytham used a dark chamber to
explore the nature of light and vision. Through this experiment, he observed
that light entering through a small hole would travel straight and would
project an image onto the opposite wall. From this concept, modern cameras have
been designed.
Today, if we can have different
lenses and glasses to replace or improve our vision artificially and can
capture our every moment, is all because of Al-Haytham. The world is grateful
for all his contributions.
Digital world has changed the world. It has brought the masses into one closet. This medium has dispatched information so efficiently. Digital purposes to connect everything in one. It facilitates all cybercitizens. There is various form of this medium that has made it more powerful and engaging. And has taken all of our data. At the same time, it has fascinated and influenced us. It can retrieve any data even the removed one from its platform. Precisely, it has made the world a more worthy place to live with lots of information. The digital platform highly contributes to academia, social networking, and professional networking, transferring of data, mining of knowledge and data, and many other fields. However, its’ worth depends upon the user.
What is Digital Falsehood?
Digital falsehood is the act of deception through digital means. Digital means can never lie but it’s you and I who used it negatively. Deception is in the nature of humans not digital. Digital is a non-living entity but human is living. Digital is emotionless but human is full of emotions. It is considered to be senseless yet cares more about your privacy than your flock. The nonliving sense is the act of deception and informs you on time. But you and I overpower it and persuade it for the deception. The level of falsehood varies from one another. It can be with the help of fake Id generation by betraying the digital. Hacking is another form of digital falsehood. Such acts of falsehood lead to crimes that are termed cybercrimes.
Reason and outcomes of Digital Falsehood
Digital falsehood can have many reasons but here I am mentioning some of them. It is used to betray someone. And the level of betrayal can be different. So far it can be to threaten someone or to misuse. The envious nature of a man leads him/her to steal information illegally so he used the digital mean. It is also used to defame reputation individually or collectively. Digital deception is also used to steal data and to use them for its purposes.
Therefore, digital media sometimes lose its worth. And it becomes unreliable. For instance, digital falsehood is a threat to E-commerce. And it has disadvantaged digital marketing. It has snatched the trustworthiness and reliability. Moreover, digital deception has turned it into a digital media war. As todays’ the world is attaching each other digitally.
Action to be taken
This digital falsehood cannot be control other than strict law implementation. Because it cannot be dealt with like other crimes. Law implementation is the only formula to lessen digital falsehood. Otherwise, it can fire the whole world, and then there would not be any pathway to back it. Because it is something intentionally and by professional people. If this would be the level of professionalism then what would happen to marginalized margins of the society.