Amid looming concerns about China’s space militarization and the possibility of future space wars, Chinese scientists conducted a simulation operation targeting American billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network.
A team of Chinese scientists simulated a space operation targeting the Starlink constellation and found that the massive network is not as invincible as originally thought, according to a new report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. It has been proven that.
A peer-reviewed paper on the simulation, supervised by a team led by Wu Yunhua, dean of the School of Aerospace Control at Nanjing Aeronautics and Astronautics University, was reportedly published in the Chinese academic journal Systems Engineering and Electronics on January 3.
Computer simulations showed that just 99 Chinese satellites could successfully approach around 1,400 Starlink satellites within about 12 hours. These satellites may be equipped with lasers, microwaves, and other tools to perform tracking, reconnaissance, and other operations.
“The potential military application value of Starlink mega-constellations was highlighted by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.In recent years, the militarization of space has intensified, posing a serious threat to China’s space security. “It is especially important to track and monitor its operations,” the project team wrote.
Immediately after Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022, then-Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov asked Elon Musk on Twitter to activate SpaceX’s Starlink satellites for use in Ukraine. Musk responded almost urgently, tweeting: “Starlink services are currently active in Ukraine. More terminals are on the way.” The system provides faster Internet connectivity by connecting mobile user terminals to low-orbit satellites.
After defeating the F-16, more challenges await the JAS-39 Gripen! RTAF may test SAAB fighters for highway operations
The success of the satellite-based solution had a major impact on the battlefield, forcing Moscow to devise new tactics to detect and neutralize Starlink signals.
This is why China is particularly troublesome. China considers Taiwan a separate province from China and has vowed to integrate it with mainland China. However, if Taiwan is granted access to the Starlink satellite network, China’s invasions and military operations could be significantly hampered.
For example, in May 2024, a team of Chinese researchers responded to a Starlink network that could be used to support U.S. military aid to Taiwan in the event of a contingency in the Taiwan Strait. He warned that China would face “severe challenges”.
India’s stealth drone breaks through cover! Why is it unlikely that the IAF will order HAL’s CATS Warrior UAV despite all the hype?
The report is titled “Analysis of the impact of Starlink constellations on Chinese territory and its surrounding space domain.” It said regional actors in hotspot areas “need to pay attention” to the “spatial domain impact” of Starlink services.
China has also developed its own version of Starlink. The Qianfan mega-constellation project, also known as G60, was launched in 2023. As a challenger to Space X Starlink, China aims to establish more than 15,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) widescreen multimedia satellites. The first satellite constellation of the Qianfan project was launched into orbit in August 2024.
But the latest simulation operation aimed at capturing Starlink satellites reveals that China will not only seek to compete with Elon Musk’s satellite network, but could even go to war if it becomes a threat. I made it.
Chinese researchers use simulation training to corner Starlink
SpaceX has launched more than 6,700 Starlink satellites to date, and that number is expected to soon grow to tens of thousands. In fact, SpaceX reportedly wants to expand its mega-constellation to as many as 42,000 satellites.
Is Antarctica the next ‘firing front’? Do Russia, China and Iran’s ‘competing claims’ over ‘white gold’ threaten the 1959 treaty?
The latest SCMP report states, “Tracking such a vast constellation of satellites with a small number of satellites requires extremely complex orbit calculations, and even if it could be solved, it would be difficult to perform in a short period of time.” “It was once thought to be impossible.”
There were also practical military obstacles for Wu and his allies to overcome. For example, Chinese satellites needed to be close enough to the detector’s effective range for at least 10 seconds and far enough away from Starlink satellites to avoid an accident.
This task was complex, as each satellite required a different amount of time to maneuver, making orbit calculations much more difficult. The report added: “Since lasers and other equipment consume a lot of energy, scientists also had to arrange for each of the Chinese satellites to have sufficient charging time facing the sun.”
Will Israel and Turkey face a “direct confrontation”? Prime Minister Netanyahu calls for increased military power with additional F-15s, tanker planes, drones and satellites
Despite all the challenges, Wu’s team claims to have developed a new technique that allows ground control center computers to create accurate and detailed action plans within two minutes.
Thanks to a new binary artificial intelligence system developed by Wu’s team, Chinese satellites were able to “hunt” Starlink by precisely imitating whales. “Whales work together across vast expanses of water to feed small fish into their mouths, minimizing the amount of time they spend conserving energy in the process.”
The report also noted that China is developing new interceptor satellites with weapons that can shoot down hostile satellites without producing large amounts of debris.
Space analysts and academics have repeatedly warned that satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) can become targets for directed energy weapons such as powerful lasers and microwave systems.
China is developing strategies and weapons that can effectively counter Starlink satellites in the event of an emergency in the Taiwan Strait. Following the effective use of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites against Russia in Ukraine, several experts noted that the Chinese military has accelerated the development of high-power microwave weapons.
For example, in March 2023, a group of researchers developed a compact power source that could significantly reduce the size of a high-powered microwave weapon capable of shooting down Starlink satellites.
Then, in July 2024, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) researchers predicted that PLA submarines equipped with laser weapons could destroy SpaceX’s Starlink satellites if China’s security was jeopardized. He claimed to be deaf.
The study says a submarine equipped with megawatt solid-state laser weapons could remain underwater and attack satellites with its “optoelectronic mast” retracted before returning to the ocean floor. As reported by EuroAsian Times at the time, a step-by-step guide to eliminating Starlink satellites has been published.
Earlier, a study led by Ren Yuanzhen, a researcher at the Beijing Tracking and Communications Institute under the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, found that China should be able to neutralize or destroy SpaceX’s Starlink satellites that threaten national security. said.
The paper, published in the domestic peer-reviewed journal Modern Defense Technology, states, “A combination of soft and hard kills could be used to disable some Starlink satellites and destroy the constellation’s operating system.” We should.”
The developments come as the Pentagon continues to express concern over China’s alleged space militarization, hinting at a potential space war as China’s anti-satellite capabilities continue to expand. .
Ben Lewis, a defense analyst who focuses on the development of the People’s Liberation Army and Taiwan’s security issues, previously told EuroAsian Times: The U.S. military will intervene in a Taiwanese contingency scenario. ”
“Having a weapon capable of removing Starlink from play, and having Chinese media specifically mention Starlink in their reporting about it, shows how seriously they view Starlink.” he added.
