China debris threatens Indian satellites

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TNN
The space debris created by China's anti-satellite test in 2007 poses a threat to Indian satellites, the government said this week.
India's remote-sensing satellites are placed in low-earth orbit above 175 km (600 km to 900 km polar orbit). This has the highest density of debris cloud that was created after the test.
Stating its policy on militarisation of space in Parliament, the government said, "India is strongly opposed to any attempt to place weapons in space or conducting any unconventional weapons tests in space as it would pose a perennial threat to all space systems regardless of their use for civilian or military purposes."
But over the past three years, India has ramped up its own capabilities to take defensive positions in a future conflict in space.
India's concerns regarding China are behind the revival of ballistic missile defence (BMD) discussions between India and the US. However, sources said, due to Obama adminsitration's fundamental objection to BMD there is no agreement on when the next round of talks would be held. A possible acquisition of the Arrow from Israel or Patriot 3 from the US is also part of India's missile defence programme.
Separately, India is working on technology to be able to defend its satellites. A few weeks ago, V K Saraswat, scientific adviser to the defence minister, said in Bangalore, "our country does not have a policy to attack anybody in space. But as part of the ballistic missile defence programme, we have all the technology elements required to integrate a system through which we can defend our satellites or take care of future requirements."
In a rare admission, the government said China's ability to conduct an ASAT test — the ability to destroy a satellite in space — was, by its very nature a threat to Indian security.
Quoting international space surveillance agencies, they said, China's test immediately created millions of pieces of debris of size 1 mm to 1 cm, 40,000 pieces between 1 cm and 10 cm, 800 pieces more than 10 cm. It's the last lot that is particularly dangerous to satellites. These debris also collide among themselves and break up into smaller pieces, and according to US estimates, 97% of them remain in orbit.
While some countries are debating laws that prevent weaponisation of space, there's no real law in circulation yet. The government said two UN treaties regarding activities and exploration of moon and other bodies do stress on using space for peaceful purposes. But due to ambiguities in interpretation, the government said, certain countries were conducting these tests.

http://iafnews.nuvodev.com/posts/china-debris-threatens-indian-satellites/

 

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China's ASAT programme threat to global space assets: India

In 2007, Beijing successfully tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) vehicle, destroying an inactive weather satellite.Asked if China's ASAT programme is a threat to Indian satellites, Secretary in the Department of Space, K Radhakrishnan said: "... the threat is not only for us, but for the entire world because it (China's 2007 test) has created space debris".

Noting that the Chinese test has resulted in 3000 particles (space debris), Radhakrishnan, also Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Space Commission, said: "So we have to be careful about their (space debris from the Chinese test) possible collision with our operational satellites".

He said a group of ISRO scientists is coordinating with the international group on space debris, which observes and conducts analysis and continuously looks at managing Indian satellites -- in terms of manoeuvres and navigation -- for avoiding such possible collisions.

"Internationally, under the UN body, countries are encouraged not to undertake such activities (killing satellites in space and creating space debris", Radhakrishnan said.
Radhakrishnan said space debris are also created when satellites are integrated on their own. "Such objects (debris) will be there in orbit".

One can only try to avoid debris hitting satellites, he said, adding there is a talk of "scavenging" of debris from orbit. But this concept needs to evolve and "one has to see how one is going to do that," he added.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/62572/chinas-asat-programme-threat-global.html