Posted on 02/02/2006 10:23:51 PM PST by LibWhacker
Beijing announced plans last week to build a high-frequency radar on the South Pole. Analysts say the radar could be used to disrupt U.S. intelligence satellites.
China's Zhongshan Station in Antarctica on
Jan. 24. AP Photo /Xinhua, Zhang Zongtang
The radar will be built at Chinas Zhongshan Station, where Beijing has set up of a space environment lab.
National security analysts say the South Pole site, because of its remoteness, could be used by China to develop anti-satellite lasers capable of blinding or disrupting U.S. reconnaissance satellites, most of which pass over the pole.
The station will consist of 20 antenna units, including 16 units for the main antenna and four for the auxiliary antenna. Each antenna is 20 meters high. The high-frequency radar can detect ionospheric convection within a range of 3,000 kilometers.
Chinese officials told Xinhua the station would be used to measure the polar space environment.
Chinas space program, unlike the U.S. space program, is directly related to Chinese military operations.
A Pentagon report on the Chinese military last year said China was working on, and plans to field, ASAT systems.
"Message to ANYONE in Washington who is; listening, not a liberal, not taking bribes, not a muslim, not suicidal, not an imbecile, not anti-american, not a chinese spy"
That leaves out most people in Washington, except maybe the Senate restroom attendant.
I say we just put a satellite in geosynchronous orbit over the South Pole to keep an eye on them!!
:)
Exactly! They'll get to 'disrupt' all of about 5 minutes before going 'dark'.
Popular lore is that EMP can occur anywhere. In reality, EMP occurs only in Space, and then only after a nuclear detonation in Space.
Our dear friends the Red Chinese. END SARCASM!
Good point! I don't know how they're getting away with it; or rather, I don't know why the free world is turning a blind eye to it. The article says it's a "space environment lab." Yeah, right! We should send in several polar-equipped infantry brigades and announce to the world (with a straight face, mind you) that we've merely deployed a division of astronomers.
Try this link for some real info:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=e-bomb.htm&url=http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0306/smith.php
While it is true that EMP effects were first noted after very high altitude nuclear tests, neither a nuclear bomb nor space is necessary for an EM pulse.
It's never been done, except with a nuke in space. Even your link can't find an example of it being done anywhere else.
Here's a clue: IONosphere.
Ions. Think: electricity.
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