China, Russia Wary Over US Plan to Shoot Down Satellite
China, Russia Wary Over US Plan to Shoot Down Satellite
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
February 18, 2008
(CNSNews.com) - A year after China shot down one of its own orbiting satellites in an unannounced anti-satellite weapon test, China is objecting to plans by the U.S. to destroy a damaged American satellite that is heading for Earth.
The Pentagon says it hopes within the coming week to destroy the spy satellite, which is carrying toxic rocket fuel that could potentially harm anyone near its landing location, if it's left to fall on its own.
The plan is to shoot it down just before it enters the atmosphere, using a surface-to-air missile fired from a U.S. Navy warship in the Pacific. If allowed to hit the atmosphere, it would break apart, be unpredictable and virtually impossible to engage, Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a press conference last Thursday.
Russia at the weekend accused the U.S. of wanting to test a space weapon under the pretext of shooting down the damaged satellite.
"The impression arises that the United States is trying to use the accident with its satellite to test its national anti-missile defense system as a means of destroying satellites," Russia's defense ministry said. Moscow is strongly opposed to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense shield in central Europe.
China joined the criticism Sunday, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying the government was "highly concerned" and closely watching the developing situation. Liu Jiachio said China "demands the U.S. side fulfill its international obligations and avoids causing damage to security in outer space and of relevant countries."
Liu, added, without elaboration, that China was studying "preventive measures."
In January last year, China tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon, launching a ground-based ballistic missile to destroy a Chinese weather satellite in orbit, more than 500 miles above the Earth.
The test troubled several countries that have interests in space and raised worries that the debris could pose hazards to other orbiting spacecraft. A top U.S. military officer said later that the test was "a confusing signal" from a country that says it desires a "peaceful rise."
What's different in this case, according to Cartwright, is that the U.S. aims to hit the defunct satellite just before it enters the atmosphere, far closer to the Earth than in the previous intercept. Debris resulting from intercepts higher up could orbit for 20-40 years.
Also, he said, the U.S. was meeting its obligations to notify other countries, a process that began "well over a month ago."
In the Chinese case, Beijing only confirmed the ASAT test almost two weeks after it took place.
The Chinese test was carried out on Jan. 11. The U.S. went public on the incident on Jan. 18, and both the Australian and Japanese government also voiced concern. The Chinese foreign ministry finally confirmed it on Jan. 23, saying in a statement that the test "was not directed at any country and does not constitute a threat to any country."
But in a later study of the Chinese operation, Prof. Desmond Ball of the Strategic and Defense Studies Center at the Australian National University said the ASAT test "has been widely viewed as a direct challenge to U.S. space superiority."
"China has been a prominent advocate of the 'prevention of an arms race in outer space,' " said Ball. "In one move, albeit fairly primitive, it has provided a major stimulus to such a race."
And in a May 2007 report to Congress on China's military capabilities, the Defense Department said the test had showed "China's ability to attack satellites operating in low-Earth orbit," adding that Beijing's space activities would have significant implications in the case of any future conflict over Taiwan.
In a statement delivered at a U.N. conference on disarmament in Geneva on Friday, U.S. ambassador Christina Rocca said Washington's response to the falling satellite and transparency in informing foreign governments were in line with its commitment to safe and responsible space operations.
"This extraordinary engagement is an emergency response to prevent the possible loss of life," she told the session. "This engagement is not part of an anti-satellite development and testing program."
Earlier in the week at the Geneva conference, China and Russia jointly tabled a new proposal for a treaty to prohibit space weapons.
In Beijing, Liu said the initiative was a bid "to prevent weaponization and arms race, and maintain peace and tranquility in outer space."
He said China hoped the conference would begin discussion and reach consensus quickly.
Under the draft treaty, states would "undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying any kind of weapons, not to install such weapons on celestial bodies, and not to station such weapons in outer space in any other manner."
http://tinyurl.com/335lw7
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
February 18, 2008
(CNSNews.com) - A year after China shot down one of its own orbiting satellites in an unannounced anti-satellite weapon test, China is objecting to plans by the U.S. to destroy a damaged American satellite that is heading for Earth.
The Pentagon says it hopes within the coming week to destroy the spy satellite, which is carrying toxic rocket fuel that could potentially harm anyone near its landing location, if it's left to fall on its own.
The plan is to shoot it down just before it enters the atmosphere, using a surface-to-air missile fired from a U.S. Navy warship in the Pacific. If allowed to hit the atmosphere, it would break apart, be unpredictable and virtually impossible to engage, Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a press conference last Thursday.
Russia at the weekend accused the U.S. of wanting to test a space weapon under the pretext of shooting down the damaged satellite.
"The impression arises that the United States is trying to use the accident with its satellite to test its national anti-missile defense system as a means of destroying satellites," Russia's defense ministry said. Moscow is strongly opposed to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense shield in central Europe.
China joined the criticism Sunday, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying the government was "highly concerned" and closely watching the developing situation. Liu Jiachio said China "demands the U.S. side fulfill its international obligations and avoids causing damage to security in outer space and of relevant countries."
Liu, added, without elaboration, that China was studying "preventive measures."
In January last year, China tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon, launching a ground-based ballistic missile to destroy a Chinese weather satellite in orbit, more than 500 miles above the Earth.
The test troubled several countries that have interests in space and raised worries that the debris could pose hazards to other orbiting spacecraft. A top U.S. military officer said later that the test was "a confusing signal" from a country that says it desires a "peaceful rise."
What's different in this case, according to Cartwright, is that the U.S. aims to hit the defunct satellite just before it enters the atmosphere, far closer to the Earth than in the previous intercept. Debris resulting from intercepts higher up could orbit for 20-40 years.
Also, he said, the U.S. was meeting its obligations to notify other countries, a process that began "well over a month ago."
In the Chinese case, Beijing only confirmed the ASAT test almost two weeks after it took place.
The Chinese test was carried out on Jan. 11. The U.S. went public on the incident on Jan. 18, and both the Australian and Japanese government also voiced concern. The Chinese foreign ministry finally confirmed it on Jan. 23, saying in a statement that the test "was not directed at any country and does not constitute a threat to any country."
But in a later study of the Chinese operation, Prof. Desmond Ball of the Strategic and Defense Studies Center at the Australian National University said the ASAT test "has been widely viewed as a direct challenge to U.S. space superiority."
"China has been a prominent advocate of the 'prevention of an arms race in outer space,' " said Ball. "In one move, albeit fairly primitive, it has provided a major stimulus to such a race."
And in a May 2007 report to Congress on China's military capabilities, the Defense Department said the test had showed "China's ability to attack satellites operating in low-Earth orbit," adding that Beijing's space activities would have significant implications in the case of any future conflict over Taiwan.
In a statement delivered at a U.N. conference on disarmament in Geneva on Friday, U.S. ambassador Christina Rocca said Washington's response to the falling satellite and transparency in informing foreign governments were in line with its commitment to safe and responsible space operations.
"This extraordinary engagement is an emergency response to prevent the possible loss of life," she told the session. "This engagement is not part of an anti-satellite development and testing program."
Earlier in the week at the Geneva conference, China and Russia jointly tabled a new proposal for a treaty to prohibit space weapons.
In Beijing, Liu said the initiative was a bid "to prevent weaponization and arms race, and maintain peace and tranquility in outer space."
He said China hoped the conference would begin discussion and reach consensus quickly.
Under the draft treaty, states would "undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying any kind of weapons, not to install such weapons on celestial bodies, and not to station such weapons in outer space in any other manner."
http://tinyurl.com/335lw7
bin66 - 27. Feb, 09:57
