Chinese Scientists Develop Plan to Destroy Starlink Satellites

May 26th, 2022

Via: Newsweek:

A team of Chinese researchers has reportedly published a study calling for anti-satellite capabilities that could disable Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites if deemed necessary.

The study was led by Ren Yuanzhen, a researcher with the Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications, and co-authored by scientists within China’s defense industry according to the South China Morning Post, which has seen the publication.

The study is said to call for “a combination of soft and hard kill methods” that could be used to stop some Starlink satellites from working.

While Starlink has commercial users it has also been put to military use, pushing data across the U.S. Army network at a faster rate than previously capable.

This military capability, plus the fact that SpaceX has launched more than 2,650 satellites into space in just a few years and aims to launch thousands more, has led to concerns among countries with which the U.S. has political tensions.

Earlier this month, Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, apparently sent a threat to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk after Starlink technology was supplied to Ukraine and used to help Ukrainian forces against Russia in the countries’ ongoing war.

According to an English translation posted by Musk, Rogozin said that Musk was involved in supplying Ukraine with “military communication equipment” and that he would “be held accountable like an adult.”

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