China has launched four supersecretos satellites since March. We don’t know anything about them except for four Buddhist gods

China continues strengthening their military positions In space. Almost always discreetly, but lately he has played the mystery. Surely there is someone in the Pentagon thoroughly investigating the deities of Buddhism. Context. Until recently, the patches of Chinese space missions did not stand out for their originality. They used to follow a fairly formulist design: circular shapes, a mixture of red and blue, and national symbols. But something is changing. We saw it with the patch of the last Shenzhou manned mission to the Tiangong Space Station, which He broke the mold With a triangular form. Now Ars Technica He has put the focus on four intriguing patches linked to four ultrasect satellite launches. These emblems have an artistic quality and colors that contrast with previous designs. They represent the four celestial kings of Buddhism. And this is where the thing gets interesting. The four heavenly kings. Since March, China has put in orbit four secret satellites with the names of these Buddhist gods. According to tradition, the four celestial kings are protective deities that guard the four cardinal points against the forces of evil and protect the dharma, the teachings of Buddha. The question is whether their names give a clue about the purpose of the satellites or the Chinese are playing the mistake. In China, the four celestial kings are known as: Duōwén Tiānwáng, Northern Guardian, “the God who hears everything,” represented with an umbrella. Zēngzhǎng tiānwáng, South Guardian, “The god of growth”, bearer of a sword. Tiānwáng, Eastern Guardian, “the defender of the nation”, which holds a rope musical instrument. Guăngmù tiānwáng, western guardian, “the God who sees everything,” represented with a snake. The four secret satellites. Coinciding with this iconography, China has launched four military satellites to the geostationary orbit, almost 36,000 kilometers above Ecuador, where they can remain fixed on the same region of the planet. The four ships have been cataloged generic like Tongxin Jishu Shiyan, “communications technology test satellites.” The TJS-15 took off on March 9 aboard a CZ-3B rocket; His patch represents GuĂngmù, the west guardian. The TJS-16 was released on March 29 with a rocket a CZ-7A; His emblem is Chíguó, the Eastern Guardian. The TJS-17 was released on April 10 with another CZ-3B; His patch corresponds to Duōwén, the northern guardian. Finally, the TJS-19 took off on May 12 (jumping to TJS-18 in the sequence) with a CZ-3C; His patch represents Zēngzhǎng, the South Guardian. Do your names say something? Although NASA considers them “Satellites for probable military purposes”, their names give rise to all kinds of additional conjectures. A god “who hears everything” with an umbrella can be a metaphor for a large drop -down antenna to capture weak signals, which would fit with a spying system or early missile alert. It is also possible that the Chinese authorities have approved these patches without major background or to divert attention to the real purposes of the satellites. What we do know is that these satellites did not travel alone. Terrestrial trackers have detected objects that seem to have separated from TJS-15 and TJS-17 in geosynchronous orbit. They could be sub-satellites or simply rocket stages. Militarization of space. The United States’s space force does not take an eye on these satellites. According to Comspocone of the satellites inspectors of the space force of the GSSAP program, known as USA-324, performed approximation maneuvers to TJS-16 and TJS-17 at the end of April. The American satellite approached about 17 km from the TJS-16 and about 12 km from TJS-17, “taking a look” to its new neighbors about the Western Pacific. This cat and mouse game is just one more sample of the revitalized militarization of space, where the Trump administration wants Build an unprecedented antimisile shield called “Golden Dome”. One of the proposals is partially based on Spacex Starlink satellites for missile detection and cost $ 175,000 million. In Xataka | China has taken the lead in military capabilities in space. The US has made a European tour to alert the danger

Allow alcohol at Buddhist parties

Tourism is one of the most powerful economic levers In many countries. In fact, some places receive so many visitors that cities and whole countries have already begun to take measures to limit massification. Venice is one of the most famous for the different decisions to stop mass tourism. AND Japan will copy that input rate For the foreign visitor. That influx of tourists is something that other countries seek and seem to not get. Thailand is one of them and, to attract that tourism, it is raising something curious: alcoholic tourism during the Buddhist holidays. Tourists, come. In Asia, it is curious to see the duality that cities and countries live with tourism. We have commented on the Japanese case, but one of Seoul’s most popular areas also implemented a curious measure a few months ago: Cale touch for tourists. On the other side of the currency, we have North Korea, which has opened to tourism after years of border closure. Hong Kong also wants to attract foreign money Thanks to multimillionaires influencers And Thailand is also desperate to recover tourism that lost After the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact was strong: a 90% drop in 2021 and an influx that increase gradually since then, but not to the desired rhythm. Closed bars. For this 2025, Thailand wait recover the Prepandymia figuresbut they have identified something that could hinder tourism and consumption: Buddhism. Specifically, the Buddhist festivities in which the bars close and the sale of alcohol is not allowed. The Government considers that this can stop the foreign tourist whom the religious festival cares little and has stated that alcohol can be sold without stopping. Spirits. Of course, this decision does not imply an lack of control in the sale of alcoholic beverages, since during the festivities there will only be a series of establishments in which alcohol can be purchased and consumed. Hotels, international airports, night bars and some tourist places seem to be the ideals to open their hands in the sale of spirits during those religious festivities. Details to clarify, since it is a measure that is in the public hearing phase and that will have to be officially approved by the Minister of Public Health and, obviously, by the Prime Minister, but is already on the table. Among those loose ends we must see what happens with bars at street level, also with restaurants and franchises in commercial and more tourist areas. Complex balance. As they point in Bloombergthis measure is complex because the government must maintain a balance between local traditions and that search for money from tourism in one of the most powerful countries in the region. From the government, initiatives such as entry without visa are also being implemented for certain tourists and programs that guarantee the medical security of the visitor. The ‘White Lotus’ effect. Beyond the sale of alcohol during religious parties, recently the country legalized same -sex marriage and has also proposed to attract tourists with greater purchasing power, taking advantage of the fact that it is the stage of the third season of the series ‘The White Lotus’. It is curious, but the series is so successful that people with a certain purchasing level that they want to emulate the experience in fiction. Part of the series was recorded at the expensive Four Seasons resort Koh Samui hotel, which has had 40% more reservations. Koh Samui has had more hotels, especially by American tourists, and there are companies that are launching Vacation packages inspired by the series about $ 8,000 per person. It will be interesting to see how the measure of the sale of alcohol will be resolved, since it is an important dilemma between the traditional Thailand and the one that seeks to revitalize its tourism. Images | Mark Fisher, Witwatarun In Xataka | If the alcohol industry no longer had enough problems, it has now encountered one more: Ozempic

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