Chinese successfully test satellite destroying missle.

[kazlab67]

They are gearing up...
And they will be a lot deadlier than a bunch of insurgents...How many Billions of people are in China right now??



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China last week successfully used a missile to destroy an orbiting satellite, U.S. government officials told CNN on Thursday, in a test that could undermine relations with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.

According to a spokesman for the National Security Council, the ground-based, medium-range ballistic missile knocked an old Chinese weather satellite from its orbit about 537 miles above Earth. The missile carried a "kill vehicle" and destroyed the satellite by ramming it.

The test took place on January 11. (Watch why the U.S. has protested the missile strike )

Aviation Week and Space Technology first reported the test: "Details emerging from space sources indicate that the Chinese Feng Yun 1C (FY-1C) polar orbit weather satellite launched in 1999 was attacked by an asat (anti-satellite) system launched from or near the Xichang Space Center."

A U.S. official, who would not agree to be identified, said the event was the first successful test of the missile after three failures.

The official said that U.S. "space tracking sensors" confirmed that the satellite is no longer in orbit and that the collision produced "hundreds of pieces of debris," that also are being tracked.

The United States logged a formal diplomatic protest.

"We are aware of it and we are concerned, and we made it known," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

Several U.S. allies, including Canada and Australia, also have registered protests.

Under a space policy authorized by President Bush in August, the United States asserts a right to "freedom of action in space" and says it will "deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so."

The policy includes the right to "deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to U.S. national interests."

Low Earth-orbit satellites have become indispensable for U.S. military communications, GPS navigation for smart bombs and troops, and for real-time surveillance. The Chinese test highlights the satellites' vulnerability.

"If we, for instance, got into a conflict over Taiwan, one of the first things they'd probably do would be to shoot down all of our lower Earth-orbit spy satellites, putting out our eyes," said John Pike of globalsecurity.org, a Web site that compiles information on worldwide security issues.

"The thing that is surprising and disturbing is that [the Chinese] have chosen this moment to demonstrate a military capability that can only be aimed at the United States," he said.

[codenoid]

I'll marry a Chinese bitch so they wont enslave after they gain world domination.

[TheSollyLama]

We used to have our own anti-sat missile (the ASAT- test fired from the F-15 Eagle) somewhere back in the 80's. It's easier to take over and manipulate a satellite remotely than bother shooting at one, which is an overt act of war.

You can damage or destroy satellites more effectively and covertly with software than missiles.

If they just test fired one recently- then the Chinese are about 20 years behind the US anyway and much less of a threat than you might think.

EDIT-here is a good reference for the US ASAT program.
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/asat.htm

[kazlab67]

Originally Posted by TheSollyLama

..If they just test fired one recently- then the Chinese are about 20 years behind the US anyway and much less of a threat than you might think/

So true, but they are busting their asses trying to catch up. They are buying up fuel, concrete, steel...etc, and there are Beeellions of them.

"...Experts say Chinese steel consumption is a big reason for steel's white-hot prices. China's stampede to expand manufacturing and build infrastructure has created a huge demand for steel, in turn boosting demand and tightening global supplies of scrap iron, iron ore, pig iron and coking coal used to make steel.

Nobody knows for sure how much steel is being consumed or produced in China.

Steel manufacturers and steel buyers use production and consumption data to set prices and adapt to shifts in demand. However, Chinese industry is in such a dynamic state that it is difficult to tally its steel production and use, said George Wilson, chief projects estimator for McCree Inc., a large architectural firm in Orlando, Fla.

Most experts figure that China last year consumed 250 million metric tons -- one-quarter of the world's annual steel output -- and produced about 210 million metric tons. By comparison, U.S. steel consumption was 132 million metric tons in 2004. Imports made up about 27 percent of that total.

To feed their steel mills, Chinese producers have been scouring the world for scrap steel. Scrap prices in the United States, the world's largest supplier, have risen by as much as 80 percent. Prices for iron ore, another key ingredient in steel making, are up 20 percent on world markets..."



"...Jim Edwards, chief engineer for Sound Transit's Regional Express Bus program, said the market for steel, concrete and asphalt has been volatile recently.
"I guess China is buying up every bit of concrete and every bit of steel it can get," he said. Contractors' bids reflect the most current market conditions, while the engineer's estimate was prepared about six months ago, Edwards said...."


"...Ron Shuffield, president of Esslinger Wooten Maxwell, one of the area's largest real estate companies, said the jump in costs can be attributed to prices of steel, dry wall and all petroleum-based products.
"Prices are already being affected because of petroleum products and the consumption of China, which is using 50% of the world's consumption," said Mr. Shuffield..."

[jim schmidt]

Despite what we'd like to imagine, we're no longer the world's only superpower. Arguably, mostly for economic power, we're no longer the world's greatest superpower.

[hyabusa]

Well i haven't really had a reason to care about being the world superpower. If china does get on the same level as us,BUT never attacks us what is the problem. If we recognize they are trying to catch up i think we will make changes sooner than later to keep on pace of being near the top. However i can garuntee our education system needs an overhaul and that will take YEARS. I beleive, but have no documentation, that the chinese school system is better than ours. The children here and parents will not and are not comprehending how we have fallen off. All i know is that i am fine with being at the top of a 2nd or 3rd rate country. I feel bad for people at the bottom.

Imagine being the Hottest ugly guy at the bar and the ladies want you. Is your life really that bad compared to the other saps who want a lady?

[bush]

Originally Posted by hyabusa

Well i haven't really had a reason to care about being the world superpower. If china does get on the same level as us,BUT never attacks us what is the problem. If we recognize they are trying to catch up i think we will make changes sooner than later to keep on pace of being near the top. However i can garuntee our education system needs an overhaul and that will take YEARS. I beleive, but have no documentation, that the chinese school system is better than ours. The children here and parents will not and are not comprehending how we have fallen off. All i know is that i am fine with being at the top of a 2nd or 3rd rate country. I feel bad for people at the bottom.

Imagine being the Hottest ugly guy at the bar and the ladies want you. Is your life really that bad compared to the other saps who want a lady?

If China were to get on or above our level and become the world's foremost superpower, I think it's safe to say that our economy would crash overnight. If that happens, quality of life in this country goes down the shitter. And unless you've got the majority of your assets in foreign markets, you're living in poverty just like everybody else.

All China has to do is stop investing in the US dollar. It's a much more realistic situation than most people would think.



For an idea of what to expect in the event of an economic collapse, read this: http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/cgi-b...1;t=044387;p=1

A first-hand account of post-economic collapse living in Argentina.

[RugbyCanada]

good topic. Probably gonna generate a ton of interest.

My .02 cents.

The U.S. has had the same capability for almost 20 years. Now, back to reality, China would never attack the U.S. Yes, China has 1.1 billion people---their standing army is larger than North Koreas, but much more poorly trained. No country could win a war with out the use of Nukes, and Communist countries arent dumb enough to use them, knowing how fickle their populations can be.
I do have a problem with Bush saying that the U.S. "has Under a space policy authorized by President Bush in August, the United States asserts a right to "freedom of action in space" and says it will "deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so."
Space is not owned by anybody, and Bush is just uping the rhetoric when he suggests the U.S. is sole proprieter of Space.
btw--Hyabusa---good post.

[Rascus]

Don't underestimate the chinese military and their training. I'd easily say they are above the NK in training doctrine. I'd easily pick China over NK any day when you talk in terms in overall effectivness.

[jim schmidt]

Originally Posted by hyabusa

...I beleive, but have no documentation, that the chinese school system is better than ours...

There is an interesting piece in today's Washington Post that does a fair job of debunking this widely held belief.