China's 'satellite killer' puts ham radio birds at risk

A test by China of an anti-satellite missile system has created a hazard in space - even for ham radio satellites.

Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, reports:

Trash from China's recent satellite-killing missile test has spread widely in space and is creating a debris cloud that could jeopardize spy satellites, commercial imagery and even ham radio satellites in low Earth orbits.

This, according to U.S. officials who say that even the manned International Space Station is vulnerable to being hit by some of the thousands of pieces of trash created when China slammed a ground-based medium-range ballistic missile into an aging Chinese weather satellite about 537 miles above Earth on January 11th.

Peter Hays is a senior adviser to the Pentagon's National Security Space Office. He says that the test created a lot of debris that definitely raises the possibility that something is going to be hit.

A 1967 global Outer Space Treaty does require notification of maneuvers in space, and holds countries liable for their actions, which means commercial operators could sue China for damages if their satellite was damaged by debris.

Fred Vobbe, W8HDU
Amateur Radio Newsline