Satellite Substitutes Seriously Sought

The Strategy Page ^ | 1/28/2010 | The Strategy Page

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

U.S. Air Force is concerned about American dependence on space satellites, particularly the GPS birds. The air force believes China is developing the ability to carry out a major attack on American military satellites. Their proposed solution is to take GPS out of orbit, and make it portable. High flying aircraft, UAVs or blimps would take over satellite communications, surveillance and navigation (GPS) chores, although for smaller areas. This would make GPS, and other satellite functions, more resilient to attack. This is part of a trend in which military satellites are getting priced out of the market by cheaper manned aircraft and UAV alternatives. Even small, quickly launched micro-satellites, cost ten times more, per hour over the battlefield, than do alternatives. These now include things like weather balloons carrying satellite grade communications or sensors.

While the air force is concerned about satellite security, the U.S. Department of Defense has to confront the fact that it cannot afford sufficient satellites to meet the growing demand for communications satellites. The commsats cost at least $250 million each, and even the much touted micro-sats still cost about ten percent of that.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Surprising.

[GeronL]

It would be a good back up system if we had high flying UAV’s and blimps that could do the job.

[bigbob]

Here is one company that is doing some very interesting things with balloons for commercial data communications:

http://www.spacedata.net/

[Regulator]

Interesting that they chose the name Space Data, since that was the name of another company (but in Tempe) that eventually became the launch vehicle side of Orbital Sciences.

Doesn't seem like a link there, but....

[thinking]

It should be made clear to China, that an attack, on space satellites is an act-of-war, and retaliation will be forth coming.....

[Mr. K]

a matrix of high flying tethered blimps sounds like a great backup plan to me

[texmexis best]

I’ve been expecting this for a while and it makes sense. Satellite killers are going to become very cheap and it will pay to have a workable backup.

[wxgesr]

Their attacks on our SAT birds would not be first strike. It would be secondary or in parallel. Without SATCOMs or precision guidance, we are literally screwed, glued and tattooed. Our military relies so heavily on technology that we are deaf, dumb and blind without it.

But you are right, our administration should state up front that we would retaliate, but Obamarama doesn’t have the balls.

[TexasTransplant]

Well the Moon is available for Satellite Duty

[paulycy]

It should be made clear to China, that an attack, on space satellites is an act-of-war, and retaliation will be forth coming.....

After we get a new POTUS, you mean. :0/

[Tallguy]

Yeah. The trend in air-dropped munitions is to go smaller as the CEP gets smaller. The idea is that greater accuracy afforded by GPS gives you the ability to limit collateral damage. But what happens when the GPS goes out and you no-longer have a stockpile of 1,000 pounders?

[Hulka]

Good if we over-look the jamming vulnerabilities of GPS.

[Hulka]

Collateral damage wasn’t the driver for GPS PGM’s. It was the ability to hit precisely, to destroy the target more quickly, efficiently and effectively, with less sorties.

There are other navigation modes that are effective, though not so much so, like INS, and there are efforts to design alternative precise navigation capabilities that can’t be discussed here.

[CodeToad]

This is just the Air Force looking for money through scare tactics. They already have alternatives they are implementing.

[Hulka]

Not really.

DARPA is investigating options but there is nothing the Air Force has (”implementing”).

All services will be impacted greatly in an GPS-denied environment, and not to mention the civilian impact as well.

[Tallguy]

Collateral damage wasn’t the driver for GPS PGM’s.

Initially, no. But if you put any credence in the commentary by the defense 'experts', minimizing collateral damage is a big factor now.

[Hulka]

Of course, but tactically it was never an issue.

Now, however, after Gulf War I, collaterial damage (now referred to as the “CNN Factor”) has taken over pretty much everything the military does. . .ROE in theater reflects the terror in the minds of political leaders (not military) over the issue.

[CodeToad]

“there is nothing the Air Force has (”implementing”).”

I guess I should go home then. Didn’t know I was out of a job.

[denydenydeny]

This wouldn’t be a problem if we weren’t unilaterally disarming in space while the Chinese are actively preparing space weapons. “Say no to the militarization of space” is going to get us killed.