Chinese sucesfully test anti-satellite.

[lars573]

In a totally unrealted story. Toilets in the strategic planning wing of the pentagon are mysteriously clogged by bricks.

Here's the story.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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. (Watch why the U.S. has protested the missile strike )

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.

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.

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

Now this makes dealing with China much more interesting. They have the weapons to blind the US militaries eyes. And makes those nifty orbiting weapon platforms a much less secure investment don't you think. Still funny how the US cries fowl when it's military power is obviously threatened.

[DemonArchangel]

And? What's America going to do about it? An ASAT (anti-satellite missile) is very cheap, and can be delivered using an old MiG as a firing platform. No real stopping of that, just whining.

[Ice]

And? What's America going to do about it? An ASAT (anti-satellite missile) is very cheap, and can be delivered using an old MiG as a firing platform. No real stopping of that, just whining.

Pretty much. It doubt it matters anyway, if we get into a situation where the Chinese are knocking out our satalities orbiting earth, I believe we will have bigger problems to worry about.

[Watchman]

And you can always return the favour.

[BigTex]

And you can always return the favour.

Indeed, sending a missile above the atmosphere to nail a satelite is nothing new. Not suprising the Chinese have decided to try and make a big deal out of this though. Problem being they would have a hard time doing that when the country this is aimed to harm has full first strike capabilties over them..

Dealing with China wont change because of this. Most militarys throughout the world have this capability. But I doubt the world would enjoy someone blowing up a satelite with a nuclear material inside above their country.

[Major Robert Dump]

There you have it, we're going to lose the space race and be subjects of China's space policy. But at least we almost banned gay marriage!!!!!!!
Hey I could use this to bash the last Republican Congress and our President for sitting around with their thumbs up their butts while an underfunded NASA fries its own astronauts and reschedules each flight 40 times because they are cruising in ships as old as i am, but I won't, cuz they sent me that check for 50 dollars that one year.

China has a distinct advantage on getting people into space because they can fit 348 people into a ship the size of a coast guard cutter. Hey! Good thing Mexico doens't have a space program!!!!

[Major Robert Dump]

The real truth about why we must take space first

http://www.heavensgate.com/

[Ronin]

Hey I could use this to bash the last Republican Congress and our President for sitting around with their thumbs up their butts ...

HEY! at least it was their own thumbs up their butts and not someone else´s....

now THAT would be totally unnaceptable!!


had to make that joke.....I´ll shut up now....