Posted on 02/15/2018 7:17:28 PM PST by BenLurkin
“We assess that, if a future conflict were to occur involving Russia or China, either country would justify attacks against U.S. and allied satellites as necessary to offset any perceived U.S. military advantage derived from military, civil or commercial space systems,” warns the 2018 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, released this week by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The United States has benefitted from a tidal wave of innovation in the space industry, but so have many other nations. “Foreign countries — particularly China and Russia — will continue to expand their space-based reconnaissance, communications, and navigation systems in terms of the numbers of satellites, the breadth of their capability, and the applications for use,” said the report.
Both Russia and China continue to pursue anti-satellite weapons knowing that, if successfully employed, could undermine U.S. military capabilities, analysts noted. “Russia and China aim to have nondestructive and destructive counter-space weapons available for use during a potential future conflict.”
U.S. intelligence predicts that “destructive” Russian and Chinese anti-satellite weapons probably will reach “initial operational capability in the next few years.” China’s military is setting up specialized units and has begun “initial operational training with counter-space capabilities that it has been developing, such as ground-launched anti-satellite missiles.”
The intelligence community believes Russia probably has a similar class of weapons in development. Both countries also are advancing directed-energy weapons that could make satellites useless by blinding sensitive optical sensors such as those used for remote sensing or missile defense.
Another concern is Russia and China launching “experimental” satellites for on-orbit activities that are not necessarily hostile but could help them advance their counter-space capabilities, the report said. “Some technologies with peaceful applications — such as satellite inspection, refueling and repair — can also be used against adversary spacecraft.”
(Excerpt) Read more at spacenews.com ...
Ping.
They are operational now.
The algorithm is the same that cat uses
in catching a mouse. -> Decrease the vector.
This article is just a bunch of gov‘t employees trying to scare up more taxpayer dollars
Have been for 40 years. Russia put up and tested the first one. We followed suit about a year later.
The majority of our satellite intel comes from large NRO sats in geo orbit about 23,000 miles up...safe from harm at this time.
The low orbit duties are, in a pinch, able to be performed by the new low-earth-orbit space planes, the X37 is one example.
I’m sure the ensuing Kessler Syndrome will result in good times to be had for all.
it doesn’t really matter what they have or do not have. Once we have president Camacho, game over.
So be good for goodness sake.... whoaaa... you better not shout, bettter not cry....
All the drama. Have we ever tried just being the honest and decent guy on the block who treats people (nations) right?
Kinda like if Chuck Norris lived on your block.
He isn’t listening to all his neighbors private conversations. He isn’t making secret deals with the dirty doper neighbor because that neighbor will side with him. He isn’t getting involved in every body else’s family matters and running their lives.
He’s a straight up guy, and if you are honest back to him, you’re cool. If you show yourself to be a threat, he has enough strength to make you regret the move.
The world would be a better place if our national leaders would quit with the creepy control freak and national squirrley dishonesty game.
Sort of
It led to the Korean War.
They also dropped “land navigation proficiency”. Imagine the deep doo-doo we'd be in if we lost our satellite systems: no more GPS, no more voice or video communications, and the loss of some other really, really critical capabilities that our satellite systems provide.
Our military has become so dependent on our technology, that the majority of our units probably couldn't fight our way out of a wet paper bag without it.
One would hope that we already have the same capability to cripple their militaries, but this is some scary stuff.
Yeah, not so much. And Stalin has died, like in the early 50s.
The point is, we have caused far more misery to ourselves and the world by our constant treachery and spy culture than we have prevented.
And no, we haven’t been an honest neighbor to the world since WWII.
Not even for Korea. That war didn’t result from honesty, and strength. It came from weakness and things like hiding and protecting Unit 731.
You pretty clearly missed the point. I thought it might be a hard concept for some.
Are they idiots or do they think we are? The Russians said they had a "killer satellite in the late 1970's. It was just a proximity blast parked in orbit next to one of ours. What does it take to make a grapeshot canister satellite with locator and thrust? Like they haven't done that already.
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