China Blows Up Satellite

Donkey® · 01-18-2007, 07:10 PM

U.S. official: Chinese test*missile*obliterates satellite - CNN.com

Originally Posted by article

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, also have registered protests.

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.

Pretty cool if you ask me. As far as the US bitching about it...I think it is pretty fucking retarded that we claim space as our own domain. There are dozens of GPS satellites and to think the Chinese in one swift move would knock them out is pretty ignorant. Also, the US isn't the only country with satellites...so to look at this as "only a threat to the US" is even more ignorant.

Kytro · 01-18-2007, 07:19 PM

I think the capability is primarily aimed at the US. The idea that other nations wouldn't look for ways to counter the US technological advantage seems foolish.

The president in his speech about space, basically said he would look to maintain US superiority. To expect the Chinese to not develop a capability to counter them and them complain when they do is not logical.

They basically developed a weapon, not a WMD, and then tested it on their own equipment and people complain.

Pro Street · 01-18-2007, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Kytro

I think the capability is primarily aimed at the US. The idea that other nations wouldn't look for ways to counter the US technological advantage seems foolish.

The president in his speech about space, basically said he would look to maintain US superiority. To expect the Chinese to not develop a capability to counter them and them complain when they do is not logical.

They basically developed a weapon, not a WMD, and then tested it on their own equipment and people complain.

I see our relations with China as much better than with the former USSR, I don't think the capability is aimed at the US any more than the world as China begins to rival the states as a superpower.

Not every emerging technology is developed to attack the US.

Donkey® · 01-18-2007, 07:27 PM

If we reverse this and it was the US blowing up a satellite, would anyone complain? Not only are we a HUGE fucking bully, we act like a little bitch too.

Kytro · 01-18-2007, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Pro Street

I see our relations with China as much better than with the former USSR, I don't think the capability is aimed at the US any more than the world as China begins to rival the states as a superpower.

Not every emerging technology is developed to attack the US.

Probably aimed at giving China the ability to counter tech, regardless of whose tech it is. The "protests" are stupid

MKULTRA · 01-18-2007, 08:16 PM

Well the last few administrations have sold them missile and satellite technology for decades now. What did we think was gonna happen?

DosEquis · 01-18-2007, 09:53 PM

Dont forget we spoon feed their economy (which is government controlled) with a 200+ billion dollar trade deficit every year.

ethyl · 01-19-2007, 01:02 AM

Soo... they're able to destroy low orbiting geosynchronous satellites that they know are there... That doesn't say much for the high orbit, geosynchronous ones or the presumably large network of synchronous orbiting spy satellites.

I think this may have been a waste of money by the Chinese as far as effectiveness goes, but at least they hit the headlines.

Donkey® · 01-19-2007, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by ethyl

Soo... they're able to destroy low orbiting geosynchronous satellites that they know are there... That doesn't say much for the high orbit, geosynchronous ones or the presumably large network of synchronous orbiting spy satellites. I think this may have been a waste of money by the Chinese as far as effectiveness goes, but at least they hit the headlines.

It hit the headlines only because we bitched about it. In terms of "threat" or "effectiveness" this is neither but yet here we are crying about it.

Diamond Cross · 01-19-2007, 05:04 AM

It is a threat if minor but if we continue to sell them missile tech, even if obsolete/outdated, they can become a larger threat by figuring out our technology.

MKULTRA · 01-19-2007, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

Dont forget we spoon feed their economy (which is government controlled) with a 200+ billion dollar trade deficit every year.

Haven't you heard Dos that is what all the 'patriots' are doing these days?

/end sarcasm

AVengeance · 01-19-2007, 01:19 PM

Welcome to the 1980s.

Rouger2 · 01-19-2007, 04:01 PM

China not only bought missle technogy they stole a bunch to. We have a right and duty to react to a possible threat and others I am sure agree with us.

RMNIXON · 01-19-2007, 04:08 PM

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.

This is what any administration would do. Clinton would get the same advice. The reason is simple. Next time we start any new technology deal making we use this as another barganing chip to get what we want. We know we can't stop them from doing this kind of thing. NO DUH! This is just the kind of State Department Bullshit that goes on all the time and it made the news.

DosEquis · 01-19-2007, 04:32 PM

Complaining about what others nations do in regards to their efforts to defend themselves is retarded. Though we should take the initiative to make sure we can still defend ourselves.... complaining about it is like complaining the other football team is using the forward pass. BUT BUT that guy is waay to fast and he always gets open! I am filing a complaint with the league.

RMNIXON · 01-19-2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

Complaining about what others nations do in regards to their efforts to defend themselves is retarded. Though we should take the initiative to make sure we can still defend ourselves.... complaining about it is like complaining the other football team is using the forward pass. BUT BUT that guy is waay to fast and he always gets open! I am filing a complaint with the league.

That would be International Politics!

Rouger2 · 01-20-2007, 03:27 PM

What do we think that China is some kind of friendly teddy bear. They stole our technogy. They aided the side that was killing our GIs in viet nam. They were on the Russian side in the cold war and are basically a communist state. They would take tiawan in they could. When we had won the war in Korea they came across their border and massacued our GIs. They rufuse to chain in North Korea. We need to be wary of them and let them know they can't just do what ever they want to do in space.

RMNIXON · 01-20-2007, 04:54 PM

We are not going to war with China!

The Libs are having an orgasim because we said "you do bad, we no like!"

America:

But not in California!

Kytro · 01-21-2007, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Rouger2

We need to be wary of them and let them know they can't just do what ever they want to do in space.

But the US can - according the Bush, anyway. I doubt China cares one iota about the complaint.