American entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network not only brings high-speed internet to the most remote corners of the earth, but is also used for military purposes. In the controversial Ukraine, Starlink is an important communication pillar and the Pentagon has recently shown growing interest. In China, these developments are being watched with care – and plans are being made to intercept and, if necessary, shoot down Starlink if the satellite swarm is seen as a threat to Beijing’s national interests.
This is reported by the British Daily Mail, citing a study by the Beijing Institute for Tracking and Telecommunications, which conducts research for the strategic support units of the People’s Liberation Army. The study analyzes the US network in detail – including possible options for eavesdropping and ways to destroy the Starlink network.
China wants to spy on Starlink traffic
It takes a “combination of soft and hard kill methods” to destroy some Starlink satellites and disrupt the constellation’s operating system, the researchers outline in their study. They favor new spy satellites used to intercept Starlink and its communications.
Given the sheer number of satellites that make up Starlink, cheaper anti-satellite weapons are also needed: Starlink can easily handle the failure of a few satellites. In addition to rockets, microwave cannons and lasers are also being tested, which are intended to blind or completely disable satellites in orbit. Cyber weapons and swarms of small nanosatellites could also be used against Starlink.
Starlink consists of thousands of mini satellites
Starlink currently consists of more than 2000 small satellites. In the final phase, even 30,000 Starlink satellites will orbit the Earth. Originally designed for civilian use, Starlink has proven itself in Ukraine as a communication support for the local armed forces. The US Department of Defense is now also interested in the network: an agreement has been reached with the operator SpaceX to conduct research into military applications.
China is following these developments with concern: Study author Ren Yuanzhen fears Starlink could help the US locate the new hypersonic weapons China is working on. He assumes that Starlink could increase the data transmission capacity of American drones and fighter jets by a hundredfold. Starlink satellites could also be used in orbit as battering rams against Chinese satellites, he said.
In an emergency, dangerous space debris would be produced
If it really came to an emergency, a Chinese attack on Starlink would pose huge problems for international spaceflight: Destroyed satellites would orbit like space junk uncontrollably, posing a danger to other spacecraft, including Chinese ones.
So it’s no wonder that shooting down Starlink satellites is seen as a last resort. An aerospace engineer in Beijing: “As far as I know, the general consensus is that our countermeasures should be constructive. That means setting up your own internet satellite networks.” A start has already been made: China has announced a competing system for Starlink with Project Xing Wang (“Star Network”).
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
