Chinese shoot down satellite

[Noslack71]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/01/18/china.missile/index.html

Just saw this. This could be a very big deal if, the MSM has the majority of the story correct.

[Noslack71]

The title should be Chinese Shoot down satellite. Sorry Folks.

[hoot72]

Alarm bells ringing now....not a good sign but it was going to happen sooner or later..they have been stealing technology from every one to make this happen....they are intent on world domination

[x SF med]

They've been getting our technology for years through the grey market, Pentagon Surplus Sales does not do a very good job of vetting buyers or de-mil'ing sensitive items.

[kachingchingpow]

"What hath God wrought?"

I wonder if this will lead to a renewed interest in CW? AIMC.... grrr. Did any one else here that went through it ever dream in code?

[Bill Harsey]

They've been getting our technology for years through the grey market, Pentagon Surplus Sales does not do a very good job of vetting buyers or de-mil'ing sensitive items.

Any of this capability the result of some past presidents "technology transfers" to the Chinese?

[jasonglh]

Any of this capability the result of some past presidents "technology transfers" to the Chinese?

That was my first thought. The 2nd thought was what about all those chunks that are now whizzing around the planet. After all these years of launching junk into space there is a great deal of garbage to track and it doesn't take much to damage a satellite.

One more reason to develop technology to shoot down missiles. But then again if another "President" comes along and gives that technology to the enemy we will be screwed again.

[pegasus]

The 2nd thought was what about all those chunks that are now whizzing around the planet. After all these years of launching junk into space there is a great deal of garbage to track and it doesn't take much to damage a satellite.


So true. At one time there was talk of a "Laser Broom" to clean up all the stuff...

http://sn-callisto.jsc.nasa.gov/photogallery/beehives.html#leo

"USSPACECOM tracks about 8,000 man-made space objects, baseball-size and larger, orbiting Earth. The space objects consist of active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation. About seven percent are operational satellites, 15 percent are rocket bodies, and about 78 percent are fragmentation and inactive satellites.

Most debris (about 84 percent) is out approximately 800 kilometers - ...
"

[Ranger Luna]

It was bound to happen.

The fact that it can be done, is pretty cool when you think about.

At the same time, there are questions abound about the effectiveness or lack there of, of our missle defence system.

This puts them way ahead of us.:boohoo

[Team Sergeant]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/01/18/china.missile/index.html

Just saw this. This could be a very big deal if, the MSM has the majority of the story correct.

And this bothers you why?

You should be laughing....... the Chinese are only about 25 YEARS behind us right now.......:rolleyes:

Second Generation: US and Russian Air-Launched Missile ASAT Systems

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_security/space_weapons/a-history-of-asat-programs.html

In June 1982, the United States announced its intention to test a new-generation ASAT weapon, the Air-Launched Miniature Vehicle (ALMV). A two-stage missile would be launched from a high-altitude F-15 aircraft; the missile would ascend directly to a target satellite in low earth orbit and attempt to destroy or disrupt the satellite by the force of impact. This kill mechanism is referred to as "kinetic kill" since the satellite is destroyed by the large kinetic energy of the high-speed collision. Such a system had advantages over the Soviet Co-Orbital ASAT system: With the ALMV, it was not necessary to wait for an opportune launch time, and the time lapse between ASAT launch and target destruction was significantly reduced. At the time, it was reported that the Soviets/Russians were developing a similar ASAT weapon, launched from a MiG-31 aircraft, but there is no evidence this project was pursued seriously.

[Roguish Lawyer]

Seems like a good reason to carry a compass in addition to GPS, but what do I know . . .

[Razor]

Some folks make a big deal about their successes, others stay very quiet about their true capabilities. ;)

RL, you'd be wise to do so, if for no other reason than batteries eventually die, usually at the worst possible time.

Something to watch is for a defense industry to "develop" relatively simple, single or dual function satellites that can be mass manufactured in a short time and launched off small, inexpensive platforms. They can have a shorter than current lifespan to reduce the weight and size of the power source, since in effect they become "disposable". Go ahead and shoot that one down, Wu--there are 50 more where that one came from.

[TF Kilo]

Some folks make a big deal about their successes, others stay very quiet about their true capabilities. ;)

One day, when I'm old and grey and life doesn't hold too much more for me... I wish that I could know all the true capabilities... because quite obviously, i'd have to be shot afterwards, but at least I could go with a BIG f'in smile. LOL