China Attempted To Blind U.S. Satellites With Laser

[lukster]

Provided the laser doesn't have enough power to destroy a mirror there is still the problem of modifiying existing satellites. I hope that when these satellites were built countermeasures were considered.

[indy007]

Satellites have a shelf-life. You don't worry about upgrading existing ones, so much as build newer, better models.

Lasers aren't all that particularly great either because you lose so much power to the atmosphere, especially firing from groudn to space. If they equipped another satellite with a laser, it would have potential, but again, would be severely restricted in available power. Think about how big the I.S.S. solar panels are for the limited amount of power they generate.

On top of that, we've already tested the technology for kinetic kills in space. I'd say we're quite a few steps ahead.

[Chairboy]

Presumably the most valuable satellites to disable are the optical reconnaissance ones.  They have very sensitive CCDs, so the laser doesn't need to be able to knock missiles out of orbit to be effective against them.

It's possible that China isn't so much "attacking" (with intent to destroy, an act of war) as much as they are experimenting with the ability to temporarily blind satelites when they pass over their countries.  It'd be a fine line to walk, but potentially safe from international censure.  

The tactical and strategic uses of the ability to deny recon are obvious, especially if you can make it a "normal" event.  After 5 years of being unable to pierce the "inscrutable curtain", nobody would blink if the jamming was continuing, meanwhile troops are being deployed along a border...

[Furball]

Originally posted by lukster
Provided the laser doesn't have enough power to destroy a mirror there is still the problem of modifiying existing satellites. I hope that when these satellites were built countermeasures were considered.

build a bigger mirror.

[Viking]

Originally posted by Chairboy
It's possible that China isn't so much "attacking" (with intent to destroy, an act of war) as much as they are experimenting with the ability to temporarily blind satelites when they pass over their countries.  It'd be a fine line to walk, but potentially safe from international censure.  

I concur. To use a laser to destroy a satellite would be a huge waste of money and energy. An old 1960's era killer satellite would do the job just fine.

Originally posted by indy007
On top of that, we've already tested the technology for kinetic kills in space. I'd say we're quite a few steps ahead.

The Soviets were "a few steps ahead" in the '60s. I think it is safe to say that the rest of the world is "a few steps behind". If the Chinese want to destroy our satellites I think they will borrow some old Soviet tech (like they always do) instead of waving a big flashlight at them.

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/is.html

[lukster]

Originally posted by Furball
build a bigger mirror.

If you put a mirror capable of reflecting a high energy laser in front of of a satellite camera how will the camera see through or around the mirror blocking it's view?

[lukster]

Originally posted by Viking
I concur. To use a laser to destroy a satellite would be a huge waste of money and energy. An old 1960's era killer satellite would do the job just fine.




The Soviets were "a few steps ahead" in the '60s. I think it is safe to say that the rest of the world is "a few steps behind". If the Chinese want to destroy our satellites I think they will borrow some old Soviet tech (like they always do) instead of waving a big flashlight at them.

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/is.html

First, I won't agree that the Soviets have been ahead of the US in technology since 1969. We've come a long ways since then while the Soviets have just gone away.

[Furball]

Originally posted by lukster
If you put a mirror capable of reflecting a high energy laser in front of of a satellite camera how will the camera see through or around the mirror blocking it's view?

make it a one way mirror.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Furball
make it a one way mirror.

One way mirrors aren't as reflective but if the laser wasn't of sufficient power it might work. I suspect the US was testing their own satellites against this type of attack long before the Chinese started.

[Furball]

make the mirror bigger until it is reflective.

[Viking]

Originally posted by lukster
First, I won't agree that the Soviets have been ahead of the US in technology since 1969. We've come a long ways since then while the Soviets have just gone away.

Yet the US does not have a working anti-satellite system, while they do. Go figure.

In 1987 the Soviets even launched a battle station prototype. They were mind-bogglingly far ahead of the west in the militarization of space. We're still catching up, and mostly because we're buying their technology.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by storch
waddaya mean anymore?

Since the Decider said so.

[Nightshift82]

launch a missile at the damn satilite and be done with it.

[lukster]

Originally posted by Viking
Yet the US does not have a working anti-satellite system, while they do. Go figure.

In 1987 the Soviets even launched a battle station prototype. They were mind-bogglingly far ahead of the west in the militarization of space. We're still catching up, and mostly because we're buying their technology.

Maybe we're just much better at keeping our secrets? I don't know about the now defunct USSR but I'm certain we are good at keeping secrets.

[Viking]

Yet you don't have one of these. People WOULD notice.

The Polyus space battle-station:

This is how far ahead the Soviets were. A battle-station armed with nuclear mines, anti-satellite systems, cannon for defense and a laser.