Recent US and Chinese Antisatellite Activities.

摘要

Recent antisatellite (ASAT) activities by the United States and China have revived questions regarding space warfare, the follow-on effects ofpotential satellite destruction on a massive scale, national accountability, and technological challenges to mitigate offensive threats. Many of these same questions, which emerged during the initial space race and Cold War, have taken on new emphasis in light of growing multinational dependence upon satellites and the freedom to access space. This article briefly reviews the history of US and Soviet ASAT capabilities and testing during the Cold War, examines the recent Chinese shoot-down of its failed Feng Yun-1C satellite and the US shootdown of the failed USA-193 satellite, and compares and contrasts these two ASAT missions, highlighting the follow-on threats to other nations satellites. It also presents mitigating strategies that may lessen the threat of future offensive countersatellite operations, including enhanced situational awareness, improved survivability/ reducedvulnerability, and increased sustainability; it then offers a brief lookat countries capable of offensive countersatellite operations.