China shoots lasers at US spy satellites

[file83]

From Raw Story:

China has fired high-power lasers at U.S. spy satellites flying over its territory in what experts see as a test of Chinese ability to blind the spacecraft, according to sources.

It remains unclear how many times the ground-based laser was tested against U.S. spacecraft or whether it was successful.

But the combination of China’s efforts and advances in Russian satellite jamming capabilities illustrate vulnerabilities to the U.S. space network are at the core of U.S. Air Force plans to develop new space architectures and highly classified systems, according to sources.

According to experts, lasers — depending on their power level — could blind electro-optical satellites like the giant Keyhole spacecraft or even interfere with radar satellites like the Lacrosse. Blinding, one source said, is different than disabling given the enormous power required to shoot a laser through the dense lower atmosphere and reach a fast-moving satellite in space. The hardware on the spacecraft can’t be changed given they’re in orbit, but software changes can help them weather disruptive attacks.

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The "other" cold war, I guess.

[liberalmuse]

1. And thanks to Bush, we can't do a damn thing about it.

We're China's bitch. If we mess with them, they call in our debt.

[Kolesar]

2. the Soviets used to do this

US press releases covered it up saying it was "gas well flares" that disabled our spy satellites.

[lectrobyte]

3. Shooting lasers at the sputniks? Did anyone tell Nancy Luft?