Not long ago, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established a space target and debris observation and research center at the Purple Mountain Observatory, the first of its kind in China.

With a team made up of some ten senior space trash experts, the research center expects to establish a micro-space debris database, track down the existing space trashes on a real time basis, spot undiscovered space trashes, work on technologies to detect the space debris that might possibly do harm to space vehicle launch or orbit operation, and eventually establish a risk assessment system. The Purple Mountain Observatory will erect an internationally advanced near celestial body telescope at Xuyi, Jiansu Province, in a move to facilitate the new center?痵 operation. The telescope will cover and track down most of space trashes flying over China?痵 territorial space. To be free from interference, including illuminating lights and air pollution, all observation activities will be staged night only.