After much speculation about China’s anti-satellite test, China has confirmed finally that it has carried out a test that destroyed a satellite. China is now only the third country to shoot something down in space. With this confirmation the alarming bell has been rung for the different big powers.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that
the country had carried an anti-satellite test. He insisted that China was committed to the peaceful development of outer space.
It is the first known satellite intercept test for more than 20 years.
Earlier, According to the US administration, China has conducted a successful test to destroy satellite a week ago. The US magazine American Aviation Week and Space Technology had reported that a Chinese Feng Yun 1C polar orbit weather satellite had been destroyed by an anti-satellite system launched from or near China’s Xichang Space Centre. China had conducted the test on January 11.
According to its report, a Chinese missile had been launched and an aging weather satellite in its path, more than 800 km above earth, had been reduced to rubble.
This test is being said as a big threat to US as now China could destroy American spy satellites in low-earth orbit. With this new development, an urgent new effort will be needed for the Bush administration to find ways to counter China’s anti-satellite technology.
Other countries such as Japan, Australia and Taiwan have expressed concern at the test. Most of the nations expressed worries that the test could trigger a space arms race.
