China

Chinese Communications Satellite Launched

Launch Photo of the SinoSat-3
Satellite Name:
General Information:

China launched a new communications satellite called SinoSat-3. The satellite and rocket were primarily developed domestically. The launch comes on the heels of the failed deployment of the SinoSat-2 last year. The new satellite is not intended to completely replace the SinoSat-2, although it will assume the burden of some of the functions originally planned for the SinoSat-2 until a replacement can be launched.

Chinese ASAT and US space capabilities

Given that the Chinese have demonstrated the capability to obliterate satellites in low earth orbit, what does this mean for US military capabilities?

What do we know from publicly available sources?

  1. The Chinese have blown up a satelitte in low earth orbit. Low Earth Orbit being commonly defined as 200 - 2000 km above the earth.
  2. In the fall of 2006 the Chinese succeeded in illuminating a US satelitte with a laser. This was known by US intelligence agencies.
  3. The Project for the New American Century stated in their 2000 defense review that one important objective for the US should be the 'control of space and cyberspace'. This document has been followed extensively by the Bush administration and the military over the last 7 years. There is no reason to suspect that the US military would have slacked on 'control of space' while completing all other objectives. And in fact there is evidence to support that the US has publicly attempted to push forward with the 'control of space' objective by organizing of the US Space Corps, as a division of the US Air Force. To my knowledge this plan did not go forward publicly or directly.

Chinese 'Space Potatoes'

'Space Potatoes' and other fruits and vegetables are all the rage in China right now. The Space Potatoes are assumed to have mutated during China's most recent manned space flights. The potatoes are a little sweet and purple, according to CNN. Other fruits and vegetables, seeds of which were taken into space and presumably mutated, often have different characteristics than their non-space going counterparts. The Chinese claim that the fruits are often healthier, produce higher yields, or are more hardy.

The article also claims that zero gravity caused some of the mutations, which sounds like BS to this Biology minor.

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