Chapter 1246 Don’t say you didn’t predict what you said

Chapter 1246 Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You

In fact, as early as the mid-to-late 80s, China had already realized the huge role that satellites could play in modern warfare.

However, due to the limitations of national strength, it is difficult to build a large-scale and fully functional artificial satellite network like those of the United States and the Soviet Union in a short period of time.

Therefore, while vigorously developing satellite technology, we have also begun to explore the feasibility of various anti-satellite weapons.

Similar to the imagination in some science fiction works, China at that time did have the idea of ​​"raising the opponent's information level to the same as our own and then relying on rich experience to defeat it."

Of course, ideas are ideas.

It was soon discovered that intercepting a spacecraft and launching a spacecraft were not on the same level of difficulty.

Compared to shooting down all of the enemy's satellites, it is more feasible to build a satellite network of our own.

In addition, China's satellite and rocket technology achieved a series of breakthroughs in the mid-90s, so the focus was determined to be a series of positioning, communication and remote sensing constellations.

However, as a backup measure, the satellite interception line has not been completely abandoned.

Among the technical verification models that were finally formed, one is a high-energy laser used for blinding and interference, and the other is the "kinetic" series of anti-satellite weapons mentioned by the leader just now.

According to the plan, the latter is expected to carry out its first test before 2007-2008.

But there is a problem here.

The international environment in the 21st century is different from the past.

No matter how people argue in private, at least on the surface, the peaceful use of space has become an international consensus.

China is relatively weak in the aerospace field and is currently in a critical stage of striving for space cooperation.

Against this backdrop, rashly conducting an anti-satellite test could easily give others an advantage and trigger a collective backlash from the outside world.

And if it is true as stated in this report that the opponent's interception plan may produce space debris that is sufficient to endanger the safety of the spacecraft, then China will have a lot of room for maneuver.

Although this series of weapons is called the "kinetic" series, it is indeed quite difficult to accurately send the kinetic interceptor into a high orbit and ensure that it can hit the target head-on.

Therefore, in order to ensure the success rate of the first mission, Kinetic-1 actually carries a directional blasting fragmentation warhead.

Regardless of success or failure, it is bound to create hundreds or thousands of pieces of space junk.

If the United States were to bear the brunt of this series of public opinion shocks first, the resulting turmoil would be much smaller.

Don't ask, the answer is NASA did it first.

This is certainly not fair.

But that's the reality.

In addition, the currently planned interception target is a Fengyun 1C meteorological satellite that has long reached the end of its life and has been scrapped. Its orbital altitude reaches an astonishing 870km, which is not an ideal interception target.

It is just a compromise choice made based on actual capabilities and deterrent effects in the absence of reference.

Now that the Americans have stepped forward to serve as a benchmark, adjustments can be made based on their interception situation.

This is also why the leader asked Li Zhongyi to give relevant personnel a heads-up after he returned, indicating that the mission requirements may change.

……

at the same time.

The press conference held by NASA was like a depth bomb thrown into the sea. After being delayed for a few days, it finally formed a powerful public opinion storm.

Within North America, people's attention is basically focused on the grand "return to the moon" plan.

After all, after the explosion of the Columbia space shuttle in 2003, the United States' space development entered a relatively long low period.

In particular, half a year after the accident, China carried out a perfect debut of manned space flight.

The live broadcast of the cabin signal, which lasted nearly half an hour, left a deep impression on the whole world.

How is this showing off technology?

This is basically a slap in the face of NASA.

As one thing grows, the other shrinks. Some countries that were originally reluctant to promote cooperation with China in the field of aerospace are beginning to get excited.

Although under the promotion of NASA's current head Michael Griffin, the Discovery space shuttle returned to space in July 2005, ending the embarrassing situation that the United States was unable to send astronauts into space independently.

But after all this trouble, the retirement of the space shuttle has become a foregone conclusion.

Some media outlets controlled by the Donkey Party took the opportunity to launch attacks, writing lengthy articles attacking the Elephant Party's weakness and inaction in the field of space exploration, and citing all kinds of alarmist figures to prove the United States' disappointing performance in the aerospace field.

This is of course essentially a campaign for the 2008 election, but such overwhelming criticism and denial will naturally affect the public's confidence in NASA and even the entire United States.

At this critical juncture, the "Return to the Moon" plan is like a shot in the arm.

It includes a new generation of manned exploration vehicle called Orion spacecraft, and the Space Launch System (SLS), which is planned to replace the space shuttle, with a low-Earth orbit carrying capacity of up to 143 tons and a total launch weight of nearly 3000 tons.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, these two projects, both in terms of purpose and performance, seem to pay tribute to the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn V launch vehicle of forty years ago.

That was the heyday that most Americans miss the most.

Under the hype of another part of the media, the slogan of returning to the moon soon became a new symbol, tied to the development curve of American spaceflight and even the United States.

What about the retirement of the space shuttle?

So what if we can only rely on Russian spacecraft to get to the space station for the time being?

We will soon be aiming back at the moon and even conquering Mars!

However, in comparison, outside the United States, especially the space agencies of other countries, are more concerned about the satellite interception plan.

On the one hand, this was not the first time that Americans landed on the moon.

On the other hand, the plan to return to the moon has been delayed until more than a decade later.

That's just too far away.

And politics is concerned only with surviving until Friday afternoon.

In comparison, it is obvious that the impact of shooting down a satellite with the Standard Missile 3 is greater.

You know, the last time a direct-ascent kinetic anti-satellite weapon system was tested was in 1985, at the height of the Cold War.

Now that something like this is happening again, it is hard not to recall the era when the Iron Curtain was shrouded in flames.

What's more, even if we look at it from the perspective of just watching the fun, it's not a big deal.

Competition in the field of manned space flight is equivalent to a race, while competition in ballistic missiles and anti-missile systems is equivalent to boxing.

Obviously the latter is more intense.

Therefore, after the Daily Mail took the lead in publicly linking China's missile test with the United States' anti-satellite intercept test, almost all the world's leading media outlets began trying to contact the Chinese Space Agency to find out the reaction of the west coast of the Pacific.

However, no matter whether it was emails, letters or phone calls, all of them fell into the sea and no response was received.

The British media group even tentatively published a piece of news in its non-serious tabloid The Daily Star, saying that "the ancient Eastern power has admitted defeat in this round of competition", trying to provoke a response from the Chinese side through provocation.

But perhaps because the audience of The Star is similar to that of The Sun, and they only care about whether the models on the pages are curvy, it didn't attract much attention at all.

Naturally, they did not get the effect they wanted.

Until a few days later.

China's defense agency held a rare press conference.

Nominally, it is to prepare for the establishment of the News Affairs Bureau and the regular press conference system.

But almost all slightly professional media realized at the first time that this move must be related to the information previously disclosed by NASA.

As a result, the number of media applying to participate was so overwhelming that China had to adjust the venue twice in a row to cope with the enthusiasm that far exceeded expectations...

However, perhaps because it was the first time, the spokesman, Colonel Wei Jun, who hosted the reception, was still a little nervous.

For several rounds in a row, the selected reporters were all from China or friendly media with which we already had cooperative relations.

Of course, they were not in a position to ask overly sharp questions, which resulted in the entire reception becoming a conservative atmosphere.

Fortunately, in the end.

It was the British media, the Daily Mail, that first broke the deadlock.

"Dear Mr. Speaker."

The British reporter stood up and asked Wei Jun who was standing on the stage:

"Just last week, NASA announced that the United States will use a sea-based anti-missile interception system to carry out an anti-satellite mission within the next month to prevent failed satellites from falling into the atmosphere and threatening human settlements. How does your country view this news?"

Hearing this question, Wei Jun couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Master.

Definitely a master.

The question specifically mentioned the "sea-based anti-missile interception system", subtly shifting the subject of the whole matter from the aerospace field to the military field, forcing him to give a positive answer to this.

Fortunately, I made dumplings today just for this dish of vinegar.

The superiors have already given a standard answer to this.

"We have noticed this move by the US and will continue to pay close attention to it."

"Here, I need to point out that although NASA claims that this action has no military considerations and the target of disposal is also a satellite launched by the United States itself, according to our assessment and calculation, according to the interception plan disclosed by the United States, the collision is likely to fail to make the entire satellite fall into the atmosphere as planned, but will instead produce space debris that is sufficient to threaten normal spacecraft."

"Outer space is the common wealth of all mankind. Therefore, we believe that before the test begins, it is necessary to make all countries in the world aware of this risk, fully solicit the opinions of the international community, comprehensively consider various possibilities and plans, and do our utmost to ensure the safety of the earth's surface and outside the atmosphere at the same time..."

"..."

"If the US continues to act unilaterally and goes against the wishes of the majority of countries and peoples in the world, any consequences should be borne by NASA and relevant parties. Don't say I didn't warn you..."