Chinese anti-satellite test sparks concern - Space News - MSNBC.com

Chinese anti-satellite test sparks concern - Space News - MSNBC.com

U.S. and other countries react to reports about orbital weapon

MSNBC staff and news service reports
Updated: 12:20 p.m. ET Jan 18, 2007

WASHINGTON - The United States, Australia and Canada have voiced concerns to China over a test in space of a satellite-killing weapon last week, the White House said Thursday.

“The U.S. believes China’s development and testing of such weapons is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation that both countries aspire to in the civil space area,” National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. “We and other countries have expressed our concern regarding this action to the Chinese.”

Using a ground-based medium-range ballistic missile, the test knocked out an aging Chinese weather satellite about 537 miles (860 kilometers) above the earth on Jan. 11 through “kinetic impact,” or by slamming into it, Johndroe said.

Canada and Australia had joined in voicing concern, he said.

Britain, South Korea and Japan were expected to follow suit, an administration official told Reuters.

In recent days, satellite observers have been passing along reports about large amount of space debris detected in orbit. Late Wednesday, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported that the anti-satellite test was directed against China's Feng Yun 1C polar-orbiting weather satellite, which was launched in 1999.


The U.S. Air Force Space Command had been monitoring the weather satellite's orbit, and saw "signs of orbital distress" and debris, Aviation Week reported.

Military space policy has been increasingly in the spotlight since the White House released a new national space policy in October. The policy underscored the importance of protecting U.S. satellite assets and countering threats from other countries — touching off a round of criticism.

This report includes material from Reuters and MSNBC.com.

© 2007 MSNBC Interactive
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16689558/