Will China Launch an Anti-Satellite Test Soon?

[beijingwalker]

Will China Launch an Anti-Satellite Test Soon?
by SPACE.com Staff
Date: 04 January 2013 Time: 04:28 PM ET

China may be gearing up to perform a controversial anti-satellite test this month, perhaps in the next week or two, some experts say.

For several months, rumors have been circulating within the United States defense and intelligence communities that a Chinese anti-satellite test is imminent, says Gregory Kulacki of the Union of Concerned Scientists. It could even be conducted on Jan. 11, the date on which China performed ASAT operations in both 2007 and 2010.

"Given these high-level administration concerns, and past Chinese practice, there seems to be a strong possibility China will conduct an ASAT test within the next few weeks," Kulacki wrote in a blog post today (Jan. 4). "What kind of test and what the target might be is unclear."

In the 2007 test, China destroyed one of its own defunct weather satellites at an altitude of 530 miles (850 kilometers), spawning about 3,000 new pieces of space junk. The 2010 operation used similar technology to take out an object that was not in orbit.

The upcoming ASAT test — if China is indeed planning one — may not necessarily be so destructive, Kulacki says. [Top 10 Space Weapons]

"There are different types of technologies that can be used as ASAT weapons, and a satellite may not be destroyed at all," he wrote today. "The planned test could be of the same technology as the 2007 and 2010 tests but in a missile defense or flyby mode, or a test of technology that doesn’t destroy a satellite."

Some U.S. officials suspect China may want to go higher than it did in either 2007 or 2010, targeting an object 12,000 miles (20,000 km) or so above Earth's surface. This ability to reach medium-Earth orbit (MEO) could theoretically put the constellation of U.S. Global Positioning System navigational satellites at risk.

"But there are good reasons for China not to destroy a satellite at this orbit, including that China plans to use this part of space," Kulacki wrote. "Creating debris, as it now understands, would threaten its own satellites. Over the next several years, China plans to place more than 20 new navigational satellites in MEO."

Kulacki urges the Obama Administration to attempt to dissuade China from conducting any more destructive ASAT tests. Both the United States and the Soviet Union abandoned such tests as their space programs matured, he notes.

"Hopefully, China will eventually come to a similar conclusion," Kulacki wrote. "Beginning a meaningful bilateral dialogue on space security between the United States and China could hasten the day."

video link:[video]http://www.space.com/9890-shoot-satellite.html[/video]

 

[anon45]

It better not create clouds of debris again.

 

[xuxu1457]

I don't think so, needn't

 

[ahfatzia]

People have big hangups with debris in space without realizing how insignificant those small satellites compare to the actual area of the 'space' where satellites travel to. If we take the area of the 'space' and compares to the world's ocean, I would say the 'space' is at least one million times larger than the world ocean.

So if a shipwreck sinks to the ocean floor doesn't really hurt the ocean travels, how do the debris of a few satellites hurt the other satellites in that vast immense 'space'. I have better lucks of hitting a Lotto than a satellite being hit a satellite debris.

 

[Fsjal]

Will China Launch an Anti-Satellite Test Soon?
by SPACE.com Staff
Date: 04 January 2013 Time: 04:28 PM ET

Why do Anti-Satellite test when China can convert Anti-Sat missiles to Anti-Ballistic missiles. Does China have capability?

 

[cirr]

Jan 10, 2013 18:23 Moscow Time

A number of US experts in the area of strategic arms based on the information received from the US intelligence community have announced that China is getting ready for the third testing of its system of anti-satellite weapons. The first two sets of testing were performed in 2007 and 2010 on the same day – January 11, which leads one to believe that this trend will continue this time as well.

It is not known what signs of the preparation for the testing have been registered by the American intelligence. But according to Vasily Kashin, an expert at the Russian Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, the fact of the existence in China of a program to develop anti-satellite weapons raises no doubt.

In the course of 2007 testing, China managed to destroy at the altitude of 850 km its own meteorological satellite that had exceeded its service life. The 2010 testing apparently did not result in any hitting of real targets, but was aimed at launching an intercepting rocket to a reference point in the orbit.

Vasily Kashin points out that one can presume that China used the intercepting rocket KT-1 in both cases. The Chinese plan to use it both as a component of the strategic anti-satellite defense system and as a weapon against scouting enemy satellites in low orbits.

This time a different and more powerful system is involved. According to previously published evaluations, American military specialists assume that the project called DN-2 is meant for destroying satellites in high geostationary orbits (about 20 000 km). The creation of such a system would make China the only country in the world capable of successfully hitting satellites of global positioning systems, such as the American GPS.

Taking into account the high dependence of the US Air Force, the Navy and many systems of weapons guiding, on the GPS signal, targeting such a system can become an effective way of neutralizing the military superiority of the USA.

Similar to the USA, Russia is developing its own anti-satellite defense programs that are related to the missile defense programs.

For example, it is anticipated that the new Russian rocket complex S-500 will be capable of hitting targets in the near space. There is also research work being done in the area of modern laser systems of satellite defense.

According to Vasily Kashin, the Chinese system, if successfully tested, could open a new chapter in the arms race in space and would require large scale and expensive counter measures on the part of the US. It is obvious that it would be necessary to increase the survivability and reliability of the existing system of global positioning as well as develop methods and ways of locating the Chinese systems of anti-satellite weapons and neutralizing them before they are put into operation. It would be the second example of China developing a radically new type of rocket weapons capable of changing the rules of the game in the military sphere. The ballistic anti-vessel rocket DF-21D was the first system of this kind. At the same time, it is obvious that the testing would cause an extremely negative political reaction on the part of the US and would have long-term consequences for the China-US relations, stresses Vasily Kashin, an expert of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

Third testing of China

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

Why do Anti-Satellite test when China can convert Anti-Sat missiles to Anti-Ballistic missiles. Does China have capability?

Satellites are primary critical asset of U.S. military for intelligent, communication and coordination, and Americans know that we're working to neutralize its in case of war so they're sensitive on Chinese asat test. Anti-ballistic are not effective as Anti-sat to counter U.S...of course China will eventually have our missle defense shield but for the moment, I guess the priority is ASAT

 

[Oldman1]

Satellites are primary critical asset of U.S. military for intelligent, communication and coordination, and Americans know that we're working to neutralize its in case of war so they're sensitive on Chinese asat test. Anti-ballistic are not effective as Anti-sat to counter U.S...of course China will eventually have our missle defense shield but for the moment, I guess the priority is ASAT

We will respond in kind. Just like in response to China's test a few years ago. I heard China was outraged by it.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

We will respond in kind. Just like in response to China's test a few years ago. I heard China was outraged by it.

Why outrage? we don't have American's exceptionalism mentality complexe,You're mostly welcome because you have very right to do so it's good that there is no defense treaty to ban Asat or weaponize space don't you think?

I just laugh when Bush Junior has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

then a year later China sent a clear message to Pentagon.

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority

 

[Fsjal]

Does anyone have any images of the Anti Sat missile. I heard there was one that used a DF-21 missile. Is this true?

 

[Oldman1]

Why outrage? we don't have American's exceptionalism mentality complexe,You're mostly welcome because you have very right to do so it's good that there is no defense treaty to ban Asat or weaponize space don't you think?

I just laugh when Bush Junior has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

then a year later China sent a clear message to Pentagon.

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority

I don't know why China was outrage. All we know is that they were outrage by it. They demand data on the test as well. Like we give such things.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

I don't know why China was outrage. All we know is that they were outrage by it. They demand data on the test as well. Like we give such things.

Outrage we have to learn adopting American attitude: when we made the test in 2007, U.S feel Outrage and demanded transparency on our test and ask to share the data, If we don't pretend to be Outrage on American test, then we don;t have better excuse to demand U.S data in return.

 

[gambit]

People have big hangups with debris in space without realizing how insignificant those small satellites compare to the actual area of the 'space' where satellites travel to. If we take the area of the 'space' and compares to the world's ocean, I would say the 'space' is at least one million times larger than the world ocean.

So if a shipwreck sinks to the ocean floor doesn't really hurt the ocean travels, how do the debris of a few satellites hurt the other satellites in that vast immense 'space'. I have better lucks of hitting a Lotto than a satellite being hit a satellite debris.

That is genuinely a dumbass argument.

How many ships travels the ocean floor? In the seas, ships travels on the surface or in the case of the submarines, they travels in the middle. So sunken ships poses no danger. In comparison to satellites and debris, particularly about ASAT systems, most satellites are in USEFUL and FUNCTIONAL orbits so any debris created by an ASAT test in any useful and functional orbit will create dangerous debris in that same useful and functional orbit.

Do YOU have any relevant experience in space and satellite technologies to make this kind of silly arguments?

 

[shuttler]

That is genuinely a dumbass argument.

How many ships travels the ocean floor? In the seas, ships travels on the surface or in the case of the submarines, they travels in the middle. So sunken ships poses no danger. In comparison to satellites and debris, particularly about ASAT systems, most satellites are in USEFUL and FUNCTIONAL orbits so any debris created by an ASAT test in any useful and functional orbit will create dangerous debris in that same useful and functional orbit.

Do YOU have any relevant experience in space and satellite technologies to make this kind of silly arguments?

Do you need some Traditional Chinese Medicines to revitalize your 9/10 dead brain cells in your advancing bald head?

How many pieces of shards have the impacts created?

so many years have passed, how many of these shards are causing problems to the navigating satellites so far?

Do YOU have any idea of how big the outer space is even in low orbit?

How far above earth did our ASMs strike kinetically at the dyfunct satellites?

Can you draw a circle of that distance above earth's outer atmosphere and realise the huge mutilple multiple oceanic spatial area over there?

How many comets have been trepassing the orbits that all these satellites are flying? How many satellites have gotten struck by the comets so far?

Dont cry out loud for a nuke strike when you only hear the sound of a broken glass DUMBASS old man!

 

[Kolaps]

It better not create clouds of debris again.

Is US ASAT tests didn't create space debris too?

Please stop being hypocritical and fall into journalist trap.

People have big hangups with debris in space without realizing how insignificant those small satellites compare to the actual area of the 'space' where satellites travel to. If we take the area of the 'space' and compares to the world's ocean, I would say the 'space' is at least one million times larger than the world ocean.

So if a shipwreck sinks to the ocean floor doesn't really hurt the ocean travels, how do the debris of a few satellites hurt the other satellites in that vast immense 'space'. I have better lucks of hitting a Lotto than a satellite being hit a satellite debris.

The tiny brain of Whites people, especially those in US, will never understand what you said.