Defense urged to develop a weapon to disable foreign satellites

[The Straight Story]

Defense urged to develop a weapon to disable foreign satellites

By Bob Brewin 03/19/2009

The United States should begin to develop ways to attack foreign-operated satellites because nations such as China are pursuing weapons that can disable or destroy space-based systems, a consultant to the Council on Foreign Relations told a House panel on Wednesday.

China demonstrated in 2007 an ability to shoot down satellites and has started to develop laser and microwave-based anti-satellite weapons, so the United States should develop limited space offensive capabilities to defend its increasing reliance on satellite systems for communications, surveillance, navigation and weather forecasting, consultant Bruce MacDonald told the Armed Services Committee.

"There is a risk that China or another adversary could exploit this fast-growing U.S. dependence on space in a war to greatly weaken U.S. military and economic power," he said.

But MacDonald warned the United States should be careful in pursuing such a strategy. The Defense Department "needs to think long and hard before we deploy a major offensive space capability," he said. But "If there are no feasible alternatives, then we should develop a limited offensive capability in a deterrence context."

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090319_8311.php

Back in the 90's I worked out near China Lake weapons station in Ridgecrest, CA. One of the physicists from there called me to his home to fix his computer and we were talking about jobs in the area and such and he mentioned a project from a defense contractor coming to the area - used ground based lasers to re-charge satellites. I would guess they had other motives :)

More on powering items in this article (which also mentions satellites but is focused on planes and such):
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-087-DFRC.html

[soothsayer]

1. besides what we used recently to destroy one of china's satellites, and then one of russia's?

[formercia]

2. re-charge satellites

in case the Sun quits working.

[originalpckelly]

3. A recent studee by dee Rand Corporation determiiiinned that...

Oh shit, welcome to the new arms race.

It would be fucking hilarious if some disenthralled force managed to get these space weapons first, and destroyed any attempts to let the assholes of the world get them. No vepons in dee space!

[soothsayer]

4. we're already in a race with China to weaponize the moon

It's the next cool theatre