China Shoots Down Another Satellite 221
An anonymous reader writes "It was reported this weekend that China shot down another of its satellites in January this year. 'The website of Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV said the anti-satellite missile test, if confirmed, is likely related to the missile interception test, which occurred at the peak of a dispute between Beijing and Washington on a massive US arms sales deal to Taiwan. During the interception test, US agencies spotted two missiles launched from two locations from the Chinese mainland, colliding outside the atmosphere, a Pentagon spokesperson said.' I guess ballistic trajectories that intersect with orbital ones don't count as 'weapons in space.'"
God damn it, China! (Score:4, Informative)
Re:God damn it, China! (Score:5, Informative)
Actually I believe that this test didn't contribute to that.
It sounds as if the intercept was at sub orbital speeds. IE it was a missile interception test.
Frankly this was miss titled big time.
Not that it is a good thing but it may not be as bad as you think.
Re:Will the debris be a problem? (Score:3, Informative)
It often takes more energy to de-orbit something (so it burns up) than it does to escape-orbit it (so it flies off into space)... A "shoot-down" pretty much always means "we scattered it into several lower and higher orbits". The only hopes for it removing itself from orbit are by atmospheric drag causing it to decay until it falls to earth.
we aren't too excited (Score:3, Informative)
Re:What the hell? (Score:4, Informative)