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| Science & Technology |
| Chinese satellite observed grappling and pulling another satellite out of its orbit |
| 2022-01-29 |
| [FOX] China reportedly displayed another alarming leap in space-based technology and capabilities this week after an analytics firm claimed to observe a satellite "grab" another and pull it from its orbit. China’s Shijian-21 satellite, or SJ-21, disappeared from its regular position and reappeared while making a "large maneuver" to move closer to a dead BeiDou Navigation System satellite. The SJ-21 then pulled the BeiDou out of its orbit and placed it a few hundred miles away in a "graveyard orbit" where it is unlikely to interfere or collide with active satellites. Chinese state media said the SJ-21 was designed to "test and verify space debris mitigation technologies," but the potential to move satellites around presents terrifying capabilities for orbital manipulation of satellites belonging to other nations. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #5 Probably just working on their kung fu. |
| Posted by: Carl Douglas 2022-01-29 23:45 |
| #4 There are treaties on how far up national ownership of the sky goes. Treaties, like contracts, exist to be broken. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-01-29 10:10 |
| #3 Why waste 10's of 1000's of High Level Tech hours developing something like a EEC (kh-12+). When you can snare one. Of course CCP could just start claiming say 200 miles of sky / space over their Nation as theirs and clean it up for a technical / $$$ windfall. Or license the that sky for a fee. |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2022-01-29 10:08 |
| #2 The SJ-21 then pulled the BeiDou out of its orbit and placed it a few hundred miles away in a "graveyard orbit" Yet another Chinese box store marketing plan. Chinese space groping, something both Biden and Swalwell might have an interest in. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2022-01-29 07:31 |
| #1 Space Sweepers |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2022-01-29 07:13 |