The Wider Environment
China changes space
19/01/2007 18:20:15
China recently shot down one of its own satellites, an obsolete weather monitoring device, with a ballistic missile. The impact has not stopped there.
Washington "believes China's development and testing of such weapons is inconsistent with the spirit of co-operation that both countries aspire to in the civil space area".
Military power is closely linked to satellite technology, which is vital for navigation, communications and missile guidance, so perhaps it is no surprise that the has interpreted China’s successful satellite killing test mission as a threat. However, President Bush authorized a space policy of his own in October 2006, which:
...is designed to “ensure that space capabilities are available in time to further national security, homeland security, and foreign policy objectives.” Moreover, a fundamental goal of the policy is to “enable unhindered operations in and through space to defend our interests there.”
So it seems that two can play at that game.