U.S. official: Chinese test missile obliterates satellite

[Ibby]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/0...ile/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China last week successfully used a missile to destroy an orbiting satellite, U.S. government officials told CNN on Thursday, in a test that could undermine relations with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.

According to a spokesman for the National Security Council, the ground-based, medium-range ballistic missile knocked an old Chinese weather satellite from its orbit about 537 miles above Earth. The missile carried a "kill vehicle" and destroyed the satellite by ramming it.

The test took place on January 11.

Aviation Week and Space Technology first reported the test: "Details emerging from space sources indicate that the Chinese Feng Yun 1C (FY-1C) polar orbit weather satellite launched in 1999 was attacked by an asat (anti-satellite) system launched from or near the Xichang Space Center."

A U.S. official, who would not agree to be identified, said the event was the first successful test of the missile after three failures.

The official said that U.S. "space tracking sensors" confirmed that the satellite is no longer in orbit and that the collision produced "hundreds of pieces of debris," that also are being tracked.

The United States logged a formal diplomatic protest.

"We are aware of it and we are concerned, and we made it known," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

Several U.S. allies, including Canada and Australia, have also registered protests, and the Japanese government said it was worrisome.

"Naturally, we are concerned about it from the viewpoint of security as well as peaceful use of space," said Yashuhisa Shiozaki, chief cabinet secretary. He said Japan has asked the Chinese government for an explanation.

The United States has been able to bring down satellites with missiles since the mid-1980s, according to a history of ASAT programs posted on the Union of Concerned Scientists Web site. In its own test, the U.S. military knocked a satellite out of orbit in 1985.

Under a space policy authorized by President Bush in August, the United States asserts a right to "freedom of action in space" and says it will "deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so."

The policy includes the right to "deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests."

Low Earth-orbit satellites have become indispensable for U.S. military communications, GPS navigation for smart bombs and troops, and for real-time surveillance. The Chinese test highlights the satellites' vulnerability.

"If we, for instance, got into a conflict over Taiwan, one of the first things they'd probably do would be to shoot down all of our lower Earth-orbit spy satellites, putting out our eyes," said John Pike of globalsecurity.org, a Web site that compiles information on worldwide security issues.

"The thing that is surprising and disturbing is that [the Chinese] have chosen this moment to demonstrate a military capability that can only be aimed at the United States," he said.

Should I be staying away from high-profile targets and airports right about now, or no?

[piercehawkeye45]

We are not enemies with China, just rivals. It would be economic suicide for both of us if we went to war with them.

[SteveDallas]

Can we match this capability?

AFAIK anti-missle defense system tests that have been reported on have generally not gone well. But anti-satellite is different (duh).

[yesman065]

We have had the capability since the 80's its just that we didn't know they could do it till last week!

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by yesman065

We have had the capability since the 80's its just that we didn't know they could do it till last week!

I don't think anybody familar with space tech doubted for a moment that the Chinese could hit an orbiting sat with a kinetic killer if they wanted to badly enough. Apparently they wanted to: slightly modified one of their MRBMs and played Duck Hunt.

The tech we tested in the 1980s (developed in response to a 1977 USAF Space Systems Command RFP) did essentially the same thing, but could be accomplished with a missile launched from a modified F-15. This approach has the advantage of not needing to wait for the target sat's orbit to pass conveniently over your launch site as was the case for the Chinese kill...just fly the F-15 to rendezvous with a conveniant intercept launch window, and off you go.

Informed speculation is that they did this to try to force open negotiations on a space weapons treaty, like the one our resident LaRouchian tw is espousing.

[SteveDallas]

OK, I was just wondering if it was sputnik time.

[tw]

This one line from that article should have worried everyone.

The official said that U.S. "space tracking sensors" confirmed that the satellite is no longer in orbit and that the collision produced "hundreds of pieces of debris," that also are being tracked.

Hundreds of missiles to destroy other spacecraft and kill astronauts. Space does not clean itself like a river used for garbage disposal. At least one shuttle flight nearly ended in disaster when a paint chip struck the windshield. Had the shuttle windshield not survived then seven more dead astronauts?

We should be calling for an end to such tests as if it was as dangerous to all humans as nuclear arms testing. The consequences of not doing so is ... well if we have the same myopic attitude of those opposed to innovation in global warming; it’s not our problem. The kids will worry about when someone finally has a plan.

There is no reason to worry about debris in space for the same reason there is no reason to worry about global warming.

[BrianR]

Also, space does clean itself...at least LO stuff...gravity will eventually pull in the debris and it will burn up in the upper atmosphere, as we have recently sween when a piece of a Russian rocket burned up over the ocean, or was it Colorado? Someplace like that.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Also, space does clean itself...at least LO stuff...gravity will eventually pull in the debris and it will burn up in the upper atmosphere...

In the case of the ASM-135 test, "eventually" was on the order of 17 years. My understanding is that's why we stopped testing.

You should see the crap amateur radio satellites are to undergo in terms of a "debris mitigation plan" these days.

Story and further info here.

[tw]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Also, space does clean itself...at least LO stuff...gravity will eventually pull in the debris and it will burn up in the upper atmosphere, ...

which is why so many thousands of low orbit debris must be tracked for years - upwards of a decade. It takes that long for low orbit material to fall. But this example – a warning to the world about what the United States opposes – does it fall on deaf ears? Did everyone realize how dangerous this space debris would be for all mankind? We are dependent on these birds. Already some have been lost – suspected of damage due to debris. In one case, it was believed the debris removed a solar array panel – only destroying a very expensive satellite.

What are targets of military space warfare? Medium orbit and geosynchronous orbit birds. That debris is permanent which is why nations led by smart people want space warfare banned. Anyone who believes in the advancement of mankind could only agree.

Chinese have been demanding a treaty to eliminate space warfare. A moral America would have jumped at this immediately. But that is 100% contrary to Cheney's agenda to militarize space. The negative consequences are equivalent to nuclear weapons testing. But Cheney has 'big dic' attitudes. As usual, it is the United States (only in the past 6 years) that wants to dictate to the world rather than advance it.

Meanwhile, a second consequence of this launch is the fear (and rightly so) that has gripped Japan.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by tw

Meanwhile, a second consequence of this launch is the fear (and rightly so) that has gripped Japan.

Most of Asia and even the US are getting pretty edgy right now.

China's leader declined he knew about it though, weird.

[Ronald Cherrycoke]

a warning to the world about what the United States opposes – does it fall on deaf ears? Did everyone realize how dangerous this space debris would be for all mankind? We are dependent on these birds. Already some have been lost – suspected of damage due to debris. In one case, it was believed the debris removed a solar array panel – only destroying a very expensive satellite.



Obiously an American fault...who would have thunk that?

[tw]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

China's leader declined he knew about it though, weird.

Those who view China (and others) as monolith would never appreciate what happens in China. Whereas the central party has trouble confronting corruption in the provinces, also the central party does not always understand what the People's Army is doing.

America had the same problem in early days of the cold war. Gen Curtis LeMay would routinely send American planes into the USSR with one intent: "We are already at war with the Soviets. Americans just don't know it yet". Gen LeMay intentionally wanted to turn the cold war hot - and stated it. It took a strong leader (Kennedy) to finally put a leash on LeMay. The story is legendary.

China most certainly has a same kind of 'big dic'. If China's leadership did not know about this test, then we all have something to fear. However if this test was only to get Americans to grab their scumbag president by his balls and address a world problem; then Chinese leadership only failed to appreciate how nervous that would make the Japanese. The latter is clearly the better alternative. We can only hope and watch.

[Ibby]

Originally Posted by tw

America had the same problem in early days of the cold war. Gen Curtis LeMay would routinely send American planes into the USSR with one intent: "We are already at war with the Soviets. Americans just don't know it yet". Gen LeMay intentionally wanted to turn the cold war hot - and stated it. It took a strong leader (Kennedy) to finally put a leash on LeMay. The story is legendary.

..."I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids!"

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by tw

That debris is permanent which is why nations led by smart people want space warfare banned. Anyone who believes in the advancement of mankind could only agree.

"All smart and honorble people agree with *me*!"

*snicker*