We conducted a further analysis of the ICBM base construction in inland China (discussed in
No. 1), focusing on individual silos. Fifteen of the silos believed to be for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) constructed in Hami, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, were observed by a high-resolution (1-meter ground resolution) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite. The observation period was from October 2021 to June 2022. 

Observations of ICBM bases and their construction processes in China, including Hami, have been conducted by various research institutes. However, it is difficult to know the actual conditions of the each sites because the excavation and installation of equipment in each silo constituting an ICBM base are carried out under a huge air tent measuring several tens of meters on each side. For example, it is difficult to answer questions such as what size of ICBM silo is being built, whether ICBMs have actually been loaded into it, or whether the silo may be a decoy in which only a tent has been installed. 

In contrast, SAR may be able to penetrate the tent's membrane and determine the internal conditions to some extent. The observation work discussed in this issue was conducted based on the hypothesis, and the following shows the results at one of the sites. As can be seen, the SAR images clearly captured the construction activities inside the tent, supporting the above hypothesis. Details on the characteristics of the interior structure will be discussed in the next issue.