Today, February 11, Chinese scientists published a scientific article, in which they officially announced the start of work on the creation of the latest ground-based quantum radar. This installation will operate as part of a modern planetary defense system, the main task of which is to search for asteroids potentially dangerous for planet Earth in open space. However, according to experts, the same ground-based radar can be used to track missiles and space satellites, as well as other space objects in outer space. And if you believe the statements of scientists, the radar installation is really quite advanced.
The researchers said that thanks to the advanced design, the next-generation radar installation will be able to detect even fairly small objects in open space at a distance of 15 million kilometers. For comparison, this is a little more than 40 distances from the Earth to the Moon, so the effective range of the upcoming development is impressive. On the other hand, the point is not only the technical novelty of the device, but also the fact that this is not an ordinary radar that is used everywhere, but a quantum radar that allows you to bypass certain physical limitations and achieve observation accuracy at a sufficiently high level.
Standard radar installations use outgoing radio waves and, accordingly, pick up the reflected signal from a specific object, obtaining the necessary information. In the case of short distances, this technology works just fine, but the farther the object is from the radar installation, the larger the area of ​​​​the catching antenna should be. And in order to track asteroids at a great distance, you would have to build an antenna the size of an entire city, but the laws of quantum physics make it possible to increase the sensitivity of radar electronics. As a result, you can assemble an accurate setup with a relatively small antenna and still get the data you need.
In addition, quantum radar consumes much less energy, which in the case of continuous observation of the vast space is a decent advantage. However, at the moment, all statements about the accuracy of the new equipment and its efficiency are only data from a scientific article, because now Chinese specialists will have to spend a lot of time designing a new radar, building it, testing it and introducing it into the general infrastructure. And, of course, it is worth recalling that even if humanity manages to register a huge asteroid falling to Earth, modern technologies can do nothing with it yet.
Source: Trash Box
I’m Meagan Diaz, a news writer and author at World Stock Market. My main focus is on technology and stock market trends, and I’m passionate about helping readers stay informed on the ever-changing landscape. I bring extensive knowledge of the industry to my work as well as a knack for storytelling that makes my articles both accessible and engaging.
