China to build a deepwater ‘space station’ in South China Sea

The Chinese government has approved a deep-sea research facility also known as a deep-sea space station- in the resource-rich South China Sea. The deep sea space station will also include the drilling ship Mengxiang, which aims to be the first to reach the Earth’s mantle.

China will be the world’s third country after the United States of America and the Soviet Union to build and operate a deep sea space station.

The American deep-sea space station NR-1 was a nuclear-powered submarine that was retired in 2008, and it reached a depth of 900 meters in the sea. 

The Soviet AS-12 Losharik, powered by a nuclear reacto,r reached a depth of 2000 meters. It was abandoned by the Russians in 2019 after a major fire.

About the Chinese Deep Sea Space Station

• The Chinese deep sea space station will be a research facility that will be 2000 meters below the surface of the South China Sea.
• It is expected to become operational by 2030 and can hossix 6 scientists for one month.
• The research facility.will be used to study cold seep ecosystems. 
• Cold seep ecosystems refer to places in the ocean where chemicals like hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other hydrocarbon-rich fluids and/or gases escape from cracks or fissures in the ocean floor.

Significance of the Chinese Deep Sea Space Station 

• The South China Sea holds around 70 billion tonnes of methane hydrates or fire ice, which is equivalent to half of China’s proven oil and gas reserves.
• The area also includes rare mineral deposits like cobalt and nickel concentrations that can produce three times more cobalt and nickel than the land-based mines.
• It also has more than 600 species that can survive in extreme conditions, and some with enzymes that are useful in cancer treatments.
• The station’s deployment would also strengthen China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Dispute in the South China Sea 

• South China Sea is part of the western Pacific Ocean which borders Southeast Asian Mainlands.
• The region is a major shipping route in the world, rich in fishery resources. 
• The areas around the Paracels and the Spratlys Islands in the South China Sea are believed to be rich in hydrocarbons and other mineral resources.
• The area is disputed between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. 
• China claims a vast area of South China as its own and is building artificial islands to strengthen its claim in the region.
• Vietnam claims both the  Paracels and the Spratlys Islands, while the Philippines is in dispute with China over the Scarborough Shoal (known as Huangyan Island in China).