Espacio Lejano Station

The observatory is located north of Bajada del Agrio, near the Salado River on provincial route 33, in the so-called Pampa de Pilmatué, in the deserts of Patagonia. The station is based on a two-square-kilometer plot and houses a 35-meter antenna. It is the first Chinese deep space earth station built outside China. The land was leased in 2012 to the Chinese government for 50 years of use, and the agreement includes a tax exemption. China invested $50 million into building the station. == Military use concerns ==

Many, including local residents, journalists, think tanks, and the U.S. government, have voiced concern that the station may be used for military or signals intelligence purposes, but others have challenged or tempered this view. Mauricio Macri’s former foreign minister, Susana Malcorra, said in an interview that Argentina has no physical oversight of the station's operations. Opposition legislators characterized the 50-year agreement with the Chinese government as a loss of national sovereignty. In 2024, after U.S. Ambassador Marc Stanley publicly complained about the station, the government of Javier Milei was reported to want to inspect the station for contract compliance. This was later toned down to a five-hour "visit", which took place on April 18th and was deemed a "superficial technical review." == See also ==