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Chinese Lasers Blind US Satelites

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the do-not-look-directly-into-laser-beam-with-your-remaining-eye dept.

SniperClops writes, "China has fired high-power lasers at U.S. spy satellites flying over its territory in what experts see as a test of Chinese ability to blind the spacecraft, according to sources." The article mentions the reluctance of the U.S. administration to talk about this "asymmetric" effort by the Chinese military.

7 of 739 comments (clear)

  1. What I really want to know... by Tsagadai · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As does alot of the world not in the united states but still grounded under it's definition of right and wrong is why can't a foreign self governing nation control its own airspace and space space. If I built a spy satellite and orbitted it over the united states I would be a terrorist and bombed in seconds. Why the difference for china?

    1. Re:What I really want to know... by Yvanhoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It surely may sound ironic in the case of China, but : a sovereign nation has a right to privacy.

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
    2. Re:What I really want to know... by LittleBigLui · · Score: 5, Insightful
      What if these satelites were above that point?


      What's the problem with the chinese shining their lasers at space that nobody owns anyway?
      --
      Free as in mason.
    3. Re:What I really want to know... by russ1337 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I honestly believe the US is more likley to use a Nuke before any of the above mentioned. Any of the states using a nuke will result in their elimination - deterance. We also know the US is not affraid to strike pre-emptivley. Plus they've talked of wanting to use 'tactical nukes' against Iran.

  2. Re:Eventually... by finkployd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Chinese can launch satelites, put men into orbit, have nuclear weapons, are financing most of our balance or payments thanks to Bush

    Honestly, did the world just begin for many of you people in 2000? Look I'm no fan of Bush, but it is not like prior to 2000 the Chinese held none of our assets, the Islamic extremists loved us, and the federal government held civil liberties in high regard. You know, EVERYTHING is not Bush's fault.

    Finkployd

  3. could this be a bluff? by petes_PoV · · Score: 5, Insightful
    OK, we've heard from the report that the Chinese have tried to blind a satellite. Until we can actually see the resulting images - which will simply never happen, how can we or the chinese know that they've succeeded in stopping photos being taken.

    If I was in the US spying game and I know that someone was trying to blind my satellites, I'd say "Oh no, you've stopped me photographing your secret installations" even if the attempts were unsuccessful. That way the target thinks they've stopped the spy satellites, whereas in practice, the lasers may be completely ineffectual.

    Until the Chinese spies can get hold of genuine, spoiled, satellite photos (that weren't staged/planted) they cannot be sure they have suceeded.

    --
    politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
  4. Re:Um, they can hit the ones they can see... by Woek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't think so. First of all, they have plenty of other issues to worry about when designing the exterior of a satellite, like reflective material for thermal management, or solar cells for generating power. Secondly, I would imagine that the trajectories of all satellites are available to all agencies that launch stuff into space. Imaging a soyuz crashing into one of those massive spy satellites with a relative velocity of several kilometers per second...