Mystery surrounds plans to build Chinese military 'space station'... on land in Argentina
- Leaders from countries worked on a deal to build space station years ago
- 'Deep space station' could be finished in the Patagonia region in months
- Concerns the base will focus more on military than space exploration
A secret Chinese 'space station' built deep in Argentina's Patagonia region could be finished by the end of the year.
Four years ago leaders from the two countries worked on a deal to build the 'Deep Space Station'.
The counties have talked about a 'ground station in the Southern Hemisphere' to support the program for 'moon exploration and other space activities'
But there are concerns the base will have a more military focus than one of space exploration.
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The beautiful Patagonia region could be the perfect location for the station as it has flat expanses and is remote but can still be accessed by roads
Officials in China have said the facility would be 'totally civilian, and it is not operated by military personnel.' (Pictured a Chinese Shenzhou VI spacecraft taking off)
Argentina's new president, Maurico Macri, has vowed to make public the 'secret clauses' that have been added to the agreement, according to Latino Fox News.
An email sent from the Argentine embassy in Beijing to the media three years ago said: 'This agreement will allow China to count ... with a ground station in the Southern Hemisphere to support the program for moon exploration and other space activities.
'On the other hand, Argentina will share the use of the facilities for the benefit of its own space program.'
Political analyst Rosendo Fraga, director of the consulting firm New Majority, told the BBC that the base would have be used by the Chinese military.
But officials in China have said the facility would be 'totally civilian, and it is not operated by military personnel.'
The counties have talked about a 'ground station in the Southern Hemisphere' to support the program for 'moon exploration and other space activities' (pictured are Chinese troops)
And the country of more than a billion strong hasn't given much more detail about the base when questioned.
The beautiful Patagonia region could be the perfect location for the station as it has flat expanses and is remote but can still be accessed by roads.
Relations between the counties are believed to have worsened since Mr Macri replaced his predecessor Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Argentina's navy sunk a Chinese fishing vessel earlier this week after it claimed it was operating illegally in international waters.
The country has another space station in central-west Mendoza province which was built by the European Space Agency.
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