[dansk]

China Criticizes U.S. Missile Strike

By KEITH BRADSHER
Published: February 22, 2008
HONG KONG — The Chinese government objected Thursday to the American missile strike against a dying United States spy satellite over the Pacific Ocean, warning that the United States Navy’s action could threaten security in outer space

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Missile Strikes a Spy Satellite Falling From Its Orbit (February 21, 2008) Liu Jianchao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a news conference in Beijing that the United States should also promptly share data about the passage of the remaining pieces of the satellite, which are expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and mostly burn up in the next two days.

American defense officials said the missile, launched from an Aegis-class cruiser, had hit the satellite and were optimistic about the likelihood that the impact had destroyed the satellite’s fuel tank.

The fuel tank held 1,000 pounds of toxic rocket fuel that the satellite never used because it malfunctioned soon after reaching orbit in December 2006.

Mr. Liu’s remarks on Thursday echoed his criticisms on Monday of the Pentagon’s plans to destroy the satellite, but this time he added a request for data.

“China is continuously following closely the possible harm caused by the U.S. action to outer space security and relevant countries,” Mr. Liu said, according to The Associated Press. “China requests the U.S. to fulfill its international obligations in real earnest and provide to the international community necessary information and relevant data in a timely and prompt way so that relevant countries can take precautions.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency in the United States issued advice on Monday for communities on which satellite debris might fall. But American officials said before the missile strike that shattering the satellite in orbit would greatly reduce the risk of dangerous materials reaching the Earth’s surface.

Last week, China and Russia proposed an international pact limiting anti-satellite weapons. The Bush administration opposes such an agreement, and administration officials have contended that Thursday’s missile strike was not an anti-satellite weapon test, but an effort to prevent falling debris from causing damage to populated areas.

American officials were critical of China last year when it used an anti-satellite weapon to destroy a satellite in a much higher orbit in January 2007, and then refused even to confirm the test for nearly two weeks.

The Chinese test left 1,600 pieces of debris that are expected to orbit the Earth for years, preventing other spacecraft from using the same or similar orbits.

[Mikemike]

What did the americans do wrong? To me it looks like the Chinese are the two-faced ones, demanding the americans share data on a event similar, but lower impact, than one that they did, and denied, for weeks. Unless there is missing data, the americans are right on this one.

[dansk]

Remember the fuss America made about the test.

January 22, 2007 -- AFTER several attempts, the People's Republic of China has successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon. The kinetic-energy "kill vehicle" destroyed its target - one of Beijing's own aging weather satellites - orbiting over 500 miles above Earth.

This is bad news. For starters, it calls into question China's mantra that its unprecedented military buildup is for self-defense, that its rise to world power will be peaceful. It's a threat to no one - and it will only use space for peaceful purposes.

Not surprisingly, after the Jan. 11 test was confirmed late last week, the United States, Japan, Britain, Canada and Australia all condemned the Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) missile launch.

A White House National Security Council spokesman said last Thursday: "The U.S. believes China's development and testing of such weapons is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation that both countries aspire to in the civil space arena."

So why is the Chinese KT-2 "satellite-killer" launch - the first ASAT test since America and the Soviet Union conducted tests in the 1980s - causing so much "final frontier" heartburn? Well, for a lot of good reasons - at least from an American perspective:

* The missile test, launched from the Xichang Space Center in central China, was unannounced and appeared to have taken place without the prior consultation of other countries with space-based assets, such as the United States.

* The destruction of the target created a major debris field - "space junk": hundreds of metal objects that could damage other space vehicles that come into its path, including satellites or even the space shuttle.

* China has long pushed for a ban on space-based weapons and voiced strong opposition to any "weaponization of space" at the United Nations - and elsewhere. This launch totally flies in the face of all that rhetoric.

* The successful test means China not only can track but also can destroy low-Earth-orbit satellites, such as weather, communications, surveillance and global-positioning satellites. This could seriously hamper U.S. military operations.

* The Pentagon believes Beijing is developing laser and/or radio-frequency weapons, which would enhance its ASAT capabilities. Thus, China could eventually threaten other critical orbiting military satellites, including high-value spy-sats. Beijing may have "lazed" - pulsed with a high-intensity laser - one of our imagery satellites last year . . .

Adding to the consternation has been China's silence - even denias - about the launch. Beijing's lack of transparency about its space programs, especially since it's run by the military, has led some to express concerns about an impending Star Wars-like arms race.

The problem is only exacerbated by recent reports that Russia will cooperate with the Chinese space program. Moscow says it won't transfer sensitive technology, but its record of advanced-weapons sales to China isn't comforting.

So why did China launch the ASAT now? No real telling. Could be a little provocative chestbeating. Or a gambit by Beijing to get Washington to enter negotiations on a ban on weaponizing space.

Facing this new challenge, America should continue to deflect regular Chinese advances for cooperation with NASA. Nearly all space technology can be applied to both civilian and military purposes.

And the FBI should redouble its counterintelligence efforts against Chinese spies that may be targeting U.S. space-related high-tech efforts in government, industry and universities.

Beijing is serious about space. It put taikonauts (Chinese astronauts) in space in 2003 and 2005, expects to launch 100 civilian/military-use satellites in the next five to eight years, and plans to put a man on the moon by 2010 and a moon rover over there by 2012.

The PRC also understands U.S. military dependence on our space infrastructure. Without spy and communications satellites, our forces would be left essentially deaf, dumb and blind - on a suddenly level battlefield with a (previously) less capable adversary, a shrewd example of the promise of asymmetric warfare.

Bottom line: China is on a trajectory to challenge Washington (and Moscow) for preeminence in space. The ASAT test is a wake-up call. Protecting our space assets - and freedom of action on the high frontier - must be central to our national security strategy.

Peter Brookes serves on the congressional U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

_______________


I don't see why the US is the only one able to test missles.

[WhipperSnapper]

unless this has something to do with Beijing buying the Olympics out from Toronto's grasp I don't see the relevance to Canadian urban issues

[vid]

But the US thing wasn't a test, it was the real deal. They actually did shoot down the satellite. :\

[caltrane74]

I wonder what will happen when the Chinese ask the US to give them their money back?

[lubicon]

From the same Chinese government that did exactly the same thing last year. Talk about being 2 faced.

[AndrewJ3D]

unless this has something to do with Beijing buying the Olympics out from Toronto's grasp I don't see the relevance to Canadian urban issues


Like so many threads in this forum.:shrug:

[Architype]

unless this has something to do with Beijing buying the Olympics out from Toronto's grasp I don't see the relevance to Canadian urban issuesNot unless a bunch of stuff falls out of the sky on your house.

[The Jabroni]

I've said this many times in other forums on why they US shot down their own satellite:

1. Because of toxic hydrazine propellants that are harmful to people that if the satellite did re-entered the Earth's atmosphere with a chance of hitting a populated area, then there would be trouble
2. For obvious reasons, the technology of the satellite is sensitive, thus it's a spy satellite in the first place, and of course the US Government doesn't want it to fall in the wrong hands
3. This would also send a message to China that they too can shoot down objects orbiting this planet. I have no idea why they're whining about it when they just about did the exact same thing last year.
4. Because the US Government can!

The only difference between the two is that the US satellite had a decaying orbit, and had its altitude a lot closer (roughly around 250 km and falling), and any pieces would disintegrate into smaller pieces. The Chinese satellite that blew up remains at a fixed orbit (around 800 km from the Earth's surface) and has numerous amount of pieces in the place of what used to be that satellite. The International Space Station (along with other satellites) had to adjust their altitude in order to avoid some of the debris from that satellite.

[1ajs]

perhaps the us and china should join up and creat a space junk clean up team that goes up colecting space junk.......

[vid]

We should shoot our garbage into orbit!!!!

Then, when there is a lot of it, it will block out the sun and cure global warming!!!!

WINWIN!!!!

[graupner]

I wonder what will happen when the Chinese ask the US to give them their money back?

You're totally right, USA has the biggest VISA bill ever toward China. They owe them thousands of billions of US dollars.

The Iraki war, the new Bush plan and Post-Katrina reconstruction were all financed by chinese investors!!!!

The question is, how will they afford to refund that?
Who is in power now??

:shrug:

[Spocket]

^And that's why the Chinese would never demand immediate payment. It would bankrupt the world and throw every last county into a global recession. Not to mention that the Chinese make a lot more cash by collecting interest than they do calling in the debts. It would economic suicide for the Chinese to bankrupt the US.

That aside, there's nothing wrong with what the US government did in this case. We're clearly better off for it but even if that wasn't the case, if the Chinese themselves did this just a year ago then who are they to talk ?

[O-Town Hockey]

The more crap like this that the Americans pull, the more they remind me of.....

http://thecia.com.au/reviews/t/images/team-america-world-police-1.jpg

Great flick!