Posted on 08/11/2015 10:34:52 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Low- and high-Earth orbits have become hotbeds of scientific and commercial activity, filled with hundreds upon hundreds of satellites from about 60 different nations. Despite their largely peaceful purposes, each and every satellite is at risk, in part because not all members of the growing club of military space powers are willing to play by the same rules—and they don’t have to, because the rules remain as yet unwritten.
...Satellites race through space at very high velocities, so the quickest, dirtiest way to kill one is to simply launch something into space to get in its way. Even the impact of an object as small and low-tech as a marble can disable or entirely destroy a billion-dollar satellite. And if a nation uses such a “kinetic” method to destroy an adversary’s satellite, it can easily create even more dangerous debris, potentially cascading into a chain reaction that transforms Earth orbit into a demolition derby.
In 2007 the risks from debris skyrocketed when China launched a missile that destroyed one of its own weather satellites in low-Earth orbit. That test generated a swarm of long-lived shrapnel that constitutes nearly one-sixth of all the radar-trackable debris in orbit....
More recently, China has launched what many experts say are additional tests of ground-based anti-satellite kinetic weapons. None of these subsequent launches have destroyed satellites, but Krepon and other experts say this is because the Chinese are now merely testing to miss, rather than to hit, with the same hostile capability as an end result. The latest test occurred on July 23 of last year. Chinese officials insist the tests’ only purpose is peaceful missile defense and scientific experimentation. But one test in May 2013 sent a missile soaring as high as 30,000 kilometers above Earth, approaching the safe haven of strategic geosynchronous satellites.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
As long as George Clooney dies at the end, I can tolerate deris in low Earth orbit.
“Debris”
Damn LG G4. Don’t ever buy one!
Let the crashes begin! Stuff to watch at night!
Satellites and space stations could soon knock missiles out and make ICBM’s obsolete
Reactivate that group of space combat marines that were in Moonraker.
It began decades ago. There is already a space combat center. Lots of obviously classified activities, but space combat has been going on and will continue to go on.
“Satellites and space stations could soon knock missiles out and make ICBM’s obsolete”
Not even close to reality. Regardless of weapons platform, hitting enough warheads is simply not reality yet. The decoys, diffusions, and various counter tactics keeps that from being reality.
Not yet. In one of my sci-fi stories it was 2140 and ICBM’s are pretty obsolete. They still have bayonets of course.
I often wonder what replaced the early ASAT weapons carried by F-15 and similar. They were quietly dropped, no doubt to appease someone, but far too useful to just go away.
I bet USAF or USN has a project to orbit an empty robot reentry vehicle that can snatch an enemy satellite from orbit and bring it down intact.
I wonder if this is something Elon Musk is working on the qt. Might explain his deep pocket funding sources.
Pegasus launch system is active. It's last (listed) use was in June 2013. Another Pegasus launch is scheduled for October 2016.
Perhaps this system was determined to be a cheaper COTS solution to the ASAT problem.
The Navy S3 Standard missile also has antisat capabilities.
The Block IIA missile has a top speed of Mach 15, and a maximum altitude of over 900 miles.
SM3 has whacked a bunch of satellites in orbit.
IIRC, the Ethan Allen has quite a record of sat-swatting.
I think the USN has pretty much demonstrated that it can take out any satellite it wants at any time, at least in LEO.
“Satellites and space stations could soon knock missiles out and make ICBM’s obsolete”
IMO, they have been obsolete for decades. The orbital phase makes ICBMs sitting ducks.
We know every launch for the past ~30 years can be detected and tracked by satellite. It’s not that much of a stretch to assume we can also point and shoot lasers at what we are tracking.
Problem with Aegis on a ship is it needs to be fairly near the orbital track and is not going to be able to reposition quickly. An airborne solution can.
Tracking a 28 inch by 18 inch stealth warhead is extremely difficult.
stay frosty.
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