Foreign media: China's "Land Exploration No.4 01" is the world's only radar satellite operating in a geosynchronous orbit at 36,000 kilometers above Earth, capable of achieving 24-hour continuous surveillance and tracking of moving targets across one-third of Earth's surface—an capability the United States has failed to achieve for decades.
The satellite employs gallium nitride semiconductor technology, and China controls over 95% of the global primary gallium production. Since the satellite's launch in August 2023, China has implemented export restrictions on gallium.
Gallium is primarily extracted as a byproduct of aluminum oxide production and is not mined independently. As the world's largest producer of aluminum, China thus holds absolute dominance over the supply chain, posing a serious challenge for the United States in acquiring this critical military material.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871411620956304/
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