CHINA IN SPACE
How near and dear to you are your country's orbiting satellites?
Before you say “I don't care about them,” consider that it is because of satellites that you have television, pagers, some cell phones, navigation systems, GPS, weather reports, and more. You and I use them frequently. More importantly, our country's defence systems depend on them.
Well, China has the ability to blow them up. Actually, they have had the ability to do this since 2007 when they conducted a test in which they blew up one of their own satellites. How did they do it? They used a missile, launched from earth that actually reached space and intercepted their own satellite. They are the first country to conduct such an experiment.
Not only can China blow up your favourite satellite, they can hijack it too. In 2013, they launched the “Shiyan Satellite” which has an robotic arm. This satellite can be manoeuvred through orbit from earth. It has demonstrated the ability to come alongside of another satellite, grab it and carry it away.
There is great concern that in a future war, China could neutralize much of our communication and navigation by means of this technology. The United States is not ignoring this threat. They have begun a new branch of the Armed Forces and have called it the U.S. Space Force (USSF). It was established on December 20, 2019 and it has the purpose of protecting U.S. and allied interests in space. China has begun the arms race in space.
Shawn Stevens
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