What's new

China Space Military:Recon, Satcom, Navi, ASAT/BMD, Orbital Vehicle, SLV, etc.

Beidou navigation system

List of Compass launches,15 on orbit,
Mission Date Name Launch site Launch vehicle Bus Orbit
07-32 2007-04-13 Compass-M1 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 MEO ~21,500 km
07-37 2009-04-14 Compass-G2 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 GEO drifting
07–38 2010-01-16 Compass-G1 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 GEO 144.5°E
07-39 2010-06-02 Compass-G3 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 GEO 84.0°E
07-40 2010-07-31 Compass-IGSO1 Xichang CZ-3A DFH-3 HEO ~36,000 km
07-43 2010-10-31 Compass-G4 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 GEO 160.0°E
07-45 2010-12-17 Compass-IGSO2 Xichang CZ-3A DFH-3 HEO ~36,000 km
07-46 2011-04-10 Compass-IGSO3 Xichang CZ-3A DFH-3 HEO ~36,000 km
07-49 2011-07-27 Compass-IGSO4 Xichang CZ-3A DFH-3 HEO ~36,000 km
07-51 2011-12-01 Compass-IGSO5 Xichang CZ-3A DFH-3 HEO ~36,000 km
07-53 2012-02-24 Compass-G5 Xichang CZ-3C DFH-3 GEO 60.0°E
07-54 2012-04-29 Compass-M3,Compass-M4 Xichang CZ-3B DFH-3B –
07-55 2012-09-18 Compass-M5,Compass-M6 Xichang CZ-3B – MEO

already 5 beidou st launched in 2012, and ather one will be launched in 2012;
Orbital Launches of 2012
 
CZ-7(Long March-7)‘s oxidizer storage tank:

290347.jpg
 
Backtracking a report published in August:

Futron Releases 2012 Space Competitiveness Index
By Marc BoucherPosted August 2, 2012 3:00 PM

futron-2012-space-competitiveness-index

Futron has released its 2012 Space Competitiveness Index marking the 5th anniversary of the yearly publication. According to the report, the United States remains the overall leader in space competitiveness but is seeing a decline for the 5th year in a row.

The decline is attributed to enhanced capabilities in other countries while the U.S. is undergoing a transition with "significant" uncertainty.

New to the index this year are emerging space nations Argentina, Australia, Iran, South Africa and the Ukraine.

Four distinct tiers have emerged. The first tier has the U.S., Europe, and Russia. The second tier China, Japan, India, and Canada. The third tier South Korea, Israel, and Brazil. And the fourth tier Argentina, Australia, Iran, South Africa and the Ukraine.

Futron says the top two tiers remain dynamic but have shown some stabilization while the bottom two tiers are subject to intense competition, with very small gaps in the competitive rankings.

futron-2012-sci-changes-625x377.jpg


China gained the most competitiveness basis points in 2012, followed by Europe, India, and Israel. Japan lost the most basis points, followed by Canada, South Korea, and the United States. When compared against the larger group of 15 nations, Brazil falls to 11th place, just below Australia.


As has been noted before International collaboration is increasingly taking shape as a concerted space competitiveness strategy, especially among smaller actors.

Here's a list of some of the findings by country:

- Argentina is adapting its satellite manufacturing sector for the international marketplace, exploring both commercial and government-to-government deals. It stands to benefit from increased investment in spacecraft subcomponents.

- After more than a decade of dormancy, Australia is back. The government is refreshing its national space policy segment-by-segment, focusing on space not only a driver of innovation and expertise, but also for its benefits to Australian society.

- Brazil has begun to re-examine its national space priorities, increased funding, expanded its partnerships, and laid plans for a new launch vehicle. It remains to be seen whether these steps will keep Brazil ahead of regional counterparts that are also emerging onto the space scene.

- Canada retains a skilled space workforce, but delays in space policy refresh and implementation are significantly offsetting these competitive advantages.

- China performed a record number of launches in 2012, surpassing the United States for the first time, while increasing investment in technical education programs and civilian research institutes.

- Europe's integrated approach is complemented by the rise of new national space agencies across the continent--from the United Kingdom to the Czech Republic to Estonia--as well as more assertive space export financing.

futron-2012-sci-launch-625x246.jpg



- India is enhancing its space-related technical education, while gradually progressing toward a completely self-reliant set of next generation launch vehicles.

- Iran has made faster progress than any other newly emergent space nation. The tenor of Iran's space program--civilian or military--will hinge on geopolitics. Other international actors have substantial power to influence the future focus of the Iranian space program.

- Israel, despite funding increases, remains challenged by its lack of domestic industry scale, and has difficulty sustaining a commercial space presence in global markets.

- Japan, despite ongoing benefits from its policy reforms, is losing competitive ground relative to most other actors, and can benefit from a greater focus on commercializing its industrial base.

- Russia's remains the world's launch leader, and promises to retain that role in the near term thanks to its vital role in transporting astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, as well as the introduction of Soyuz launches from the European spaceport at Kourou. These strengths, however, are offset by weaknesses in retention of human capital talent.

- South Africa is divided, from a budgetary standpoint, between space investments focused on societal usage of external assets already in space and investments focused on building the country's own space industrial base.

- South Korea's two failed launch attempts contributed to an organizational shakeup, but have not reduced its determination to become the newest country to achieve independent spaceflight.

- Ukraine has an enviable space industrial base, but limited domestic demand for its space hardware. It is aggressively seeking partners overseas, but has not yet engaged with key emerging markets.

- Download the Executive Summary.Futron – Your Decision Management Solutions Partner

- More information and full report.
Futron – Your Decision Management Solutions Partner
 
China launches Long March 2C carrier rocket in N China - Xinhua | English.news.cn
Long March 2C launches Shijian(Practice)-9(A/B) tech demonstrator satellite duo

The Chinese have launched Shijian-9 mission on Sunday, involving a pair of technology

demonstrator satellites A and B. The launch took place at 11:25 from the Taiyuan Satellite

Launch Center using a Long March 2C (Chang Zheng-2C/SMA) launch vehicle.


The two satellites were developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) for

the Chinese Commission of Science, and the Technology and Industry .

The mission will conduct on-orbit experiments for electric propulsion, testing the XIPS-20

xenon gas ion thruster system. It will also test high precision and high stability control

systems, high efficient power supply and advanced thermal control technology. The satellites

features also instruments for Earth observation.

“Shijian” means “Practice” and this series of satellites have previously been used with a

variety of configurations and missions for scientific research and technological experiments.

This was the 169th successful Chinese orbital launch, the 169th launch of a Chang Zheng launch

vehicle, the 40th successful orbital launch from Taiyuan, the 14th successful orbital Chinese

launch in 2012 and the fourth from Taiyuan this year
.

131905260_11n.jpg

The Long March 2C carrier rocket carrying two satellites blasts off from the launch pad at the

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Oct. 14,

2012. Satellite A and Satellite B, which form Shijian (practice)-9 satellites, successfully

entered preset orbits on Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

131905260_41n.jpg


123820221_81n.jpg
 
Shijian(Practice) series satellites:

Since 1971, China has launched a series of Shijian (SJ, “Practice”) satellites(22 satellites) of a variety of configurations for scientific research, technology demonstration and other undisclosed roles. Some of these satellites may have been associated with military missions.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 1
Shijian 1 was the second artificial satellite launched by China. It was originally built as a back-up for the first satellite Dongfanghong 1, sharing the same space-frame design. Unlike the Dongfanghong 1, which was pretty much a ‘skeleton’ satellite and had no mission payload or an actual role, Shijian 1 carried a Geiger- Müller counter and an X-ray detector to explore the space environment in the LEO. The satellite was also equipped with telemetry, thermal control and solar power systems capable of long-term operation.

sj1_01.jpg

1971-03-03 - Launch site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "5020". Launch vehicle: CZ-1

•Shijian 1 – Role: Space environment exploration. Spacecraft: DFH-1. Contractor: CAST. Mass: 225kg. Apogee: 1,826km. Perigee: 266km. Inclination: 69.9°. Period: 106 min. Summary: The satellite was launched successfully on 3 March 1971, but the third-stage of the launch vehicle didn't separate from the satellite as scheduled, causing the satellite's telemetry antenna unable to deploy. As a result, the ground station couldn't receive the satellite's telemetry signal. The issue persisted until 8 days later, on 11 March, when the third-stage finally separated under the force of spin. The antenna was deployed to transmit the telemetry signal. The satellite remained operational in orbit for 8 years, and de-orbited on 17 June 1979.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shijian 2
Shijian 2, Shijian 2A and Shijian 2B were three satellites launched on a single FB-1 launch vehicle. Shijian 2 was a scientific research and technology demonstration satellite designed to carry 11 devices to detect the space environment in the LEO. The 250kg Shijian 2 was also the first Chinese satellite to be fitted with a pair of solar panel wings (2.55 square metres in total. 140W output). Other technologies tested on Shijian 2 included:

•Monopropellant chemical thrusters for orbital station-keeping and altitude control;
•Magnetic data storage and time-delayed data transmission;
•Unified C-band tracking and telemetry;
•Louver active thermal control;
Shijian 2A was an ionosphere beacon satellite designed to investigate the electron content of the ionosphere. The 480kg satellite was fitted with a 40.5MHz and a 162MHz radio beacon, and had no telemetry system.

Shijian 2B was an orbital radar calibration target, consisting of a 45cm diameter metallic ball and a 4m diameter balloon, connected by a 600m wire.

sj2_01.jpg

Shijian 2

sj2a_01.jpg

Shijian 2A

sj2b_01.jpg

Shijian 2B

1979-07-28 - Launch site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "138". Launch vehicle: FB-1

•Shijian 2/2A/2B - Summary: The launch failed due to a launch vehicle failure, which resulted in the second-stage swiveling motor shutting down earlier than scheduled.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981-09-19 - Launch site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "138". Launch vehicle: FB-1

•Shijian 2 - Role: Space environment exploration. Spacecraft: Shijian 2. Contractor: CAST. Mass: 250kg. Apogee: 1,608km. Perigee: 232km. Inclination: 59.4°. Period: 103.4 min. Summary: The ground tracking station lost the satellite on 1981-10-03 at 03:14 CST, only 13 days after launch. Later investigation suggested that the satellite may have disintegrated due to accelerated spinning.
•Shijian 2A - Role: Ionosphere exploration. Spacecraft: Shijian 2A. Mass: 480kg. Contractor: SAST. Apogee: 1,598km. Perigee: 232km. Inclination: 59.5°. Period: 103.3 min. Summary: The satellite stopped transmitting signal on 1981-11-13, only 52 days after launch.
•Shijian 2B - Role: Radar calibration target. Mass: 28kg. Contractor: 2nd Academy. Apogee: 1,615km. Perigee: 233km. Inclination: 59.4°. Period: 103.5 min. Summary: The satellite remained in orbit for a week as scheduled.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shijian 3
CAST began to develop a remote-sensing satellite designated Shijian 3 in the late 1970s. The design later evolved into Ziyuan 1 Earth observation satellite.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 4
Shijian 4 was a scientific research satellite designed by the China Academy of Science to explore the radiation environment of space and its effects. The satellite carried 6 devices to detect electron, proton and heavy ion in radiation belts and ionosphere. The 400kg satellite operated in a highly elliptic orbit (200 X 36,000km) to allow it to pass through different layers of the ionosphere.

sj4_01.jpg

Shijian 4

1991-12-18 - Launch site: Xichang. Launch pad: LC3. Launch vehicle: CZ-3. Co-passenger: Dongfanghong 2A No.04

•Shijian 4 – Role: Space radiation research. Spacecraft: Shijian 4. Contractor: China Academy of Science. Mass: 396kg. Summary: The satellite didn't enter orbit due to launch vehicle failure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1994-02-08 - Launch site: Xichang. Launch pad: LC2. Launch vehicle: CZ-3A. Co-passenger: Kuafu 1 dummy satellite

•Shijian 4 – Role: Space environment. Spacecraft: Shijian 4. Contractor: China Academy of Science. Mass: 396kg. Apogee: 36,000km. Perigee: 200km. Inclination: 28.5°.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Shijian 5
Shijian 5 was a technology demonstration and scientific research satellite, and also China’s first small satellite. It was designed as a demonstrator for the CAST968 satellite bus, and also carried 11 scientific payloads. The 300kg satellite was designed and built by CAST. The onboard scientific payloads developed by the China Academy of Science included 3 space environment detectors, 5 single particle study devices and 2 micro-gravity experiment packages. The satellite could be stabilised using three-axis, spin, and gravity-gradient stabilisation. It was also the first Chinese satellite to be fitted with unified S-band (USB) telemetry, S-band data transmission, high-capacity data storage and computerised onboard management.

sj5_01.jpg

Shijian 5


1999-05-10 - Launch site: Xichang. Launch pad: LC2. Launch vehicle: CZ-3A. Co-passenger: Fengyun 1C

•Shijian 5 – Role: Space environment and technology demonstration. Spacecraft: CAST968. Contractor: CAST/China Academy of Science. Mass: 300kg. Apogee: 865km. Perigee: 841km. Inclination: 98.9°. Period: 102 min. Summary: The satellite remained operational in orbit for three months as scheduled.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 6
Shijian 6 was a series of scientific satellites designed for space scientific experiment. Each mission consisted of two satellites (A and B) launched by a single launch vehicle. Satellite A was developed by SAST. Satellite B was developed by China Spacesat Co Ltd of CAST. The onboard mission payload was developed by China Electronic Technology Group Corporation (CETC).

2004-09-09 - 07:14 CST (2004-09-08 23:14 GMT). Launch site: Taiyuan. Launch pad: LC7. Launch vehicle: CZ-4B

•Shijian 6-01A - Role: Scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: SAST
•Shijian 6-01B - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2006-10-24 - 07:34 CST (2006-10-23 23:34 GMT). Launch site: Taiyuan. Launch pad: LC7. Launch vehicle: CZ-4B

•Shijian 6-02A - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: SAST
•Shijian 6-02B - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2008-10-25 - 09:15 CST (01:15 GMT). Launch site: Taiyuan. Launch pad: LC9. Launch vehicle: CZ-4B

•Shijian 6-03A - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: SAST
•Shijian 6-03B - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2010-10-06 - 08:49 CST (00:49 GMT). Launch site: Taiyuan. Launch pad: LC9. Launch vehicle: CZ-4B

•Shijian 6-04A - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: SAST
•Shijian 6-04B - Role: scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 6. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 7
Shijian 7 was a scientific satellite designed and built by SAST for Earth observation and scientific experiment roles. The satellite carried a thermal imager designed by the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of the China Academy of Sciences.

2005-07-06 - 06:40 CST (2005-07-05 22:40 GMT). Launch site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch vehicle: CZ-2D

•Shijian 7 – Role: Earth observation and scientific experiment. Spacecraft: Shijian 7. Contractor: SAST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 8
Also known as the 'Seed Satellite', Shijian 8 was a micro-gravity biology scientific satellite based on the FSW-3 platform. The satellite carried 13 mission payloads inside its re-entry capsule, with a total mass of 302kg. Among these were 250kg seeds, which were exposed to the space environment for two weeks.

2006-09-06 - Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch Vehicle: CZ-2C

•Shijian 8 – Role: Micro-gravity biology experiment. Spacecraft: FSW-3. Contractor: CAST. Mass: 3,600kg. Apogee: 400km. Perigee: 200km. Inclination: 63°. Period: 91.1 min. Summary: The satellite was recovered on 2006-09-24.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 9
Shijian 9 is a technology demonstration satellite for developing high-efficiency power and advanced spacecraft thermal control technologies. It will also be used to test the endurance of some key indigenously-made spacecraft components and parts.
2012.10.14 Shijian 9A and Shijian 9B launched in Taiyuan ,he mission will conduct on-orbit experiments for electric propulsion, testing the XIPS-20 xenon gas ion thruster system. It will also test high precision and high stability control systems, high efficient power supply and advanced thermal control technology. The satellites features also instruments for Earth observation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 10
Shijian 10 is a micro-gravity research and experiment satellite based on the FSW platform. The satellite will carry a range of micro-gravity experiment packages in its re-entry capsule, which will be returned to the Earth after the completion of the mission. The project is possibly being suspended due to a lack of funding.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 11
Shijian 11 was a scientific satellite designed by China Spacesat Co. Ltd. of CAST. The satellite was said to be intended for space science and engineering experiment.

2009-11-12 -10:45 CST (02:45 GMT). Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch Vehicle: CZ-2C

•Shijian 11 No.01 – Role: Unknown. Spacecraft: Shijian 11. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2011-07-29 -15:42 CST (07:42 GMT). Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch Vehicle: CZ-2C

•Shijian 11 No.02 – Role: Unknown. Spacecraft: Shijian 11. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2011-08-18 -17:28 CST (09:28 GMT). Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch Vehicle: CZ-2C

•Shijian 11 No.04 – Role: Unknown. Spacecraft: Shijian 11. Contractor: China Spacesat/CAST. Summary: The satellite did not enter orbit due to launch vehicle failure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shijian 12
Shijian 12 was a scientific research satellite designed and built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The satellite was intended for space environment probe, inter-satellite measurement, and telecommunications experiments.

2010-06-15 - Launch Site: Jiuquan. Launch pad: Pad "603". Launch Vehicle: CZ-2D

•Shijian 12 – Role: Technology demonstration. Spacecraft: Shijian 12. Contractor: SAST. NORAD ID: 36596. Int'l code: 2010-027A. Apogee: 608km. Perigee: 592km. Inclination: 97.7°. Period: 96.6 min. Summary: Two weeks after the launch, a Russian space scientist reported that Shijian 12 manoeuvred close to another satellite, Shijian 6-03A, which was launched in October 2008. Between 21~23 June, Shijian 12 flew about 3km below the orbit of Shijian 6-03A , and slowly climbed to the same orbit and flew about 160km behind. On 14 August, Shijian 12 closed up its distance to Shijian 6-03A, and was only 27km behind. This operation may be an exercise of spacecraft rendezvous, in order to prepare for the rendezvous docking between Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong 1 a year later.
 
China sets sights on collecting samples from Mars

Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:58pm IST

BEIJING (Reuters) - China, which has yet to put a person on the moon, aims to land probes on more distant Mars to collect samples by 2030, the chief scientist of its lunar orbiter project said in remarks reported on Wednesday.

China's ambition to reach Mars is a reflection of its growing economic might, allowing it to develop its space exploration capability.

Bringing back samples from Mars was set as a top priority in a recent U.S. science priorities review, although the cost has been seen as astronomical. But a planning group put out a report in September on how to accomplish the mission affordably.

Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's lunar orbiter project, was quoted by the official news agency Xinhua as saying that a three-phase probe to Mars was envisaged.

Briefing the Chinese Society of Astronautics on the moon-landing orbiter Chang'e-3, he said that program could help build a telecommunication network that covers a future Mars probe. Chang'e-3 is expected to be launched in the second half of 2013.

The three stages of the Mars probe will entail remote sensing, soft-landing and exploration, and the probe would return after automatic sampling, Ouyang said.

(Reporting By Lucy Hornby; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

China sets sights on collecting samples from Mars | Reuters
 
U.S. Intelligence: China to conduct test of more powerful anti-satellite weapon capable of hitting GPS, spy satellites, but after U.S. election | Washington Free Beacon

U.S. Intelligence: China to conduct test of more powerful anti-satellite weapon capable of hitting GPS, spy satellites, but after U.S. election :argh:

Unknown.jpeg

CASIC's KT space launch vehicle family seen at the 2004 Zhuhai Airshow / RD Fisher

BY: Bill Gertz
October 16, 2012 5:00 am

China’s military is set to conduct a test of a new and more capable anti-satellite missile that United States intelligence agencies say can knock out strategic satellites in high-earth orbit, according to U.S. officials.

However, a recent intelligence assessment said the test of the Dong Ning-2 direct ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon is being delayed in an apparent effort to avoid upsetting President Barack Obama’s reelection bid, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Intelligence reports from September and this month revealed China will test fire the new DN-2 missile from a ground base sometime in early to mid November.

The missile is described by intelligence agencies as a high-earth orbit interceptor designed to destroy satellites by ramming them at high speeds. The intelligence reports called the new missile a strategically significant counterspace weapon, said the officials familiar with the reports.

Testing a high-earth orbit anti-satellite missile would represent a major advance in China’s satellite-killing capability, which has been underway for more than a decade. High-earth orbit, also known as geosynchronous orbit, is the location of major communications and navigation satellites, which orbit at a distance of between 12,000 miles and 22,236 miles from earth.

China’s last ASAT test in 2007 destroyed a low-earth orbit weather satellite about 558 miles in space, causing an orbiting debris field of tens of thousands of pieces of metal that U.S. officials say will threaten orbiting satellites and human space travelers for 100 years.

U.S. officials said it is unlikely China will conduct an impact test of a kinetic kill vehicle against an aging weather satellite as occurred in 2007, although the possibility of a second, major debris-causing test cannot be ruled out.

Instead, officials said the test most likely will be a demonstration of a precision-guided direct ascent missile flying out tens of thousands of miles.

“If the United States loses the strategic high ground of high-earth orbit [from a Chinese high-altitude ASAT missile], we are in real trouble,” said one U.S. official.

U.S. Global Positioning System satellites, used for both navigation and precision missile guidance, are located in medium-earth orbit, or about 12,000 miles, and thus would be vulnerable to the new DN-2.

Whether or not the test is successful, development of the new high-altitude DN-2 ASAT reveals that China’s military is planning for future high-orbit space warfare despite seeking international agreements banning weapons in space.

China’s January 2007 ASAT test drew protests from the United States and other spacefaring nations, who saw it as a major threat to satellites used for both military and civilian purposes. That test also produced tens of thousands of pieces of space debris which threaten satellites.

A second possibility is the DN-2 missile test will be fired against a target missile, as occurred in 2010 as part of a joint Chinese ASAT-missile defense test.

Pentagon spokesmen declined to comment on the DN-2 ASAT program.

Michael Pillsbury, a former Reagan administration defense policymaker, stated in a 2007 report to Congress that Chinese military writers advocated covert deployment of sophisticated anti-satellite weapons system like the kind now being developed by the People’s Liberation Army for use against the United States “in a surprise manner without warning.”

“Even a small scale anti-satellite attack in a crisis against 50 U.S. satellites—assuming a mix of targeted military reconnaissance, navigation satellites, and communication satellites—could have a catastrophic effect not only on U.S. military forces, but on the U.S. civilian economy,” said Pillsbury, currently with the Hudson Institute. Chinese military writings also have discussed attacks on GPS satellites that are located in high-earth orbit, he stated.

ASAT a top-secret program

China’s anti-satellite missile system is a key element of the communist state’s growing arsenal of asymmetric warfare weapons, and remains one of Beijing’s most closely guarded military secrets.

Defense officials have said that with as few as 24 ASAT missiles, China could severely weaken U.S. military operations by disrupting global communications and military logistics, as well as by limiting celestial navigation systems used by high-technology weapons. Such an attack also would severely degrade U.S. intelligence gathering efforts against global targets, a key strategic military advantage.

A U.S. official familiar with reports of the ASAT test said China’s delay in conducting the test until after the Nov. 6 election is a sign Beijing wants to help President Obama’s reelection campaign. “It implies they’d rather have him reelected,” said the official.

The Obama administration has adopted conciliatory policies toward China’s military buildup and its large-scale human rights abuses. Critics say the administration also failed to hold Beijing accountable for its unfair trade practices and currency manipulation.

The administration’s questionable policies were revealed by a 2009 State Department cable that quoted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as saying, “How do you deal toughly with your banker?”—a reference to China’s potentially coercive leverage over the United States through its large holdings of U.S. debt securities.

Richard Fisher, a Chinese military affairs specialist, said little is known publicly of the DN-2 missile. However, the DN-2 may be China’s designation for an ASAT missile and kill vehicle combination mounted on launchers dubbed KT-2, or KT-2A. This ASAT weapon is based on DF-31 or DF-31A road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, respectively.

“ASATs derived from the KT-2 and KT-2A space launch vehicles have the potential to reach high earth orbits used by many strategic U.S. surveillance, communication, and navigation satellites,” said Fisher, with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.

Fisher said in 2002, during a military show in China, the KT-2A was touted by Chinese officials as having a 2,000-kilogram payload that could reach high-earth orbits.

“Since its appearance a decade ago, the KT series of space launch vehicles presaged what we now know, that a key Chinese strategic goal has been to deny outer space as a sanctuary to support American military operations,” Fisher said.

A KT-1 microsatellite launcher was displayed at the Zhuhai air show in 2000, and “it was fairly obvious that this could become the basis for an ASAT, and it was used as the basis for the SC-19 ASAT demonstrated successfully in January 2007,” Fisher said.

Because China will not join a verifiable space control agreement, “Washington has little choice, if it is to continue to deter China militarily, but to build far greater redundancy, passive and active defenses for outer space,” he said.

China ASAT caused space debris

U.S. officials estimate that China’s 2007 ASAT test that destroyed an aging weather satellite in low-earth orbit now accounts for 45 percent of all space debris in low-earth orbit.

After a year of stonewalling by China on the test, an official U.S. demarche, or protest note, was sent to Beijing in January 2008. According to a copy of the note made public by Wikileaks, the protest warned the Chinese government, “Any purposeful interference with U.S. space systems will be interpreted by the United States as an infringement of its rights and considered an escalation in a crisis or conflict.”

“The United States reserves the right, consistent with the [United Nations] Charter and international law, to defend and protect its space systems with a wide range of options, from diplomatic to military,” stated the protest, made by then-U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt.

A joint State Department-Pentagon report to Congress on export controls made public in April states that China is “developing space-based methods to counter ballistic missile defenses of the United States and our allies, including anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons.”

“As China advances in operational space capabilities, it is actively focusing on how to destroy, disrupt, or deny U.S. access to our own space assets,” the report said.

China is developing and refining its ASAT weapons as part of a “multi-dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by potential adversaries during times of conflict,” the report said.

“In addition to the direct-ascent [missile] ASAT program, China is developing other technologies and concepts for kinetic and directed energy for ASAT missions,” including electronic jamming of satellite communications and lasers that disrupt satellites, the report said.

ASAT weapons “have significant implications for anti-access/area-denial efforts against the United States in Taiwan Strait contingencies,” the report said. Those weapons and capabilities are being developed by China as a means to force the U.S. military out of Asian waters and territory and make it more difficult for U.S. forces to get into the region during a conflict, such as a defense of Taiwan. Other anti-access area denial weapons include anti-ship ballistic missiles, cyber warfare capabilities, and submarines.

Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess told Congress in February that “China successfully tested a direct ascent anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) missile and is developing jammers and directed-energy weapons for ASAT missions.”

Burgess said that as “a prerequisite for ASAT attacks, China’s ability to track and identify satellites is enhanced by technologies from China’s manned and lunar programs as well as technologies and methods developed to detect and track space debris.”

Another ASAT test by China will likely undermine the Obama administration’s controversial space arms control proposal, introduced in January. Many in the Pentagon oppose the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities over concerns it would place limits on U.S. space capabilities.

U.S. lagging in counterspace

Despite China’s continuing development of space weapons, the administration has done no research or development into so-called counterspace weapons and other capabilities that could deter China from its ASAT and anti-satellite laser and jammer arms, according to military officials. The opposition is based on the administration’s preference for arms control negotiations and agreements as a major element of its U.S. national security policies, the officials said.

Frank Rose, deputy assistant secretary of state for arms control, said in a speech in April that the space code of conduct would include legally nonbinding “transparency and confidence-building measures.”

However, a Pentagon Joint Staff assessment of the space code of conduct concluded that U.S. adherence to the code’s provisions would hurt U.S. space operations in several areas.

The Pentagon’s National Security Space Strategy from 2011 makes little mention of counterspace weapons. It states that U.S. policy is “to dissuade and deter” others from developing space weapons, without providing specifics.

The Pentagon indirectly demonstrated an ASAT capability in 2008 when it used a modified ship-based SM-3 anti-missile interceptor to shoot down a falling, low-earth orbit spy satellite that was considered a danger because its fuel tank might have passed through the atmosphere and landed on earth.

Cables detail PRC’s first ASAT test

According to a classified Jan. 12, 2010, State Department cable made public by Wikileaks, China conducted its most recent ASAT test on Jan. 11 of that year.

According to the cable, an ASAT missile designated SC-19 was fired from China’s Korla Missile Test Complex and successfully intercepted a CSS-X-11 medium-range ballistic missile launched from the Shuangchengzi Space and Missile Center.

The two missiles were tracked by U.S. missile warning satellites to an intercept point at an altitude of about 155 miles in space.

Until then, the SC-19 had been used previously to boost China’s first successful direct-ascent anti-satellite intercept on Jan. 11, 2007, when a missile rammed into China’s FY-1C weather satellite.

“Previous SC-19 DA-ASAT flight-tests were conducted in 2005 and 2006,” the 2010 cable said. “This test is assessed to have furthered both Chinese ASAT and ballistic missile defense [BMD] technologies.”

The cable contained a U.S. protest note to China on the 2010 test seeking an explanation for Chinese officials about the purpose of the test and “what steps were taken to minimize the creation of orbital debris.”

The cable said that since the 2007 ASAT test, the United States had urged China not to conduct further space weapons tests.

An earlier cable revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies had advance word of the 2010 space weapons test, and noted that China was not expected to provide notification in advance of the test, which proved accurate.

Other State Department cables revealed conflicting statements from Chinese officials on whether China planned to conduct future ASAT tests. Chinese Foreign Ministry official He Yafei unequivocally stated to U.S. officials in June 2008 that China would not conduct future ASAT tests. In July, China Lt. Gen. Zhang Qinsheng said there were no plans for an ASAT test in the near future.
 
China should build on both ASAT which shoot down stealthy sattellite as well with the capability to shoot higher orbit. If this article is true, it will trigger a star war race.
 
China's Beidou system ready for Asia-Pacific service

2012-10-16 03:15 ( Xinhua)

Chinadaily

512px-Comparison_satellite_navigation_orbits.svg.png

Source: Wikipedia



BEIJING - A 16th satellite will be added to China's indigenous satellite navigation system, Beidou, within this month, paving the way for the network to provide services to the Asia-Pacific.

A report in the Beijing News on Monday quoted Guo Shuren, a core member of the China Satellite Navigation System's development team, as saying that the system is expected to start providing free services to civilian users in the Asia-Pacific region in the first half of 2013.

China has successfully launched five satellites for Beidou this year in an effort to eventually weave a constellation of 35 satellites by 2020, at which point it could rival the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) for services around the Earth.

So far, the Beidou system has a total of 15 satellites, five in geostationary orbit, five in inclined geostationary orbit and five in medium Earth orbit, according to the management office.

Ran Chengqi, spokesman and director of the office, said in December last year that six more satellites will be launched in 2012 to further improve Beidou and expand its service area to cover most parts of the Asia-Pacific.

Since it started to function on a trial basis on December 27th, 2011, Beidou has been stable and its services have been increased and improved, said a spokesman of the office on September 19th after the successful launch of the 14th and 15th satellites.

The 16th will probably be launched in the last 10 days of October, according to the Beijing News report.

China started to build up its own space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) system in 2000 by launching the first satellite for an experimental version of the Beidou.

Beidou has since started providing licensed services for China's government and military users in transport, weather forecast, fishing, forestry, telecommunications, hydrological monitoring and mapping, according to the spokesman.

However, it is estimated that more than 95 percent of navigation terminals sold in China are GPS terminals.

To compete with foreign rivals, the Beidou terminal can communicate with the ground station by sending and receiving short messages, 120 Chinese characters in each, in addition to the navigation and timing functions that the world's other major navigation systems can provide.

During relief efforts after the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that hit China's southwest in 2008, the system's messaging role helped rescue teams keep smooth contact with each other and the headquarters.

According to the management office, Beidou's free service will be able to track locations within an accuracy of 10 meters, measure speeds within 0.2 meters per second and synchronize clocks with an accuracy of 10 nanoseconds.

Liao Chunfa, a veteran researcher of navigation satellite system, said the space-based PNT system is an essential strategic resource for a country and China should in no way rely on foreign systems in the long term and must develop Beidou unswervingly.

At the same time, Beidou is compatible and interoperable with GPS, the EU's Galileo system and Russia's GLONASS. According to Guo, Beidou's terminals for civilian users will be compatible with GPS.

"To ensure national security and meet the demand of access to services at any location on the planet, China should also develop alternative PNT systems as backups for the Beidou system," Liao suggested.
 
Manned space program's Meridian Project operational

Updated: 2012-10-23 23:09(Xinhua)

BEIJING - The "Meridian Project," a massive scientific research project that will monitor weather in space, became fully operational on Tuesday.

The Meridian Space Weather Monitoring Project is the country's first space weather monitoring project and will lead the field in multiple areas, according to a statement from the National Space Science Center at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

"The project will help China's space program achieve major breakthroughs, enhance the country's competence in space and safeguard the security of the nation's space activities," said Wu Ji, general manager of the project and director of the National Space Science Center.

The project began in January 2008, providing forecasts and warnings for the Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 missions in 2011 and the Shenzhou-9 mission in June, according to the statement.

The project aims to "investigate space weather cause-consequence chains in solar-terrestrial space, as well as understand the processes behind catastrophic space weather events and the regional characteristics of the environment above China's territory," said the statement.

A large-scale ground-based monitoring system composed of 15 stations will be set up as part of the project, according to the CAS. A comprehensive multi-layered and inter-disciplinary survey and exploration of space will be conducted as well, it said.

Another similar project is in the works. Authorities are creating plans for the International Space Weather Meridian Circle Program, which will consist of another series of ground-based monitoring stations that will "greatly enhance China's ability to monitor the space environment worldwide," the statement said.

The stations will monitor a large area between Russia and Australia, as well as other regions, the statement said.

"Most countries in these regions have applauded the project," the statement said.

Manned space program's Meridian Project operational|Science-Tech|chinadaily.com.cn
 
Weather satellites to analyze the skies

2012-10-24
By WANG QIAN ( chinadaily.com.cn)

China Daily

China plans to launch 11 weather satellites by 2020 to better analyze the climate, monitor natural hazards and forecast weather, according to a national meteorological satellite development plan.
The plan, released on Wednesday by the China Meteorological Administration, states that about 22 billion yuan ($3.4 billion) will be invested into the satellite program.

“The program will largely improve the country’s weather forecast capacity and reduce economic losses caused by extreme weather events,” said Yang Jun, director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center.

He said all 11 satellites are operational and experimental satellites will also be launched, but there are no details available on the number of experimental satellites.

According to the plan, from 2012 to 2020 China will launch one weather satellite every year, except in 2012 and 2019, when it will launch two. The satellites launched in 2019 will include one to monitor precipitation.

“The precipitation-monitoring satellite will help the country avoid the sort of damage caused by rainstorms, like what Beijing residents experienced in July,” Yang said.

Devastating floods caused by torrential rain claimed 79 lives in the capital on July 21.

Frequent natural disasters and growing environmental awareness has led to increasing demand for weather data, such as PM2.5, meaning particulate matter in the air that is smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, Yang said.

Li Qing, an engineer at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, said the coming 10 years will be a peak period for the country’s development of weather satellite technology.

China is accelerating its pace of research and development in satellite technologies and broadening international cooperation.

The China Meteorological Administration and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites in Germany has shared data from FY-3B, a Chinese polar-orbiting satellite, available to users in Europe and beyond, since January.

The country will also have talks with countries including the United States and Canada on research and development of the satellite design and data processing to boost China’s satellite development, according to the plan.

China has launched 12 weather satellites in the Fengyun series since 1988, including six satellites in polar orbits and six in geosynchronous orbit. Currently there are seven weather satellites in operation.

Although 11 additional satellites will be in operation by 2020, Yang is not satisfied, and said the more weather satellites launched, the more reliable can the weather forecast be.
 

Pakistan Defence Latest Posts

Pakistan Affairs Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom