The People's Republic of China's Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Program
Encyclopedia
The People's Republic of China's Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Program has been under development since 1964. The ASAT program has since been moved from Program 640 to Program 863, the General Armaments Department
and the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND, formerly known as COSTIND). Since its inception, the ASAT program has made progress on the development of three ASAT capable Systems: Direct Fire, Directed Energy, and Micro-Satellites. Tests of these systems have either been directly acknowledged by the PRC, or reported on as ASAT capable.
(ASAT) weaponry since the 1964. For much of the 1960s and 1970s the majority of funding and development of ASAT capabilities were run through Program 640. The initial purpose of Program 640 was to develop anti-ballistic missiles and SAM
sites, but in 1970 Program 640 began an ASAT program. The program's progress was hampered by the effects of the Cultural Revolution
, because many of the prominent scientists associated with the program were among those purged by the younger generation. A review of the scholarly articles from China in the 1970s demonstrates that one prominent scientist wrote the majority of information regarding ASAT systems.
In 1980, Program 640 was abandoned. The projects under Program 640 were not publicized until 1986, when Program 863 was introduced as the PRC's newest technological research and development program. Program 863 has since been closely tied to the operations of the General Armaments Department
's Project 921 and COSTIND (now known as SASTIND) of the People's Liberation Army
.
systems have been under development and/or active tests by the PRC. The systems are not acknowledged by the PRC as being strictly ASAT, but they are capable of destroying or disabling a satellite
.
System refers to the instrumentalities required for a land or vehicle based missile to strike a satellite. A Direct Fire System is a kinetic kill
system designed to physically destroy or damage a satellite
, instead of electronically disrupting its orbit
or mission. The PRC demonstrated its ability to launch a land-based kinetic kill vehicle into a satellite when it fired a SC-19 missile into an aging Fengyun series satellite and destroyed it on January 11, 2007.
No known tests of a vehicle-based Direct Fire System have occurred, but it has been reported that the new Jin-class submarine will have the ability to launch the SC-19 or a similar type of missile.
weapon designed to either disrupt or electrically damage a satellite
. It is not yet considered a kinetic kill
system because Directed Energy Weapons cannot physically destroy a satellite. These weapons are part of the PRC's New Concept Weapons program.
One Directed Energy Weapon, a high powered laser, has been under development since 1995 and was tested on orbiting US satellites in 2006.
is defined as any object orbiting the earth that has a mass greater than 10 kg and less than 500 kg. This includes man made satellites and natural satellites, like debris. While man made micro-satellites are primarily peaceful, they are easily weaponized. Because of a satellite’s high relative velocity
to another satellite, any collision would destroy both satellites, and micro-satellites have the advantage of being cheaper, more maneuverable and harder to track.
In 2001, a Chinese newspaper stated that the PRC was testing a parasitic micro-satellite that could latch onto another satellite and destroy it on command. While no evidence has been found to demonstrate the development of such a parasite system, in 2008 the BX-1 micro-satellite released by the PRC passed dangerously close to the International Space Station
at a relative speed which would have destroyed both objects had they collided. This close call raised awareness of the PRC's ability to use micro-satellites as a kinetic kill
ASAT system.
) of the PRC, established in 1998, has three major responsibilities. The first is to develop, maintain, and distribute all weapon systems in the PLA
. The second is to manage the nation’s nuclear program. The third is to oversee all space programs. The GAD has authority over all weapons development programs, including ASAT
weapons. It also is responsible for space related activities, such as Project 921 (the manned spaceflight program) and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Every ASAT program developed by the PRC must be developed and tested by the GAD. The GAD also includes the development branch of SASTIND, and oversees the operations of Program 863.
was the Director of the GAD
in 2007 during the first successful test of the Chinese Direct Fire
ASAT
System. Being the head of all of the PRC's military involvement in space, Bingde would have overseen the development of the SC-19 and authorized its deployment on January 11, 2007. Shortly after the system’s success, Bingde was promoted to Chief of the General Staff
.
was promoted to the position of Director of the GAD
after General Chen Bingde
accepted the position of Chief of the General Staff. Wanquan has been in charge of development and tests of the PRC's ASAT
since mid 2007.
when it was formed in 1998. The institution has changed over the years, and continues to change, but there are five major responsibilities within their jurisdiction.
Since ASAT
technology is considered a tool of national defense, SASTIND is responsible for the development of ASAT programs, and all matters regarding policy recommendations, safety regulations, organization and the projects’ global images.
was director of SASTIND from 2003-2007. He received his degree from Harbin Military Engineering Institute, and spent most of his political career as a governor. Shortly after the successful ASAT
test in 2007 he was promoted to Chairmen of the People Provisional Congress.
followed Yunchuan as director of SASTIND from 2007-2009. He received a masters degree in Engineering and has spent most of his career working on the manned space flight program.
ASAT
test in 2005, and he was also promoted in 2007 after the successful SC-19 test.
government reported that the PRC had marked US observation satellites
with a high power laser. No significant damage to the satellites was reported, which indicates that the laser was not aimed at the optical lenses of the satellites. If the laser had been directed at the optical lens of the satellites, then the satellites would have either “gone blind” for a short period of time or lost their sight completely.
ASAT
weapon. The first was on July 7, 2005 and the missile
did not get close to the satellite
. The second was on February 6, 2006 and the missile got close enough to the satellite for observers to question whether a near miss was the PRC's intent.
The 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was conducted by China
on January 11, 2007. A Chinese weather satellite
—the FY-1C polar orbit
satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of 865 kilometres (537.5 mi), with a mass of 750 kg—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in the opposite direction (see Head-on engagement
). It was launched with a multistage solid-fuel missile from Xichang Satellite Launch Center
or nearby.
Aviation Week & Space Technology
magazine first reported the test. The report was confirmed on January 18, 2007 by a United States
National Security Council
(NSC) spokesman. At first the Chinese government
did not publicly confirm whether or not the test had occurred; but on January 23, 2007, the Chinese Foreign Ministry
officially confirmed that a test had been conducted. China claims it formally notified the U.S., Japan and other countries about the test in advance. The Chinese claim is consistent with a sharp rise in queries from American sites concerning FY-1C on at least one space-related Web site starting about 24 hours before the actual intercept.
. Within 4 hours of its release the micro-satellite flew within 27 miles of the International Space Station
at a relative speed of 17,000 mph. The International Space Station will move if anything gets within 1,000 miles of its position, and the micro-satellite was well within this range and dangerously close to the Station. A collision between the BX-1 and the Station would have destroyed both objects and been fatal to the astronauts aboard the Station. The BX-1 did not strike the Station, but demonstrated China's ability to develop and deploy a micro-satellite with ASAT capabilities.
medium-range ballistic missile
launched from Shuangchengzi Space and Missile Center. While using the same systems as the January 11, 2007 test, it is not clear what the function of the 2009 test was. This test is considered to be a continuation of the PRC’s ASAT testing because it employed the SC-19 system, but because the target was a missile and not a satellite the test may have been directed towards re-purposing the SC-19 missile as an ABM
.
General Armaments Department
General Armaments Department was founded in April 1998. It is a chief organ under Central Military Commission of CPC, responsible for People's Liberation Army's armaments.-Structure :...
and the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND, formerly known as COSTIND). Since its inception, the ASAT program has made progress on the development of three ASAT capable Systems: Direct Fire, Directed Energy, and Micro-Satellites. Tests of these systems have either been directly acknowledged by the PRC, or reported on as ASAT capable.
History
The People's Republic of China has worked on technologies applicable to Anti-SatelliteASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
(ASAT) weaponry since the 1964. For much of the 1960s and 1970s the majority of funding and development of ASAT capabilities were run through Program 640. The initial purpose of Program 640 was to develop anti-ballistic missiles and SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
sites, but in 1970 Program 640 began an ASAT program. The program's progress was hampered by the effects of the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, because many of the prominent scientists associated with the program were among those purged by the younger generation. A review of the scholarly articles from China in the 1970s demonstrates that one prominent scientist wrote the majority of information regarding ASAT systems.
In 1980, Program 640 was abandoned. The projects under Program 640 were not publicized until 1986, when Program 863 was introduced as the PRC's newest technological research and development program. Program 863 has since been closely tied to the operations of the General Armaments Department
General Armaments Department
General Armaments Department was founded in April 1998. It is a chief organ under Central Military Commission of CPC, responsible for People's Liberation Army's armaments.-Structure :...
's Project 921 and COSTIND (now known as SASTIND) of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
.
Systems
Three kinds of ASATASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
systems have been under development and/or active tests by the PRC. The systems are not acknowledged by the PRC as being strictly ASAT, but they are capable of destroying or disabling a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
.
Direct Fire Systems
A Direct FireDirect fire
Direct fire refers to the launching of a projectile directly at a target on a relatively flat trajectory. The firing weapon must have a sighting device and an unobstructed line of sight to the target, which means no objects or friendly units can be between it and the target...
System refers to the instrumentalities required for a land or vehicle based missile to strike a satellite. A Direct Fire System is a kinetic kill
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
system designed to physically destroy or damage a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
, instead of electronically disrupting its orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
or mission. The PRC demonstrated its ability to launch a land-based kinetic kill vehicle into a satellite when it fired a SC-19 missile into an aging Fengyun series satellite and destroyed it on January 11, 2007.
No known tests of a vehicle-based Direct Fire System have occurred, but it has been reported that the new Jin-class submarine will have the ability to launch the SC-19 or a similar type of missile.
Directed Energy Weapons
A Directed Energy Weapon is a high powered laser or microwaveMicrowave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
weapon designed to either disrupt or electrically damage a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
. It is not yet considered a kinetic kill
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
system because Directed Energy Weapons cannot physically destroy a satellite. These weapons are part of the PRC's New Concept Weapons program.
One Directed Energy Weapon, a high powered laser, has been under development since 1995 and was tested on orbiting US satellites in 2006.
Micro-satellites
A Micro-satelliteMiniaturized satellite
Miniaturized satellites or small satellites are artificial satellites of unusually low weights and small sizes, usually under . While all such satellites can be referred to as small satellites, different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass .One reason for miniaturizing...
is defined as any object orbiting the earth that has a mass greater than 10 kg and less than 500 kg. This includes man made satellites and natural satellites, like debris. While man made micro-satellites are primarily peaceful, they are easily weaponized. Because of a satellite’s high relative velocity
Relative velocity
In non-relativistic kinematics, relative velocity is the vector difference between the velocities of two objects, as evaluated in terms of a single coordinate system....
to another satellite, any collision would destroy both satellites, and micro-satellites have the advantage of being cheaper, more maneuverable and harder to track.
In 2001, a Chinese newspaper stated that the PRC was testing a parasitic micro-satellite that could latch onto another satellite and destroy it on command. While no evidence has been found to demonstrate the development of such a parasite system, in 2008 the BX-1 micro-satellite released by the PRC passed dangerously close to the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
at a relative speed which would have destroyed both objects had they collided. This close call raised awareness of the PRC's ability to use micro-satellites as a kinetic kill
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
ASAT system.
General Armaments Department
The General Armaments Department (GADGad
Gad may refer to:In religion:*Gad , the founder of the tribe of Gad and seventh son of Jacob*Gad , King David's seer or prophet*Gad , a pan-Semitic deity worshipped during the Babylonian captivity...
) of the PRC, established in 1998, has three major responsibilities. The first is to develop, maintain, and distribute all weapon systems in the PLA
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. The second is to manage the nation’s nuclear program. The third is to oversee all space programs. The GAD has authority over all weapons development programs, including ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
weapons. It also is responsible for space related activities, such as Project 921 (the manned spaceflight program) and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Every ASAT program developed by the PRC must be developed and tested by the GAD. The GAD also includes the development branch of SASTIND, and oversees the operations of Program 863.
Chen Bingde
General Chen BingdeChen Bingde
Chen Bingde is a general in the People's Liberation Army. He was the Director-General of the General Armaments Department until September 2007. In this position he acted as the head of the space program of China. Currently he is the commanding general of People's Liberation Army General Staff...
was the Director of the GAD
Gad
Gad may refer to:In religion:*Gad , the founder of the tribe of Gad and seventh son of Jacob*Gad , King David's seer or prophet*Gad , a pan-Semitic deity worshipped during the Babylonian captivity...
in 2007 during the first successful test of the Chinese Direct Fire
Direct fire
Direct fire refers to the launching of a projectile directly at a target on a relatively flat trajectory. The firing weapon must have a sighting device and an unobstructed line of sight to the target, which means no objects or friendly units can be between it and the target...
ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
System. Being the head of all of the PRC's military involvement in space, Bingde would have overseen the development of the SC-19 and authorized its deployment on January 11, 2007. Shortly after the system’s success, Bingde was promoted to Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff
The Chief of the General Staff is a post in many armed forces , the head of the military staff.See also:*Chief of the General Staff *Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces...
.
Chang Wanquan
General Chang WanquanChang Wanquan
Chang Wanquan is a general in the People's Liberation Army. He is the current director of the PLA General Armaments Department and a member of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China....
was promoted to the position of Director of the GAD
Gad
Gad may refer to:In religion:*Gad , the founder of the tribe of Gad and seventh son of Jacob*Gad , King David's seer or prophet*Gad , a pan-Semitic deity worshipped during the Babylonian captivity...
after General Chen Bingde
Chen Bingde
Chen Bingde is a general in the People's Liberation Army. He was the Director-General of the General Armaments Department until September 2007. In this position he acted as the head of the space program of China. Currently he is the commanding general of People's Liberation Army General Staff...
accepted the position of Chief of the General Staff. Wanquan has been in charge of development and tests of the PRC's ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
since mid 2007.
SASTIND
The State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND, formerly known as COSTIND) is the scientific branch of the PRC's military and was absorbed into the GADGad
Gad may refer to:In religion:*Gad , the founder of the tribe of Gad and seventh son of Jacob*Gad , King David's seer or prophet*Gad , a pan-Semitic deity worshipped during the Babylonian captivity...
when it was formed in 1998. The institution has changed over the years, and continues to change, but there are five major responsibilities within their jurisdiction.
- To provide policy recommendations on anything regarding science, technology, and industry for national defense.
- To organize the structure of the science, technology, and industry community in regards to national defense.
- To research and develop new technologies for national defense.
- To manage the safety regulations, quality standards, technical reports, and promotion of all national defense projects in the area of science, technology, and industry.
- To deal with foreign interactions in the realms of science, technology, and industry.
Since ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
technology is considered a tool of national defense, SASTIND is responsible for the development of ASAT programs, and all matters regarding policy recommendations, safety regulations, organization and the projects’ global images.
Zhang Yunchuan
Zhang YunchuanZhang Yunchuan
Zhang Yunchuan is a politician in the People's Republic of China, and the current secretary of CPC Hebei committee.Born in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, Zhang graduated from Institute of Military Engineering in Harbin in 1970, majoring in internal combustion engine of ship. He then served in 6214...
was director of SASTIND from 2003-2007. He received his degree from Harbin Military Engineering Institute, and spent most of his political career as a governor. Shortly after the successful ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
test in 2007 he was promoted to Chairmen of the People Provisional Congress.
Zhang Qingwei
Zhang QingweiZhang Qingwei
Zhang Qingwei is the current chairman of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense of the People's Republic of China....
followed Yunchuan as director of SASTIND from 2007-2009. He received a masters degree in Engineering and has spent most of his career working on the manned space flight program.
Chen Qiufa
Chen Qiufa replaced Qingwei as director of SASTIND in 2009. He has served in a leadership role at SASTIND since the first Direct FireDirect fire
Direct fire refers to the launching of a projectile directly at a target on a relatively flat trajectory. The firing weapon must have a sighting device and an unobstructed line of sight to the target, which means no objects or friendly units can be between it and the target...
ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
test in 2005, and he was also promoted in 2007 after the successful SC-19 test.
Operations
All operations listed here have either been acknowledged by the PRC, or reported by a foreign government.2006 – Directed Energy
In 2006, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government reported that the PRC had marked US observation satellites
Earth observation satellite
Earth observation satellites are satellites specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit, similar to reconnaissance satellites but intended for non-military uses such as environmental monitoring, meteorology, map making etc....
with a high power laser. No significant damage to the satellites was reported, which indicates that the laser was not aimed at the optical lenses of the satellites. If the laser had been directed at the optical lens of the satellites, then the satellites would have either “gone blind” for a short period of time or lost their sight completely.
Failed Attempts
There were two failed attempts made by the PRC to use a Direct FireDirect fire
Direct fire refers to the launching of a projectile directly at a target on a relatively flat trajectory. The firing weapon must have a sighting device and an unobstructed line of sight to the target, which means no objects or friendly units can be between it and the target...
ASAT
ASAT
ASAT can mean:* Anti-satellite weapon* The ASM-135 ASAT, an air-launched anti-satellite multi stage missile* aspartate transaminase, an enzyme in amino acid metabolism*Advanced Subsonic Aerial Target A UAV used by the British Army for AA training....
weapon. The first was on July 7, 2005 and the missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
did not get close to the satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
. The second was on February 6, 2006 and the missile got close enough to the satellite for observers to question whether a near miss was the PRC's intent.
2007 – SC-19
From Main Article: 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test
The 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was conducted by China on January 11, 2007. A Chinese weather satellite—the FY-1C polar orbit satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of , with a mass of 750 kg—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in...
The 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was conducted by China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
on January 11, 2007. A Chinese weather satellite
Weather satellite
The weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. Satellites can be either polar orbiting, seeing the same swath of the Earth every 12 hours, or geostationary, hovering over the same spot on Earth by orbiting over the equator while...
—the FY-1C polar orbit
Polar orbit
A polar orbit is an orbit in which a satellite passes above or nearly above both poles of the body being orbited on each revolution. It therefore has an inclination of 90 degrees to the equator...
satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of 865 kilometres (537.5 mi), with a mass of 750 kg—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in the opposite direction (see Head-on engagement
Head-on engagement
A Head-on engagement is one where a surface-to-air missile system or jet aircraft engages another aircraft while the target aircraft is flying towards the attacker. This makes engagement with infra-red homing missiles more difficult because the hot engine exhaust nozzle of the target are pointing...
). It was launched with a multistage solid-fuel missile from Xichang Satellite Launch Center
Xichang Satellite Launch Center
The Xichang Satellite Launch Center also known as Base 27 , is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province....
or nearby.
Aviation Week & Space Technology
Aviation Week & Space Technology
Aviation Week & Space Technology, often abbreviated Aviation Week or AW&ST, is a weekly magazine owned and published by McGraw-Hill...
magazine first reported the test. The report was confirmed on January 18, 2007 by a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
(NSC) spokesman. At first the Chinese government
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
did not publicly confirm whether or not the test had occurred; but on January 23, 2007, the Chinese Foreign Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China is an executive agency responsible for foreign relations between the People's Republic of China and other countries in the world. The agency is led by the Foreign Minister. The current minister is Yang Jiechi...
officially confirmed that a test had been conducted. China claims it formally notified the U.S., Japan and other countries about the test in advance. The Chinese claim is consistent with a sharp rise in queries from American sites concerning FY-1C on at least one space-related Web site starting about 24 hours before the actual intercept.
2008 – BX-1
In September 2008, the PRC sent two men into space on the Shenzhou-7. During their time in orbit the astronauts released the BX-1 micro-satelliteMiniaturized satellite
Miniaturized satellites or small satellites are artificial satellites of unusually low weights and small sizes, usually under . While all such satellites can be referred to as small satellites, different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass .One reason for miniaturizing...
. Within 4 hours of its release the micro-satellite flew within 27 miles of the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
at a relative speed of 17,000 mph. The International Space Station will move if anything gets within 1,000 miles of its position, and the micro-satellite was well within this range and dangerously close to the Station. A collision between the BX-1 and the Station would have destroyed both objects and been fatal to the astronauts aboard the Station. The BX-1 did not strike the Station, but demonstrated China's ability to develop and deploy a micro-satellite with ASAT capabilities.
2009 – SC-19
On January 11, 2009 the PRC directed another SC-19 missile at a moving target and destroyed it. This time the target was a CSS-X-11B-611
B-611 missile and its derivatives are a series of Chinese short-range ballistic missiles first developed in the late 1990’s by the China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation...
medium-range ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
launched from Shuangchengzi Space and Missile Center. While using the same systems as the January 11, 2007 test, it is not clear what the function of the 2009 test was. This test is considered to be a continuation of the PRC’s ASAT testing because it employed the SC-19 system, but because the target was a missile and not a satellite the test may have been directed towards re-purposing the SC-19 missile as an ABM
Anti-ballistic missile
An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
.
See also
- Anti-satellite weaponAnti-satellite weaponAnti-satellite weapons are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Currently, only the United States, the former Soviet Union, and the People's Republic of China are known to have developed these weapons. On September 13, 1985, the United States destroyed US...
- Kill vehicleKill vehicleKill vehicle is a term from space weapon development and science fiction which denotes either a kinetic projectile or an explosive warhead supposed to impact on or near a target...
- Militarisation of spaceMilitarisation of spaceThe militarisation of space is the placement and development of weaponry and military technology in outer space.-History:Acquisition of high grounds for military advantage has been a perennial feature of military campaigns. For thousands of years, military tacticians have exploited the concept of...
- Space debrisSpace debrisSpace debris, also known as orbital debris, space junk, and space waste, is the collection of objects in orbit around Earth that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose. These objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to erosion, explosion...
- Space weaponSpace weaponSpace weapons are weapons used in space warfare. They include weapons that can attack space systems in orbit , attack targets on the earth from space or disable missiles travelling through space...
- Space warfareSpace warfareSpace warfare is combat that takes place in outer space, i.e. outside the atmosphere. Space warfare therefore includes ground-to-space warfare, such as attacking satellites from the Earth, as well as space-to-space warfare, such as satellites attacking satellites.It does not include the use of...
- China's military expenditure
- 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile testThe 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was conducted by China on January 11, 2007. A Chinese weather satellite—the FY-1C polar orbit satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of , with a mass of 750 kg—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in...
- People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation ArmyThe People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...