2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test

On 11 January 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite missile test. A Chinese weather satellite—the FY-1C (COSPAR 1999-025A) polar orbit satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of 865 kilometres (537 mi), with a mass of 750 kilograms (1,650 lb)[1]—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s (18,000 mph) in the opposite direction[2] (see Head-on engagement). It was launched with a multistage solid-fuel missile from Xichang Satellite Launch Center or nearby.

Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine first reported the test on 17 January 2007.[3] The report was confirmed on 18 January 2007 by a United States National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson.[4] The Chinese government did not publicly acknowledge that the test had occurred until 23 January 2007 when the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming the test.[5] China claims it formally notified the US, Japan and other countries about the test in advance.[6]

It was the first known successful satellite intercept test since September 1985, when the United States destroyed the Solwind P78-1 satellite with ASM-135 anti-satellite missile released by a F-15 Eagle flying at a speed of Mach 0.934 and an altitude of 38,100 ft (11.6 km). The satellite was orbiting at 345 miles (555 km).[7][8][9]

The New York Times,[10] The Washington Times[11] and Jane's Intelligence Review[12] reported that the Chinese test came after at least two direct ascent tests that intentionally did not result in an intercept, on 7 July 2005 and 6 February 2006.[13]

A leaked classified diplomatic cable indicates that the same system was tested against a ballistic target in January 2010[14] in what the Chinese government publicly described as a test of "ground-based midcourse missile interception technology".[15] That description also closely matches the Chinese government's description of another test in January 2013,[16] which has led some analysts to conclude that it was yet another test of the same ASAT system, again against a ballistic target and not a satellite.[17]

  1. ^ Nicholson, Brendon (20 January 2007). "World fury at satellite destruction". The Age. Melbourne. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Is China's Satellite Killer a Threat? (Tech Talk)". Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.
  3. ^ Covault, Craig (17 January 2007). "Chinese Test Anti-Satellite Weapon". Aviation Week & Space Technology. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. ^ BBC News (2007). Concern over China's missile test. Retrieved 20 January 2007. Archived 12 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "China admits satellite shot down". BBC News. 23 January 2007. Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
  6. ^ "China confirms anti-satellite missile test". The Guardian. London. 23 January 2007. Archived from the original on 28 January 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
  7. ^ The Death of a Satellite : Edwards Air Force Base
  8. ^ "History of anti-satellite weapons: US tested 1st ASAT missile 60 years ago". The Week.
  9. ^ "Asm-135 Asat".
  10. ^ Gordon, Michael R.; Cloud, David S. (23 April 2007). "U.S. Knew of China's Missile Test, but Kept Silent". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
  11. ^ "Officials fear war in space by China". The Washington Times. 24 January 2007. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
  12. ^ "Space to manoeuvre – Satellite attack upsets US space supremacy". Jane's Intelligence Review. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 5 March 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2007. Or see archived version:
  13. ^ Joan Johnson-Freese. Heavenly Ambitions: America's Quest to Dominate Space. p. 12
  14. ^ Foust, Jeff (3 February 2011). "WikiLeaks cables on US-China ASAT testing". Spacepolitics.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
  15. ^ "China: Missile defense system test successful". USA Today. 11 January 2010. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
  16. ^ "China carries out land-based mid-course missile interception test". Xinhua. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014.
  17. ^ "Anti-satellite Tests in Space - The Case of China" (PDF). Secure World Foundation. 16 August 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 August 2014.