China, in a recent manned mission, may have released a microsatellite to serve as a prototype of a space-based anti-satellite weapon, a new report states.
Not long after its release, the microsat came close to the International Space Station.
Previously, China used a ground-based interceptor missile to demolish one of its own aging weather satellites, creating thousands of pieces of dangerous space debris, and also used a ground-based laser to disable a U.S. military satellite.
The new report, from the Center for Defense Information (CDI), focuses on the BS-1 (CompanionSat) microsatellite that was released during a recent manned Chinese space mission that included a spacewalk. As birds go, it didn’t seem that impressive, a 16-inch cube weighing about 90 pounds.
But concerns were raised because the microsat was able to maneuver around the Shenzhou-7 (SH-7) spaceship carrying three taikonauts.
While it can take 15 minutes for a ground-based interceptor missile to reach and destroy an object in orbit, a space-based threat can sidle up to a target object, then suddenly veer into an intercept course, annihilating the object.
“Approximately four hours after its release, the BX-1 made its closest approach to the International Space Station (ISS) of around 25 kilometers,” the report noted. “The SH-7 itself made its own close approach shortly thereafter coming within 36 kilometers of the ISS.”
To read the report by Brian Weeden ([email protected]), a technical consultant for the Secure World Foundation and former Air Force officer with a background in space surveillance and ICBM operations, please go to http://www.cdi.org/friendlyversion/printversion.cfm?documentID =4428&from_page=../program/document.cfm on the Web.