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China Shoots Down Another Satellite
An anonymous reader writes "It was reported this weekend that China shot down another of its satellites in January this year. 'The website of Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV said the anti-satellite missile test, if confirmed, is likely related to the missile interception test, which occurred at the peak of a dispute between Beijing and Washington on a massive US arms sales deal to Taiwan. During the interception test, US agencies spotted two missiles launched from two locations from the Chinese mainland, colliding outside the atmosphere, a Pentagon spokesperson said.' I guess ballistic trajectories that intersect with orbital ones don't count as 'weapons in space.'"
Even if it never rains down or enters the atmosphere, it's just as much of a problem just orbiting depending who you ask Debris Cloud
-- Brought to you by Carl's JR
This is part of developing the technology to take out GPS and other communication satellites in case of a confrontation with the U.S.A. . Much of the U.S. war fighting capability is highly dependent on GPS and satellite based communication. The Chinese military is preparing to fight a war against the U.S. (this is completely independent of whether or not they are planning to fight such a war). The scary part of this is that even if current planners have no intention of ever fighting a war against the U.S. history has shown that when military and political leaders believe that they are in a position to win such a war they often choose to wage it even if a rational analysis says that it is a bad idea (see World War I).
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
The term for this sort of scenario is Kessler Syndrome, and if China keeps this up it might become a quite likely.
"linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
The difference between the space junk made by the US and the space junk made my the Chinese is that the US isn't blowing up satellites in orbit creating massive clouds of debris, on fucking purpose.
The US has been in space for years, but at this rate the Chinese should be able to catch up to us in the "space junk race" in no time.
"linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
Rational analysis says war is the best way for military and political leaders to gain more power.
Even a losing cause that fucks everyone else can work for them.
Perhaps not to intercept the missiles, but to destroy US GPS satellites so the US missiles won't track.
GPS satellites are at 20,000 km - if the Chinese could hit those, that would really be something!
All the satellites shot down so far have been well under 1,000 km.
sic transit gloria mundi
What? And the US hasn't been giving the rest of the world the big 'FUCK YOU' for the last fifty years. Doing pretty much whatever they like.
It's the same old shit for us. Just another country compensating by trying to show how powerful they are. Actually, it's kinda refreshing that there is another 'sustainable' player.
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China can't get into any sort of extremely unprovoked unpopular war (such as one with the US) because it would be devastating to their economy. Most of the Americas and Europe would embargo them. It seems to me globalization is a good deterrent to a world war, in economic uncertainty most countries can't afford to give up 20% of anything. The only way it makes sense to me is if they were seriously provoked or they lost something of such great value that the economic ramifications would be worth it.
China is by far the heaviest polluter on the planet. Not only have they surpassed America in terms of CO2, but they surpassed America in ALL other forms of pollution around 2000. How? Because they have little to no pollution controls. And where they put it, as required by treaties, they regularly just turn them off due to the loss of efficiencies. Heck, if CHina's economy slows down to 5% as expected, then around 2019, they will have emitted 1/2 of ALL CO2 that has ever been emitted by man. And if they do not slow down, then around 2015, they will break that barrier. They currently account for just under 1/2 of mercury being emitted. etc. etc. etc.
So, if they have ZERO interest in their own citizens, let alone those in India, Viet Nam, Koreas, Japan, Russia, etc., WHAT COULD MAKE YOU THINK THAT THEY GIVE A CRAP ABOUT SPACE?
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
China needs us to buy the exports that their billion+ underclass help manufacture. That keeps those workers busy and distracted from the fact that they are being exploited by the privileged classes and deprived of any say in their government. Stop the exporting and it is a short road to civil unrest.
China needs us to buy their products in US dollars so that the government can stand in between every export transaction and the local Yuan based economy and thereby control everything. They also get to wield that pile of dollars as a political tool in furtherance of their goals.
A non-exporting China with a freely exchangeable currency? That's a nightmare for the CCP. They would lose some of their favorite tools!
Actually, the launch you're referring to was after the destruction of the Chinese weather satellite, and nearly all of the debris from the launch de-orbited soon after. Get your facts straight.