India shoots down a weather satellite with anti-satellite missile

[biffzinker]

India announced Wednesday that it successfully fired an anti-satellite weapon and intercepted an unidentified Indian satellite at an altitude of 300km. This test, named “Mission Shakti,” gives India the prestige of becoming only the fourth nation to shoot down a satellite, but it raises serious questions about orbital debris and the on-going militarization of space.

Modi stressed that the technology used to bring down the missile was entirely developed in India, and he said the test was an important demonstration of the country's prowess in space."India stands tall as a space power!" he wrote. "It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony."

Whether such an act makes space more secure, however, is another question. Until now only three countries had demonstrated such an offensive capability in space—the United States, Russia, and China.

Source: https://arstechnica.com/science/201...ther-satellite-declares-itself-a-space-power/

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Shooting it down? Nah, somebody called an ubereats. They were trying to deliver a hot curry but ended up colliding with it and knocking it out of orbit.

 

[biffzinker]

At least the space debris will only hang around for a month unlike another country that caused debris that will stay in orbit for 100+ years.

 

[Caring1]

They're not even trying to hide the fact it's an offensive weapon.
They could have said it was for protection from space debris or comets etc.

 

[rtwjunkie]

They're not even trying to hide the fact it's an offensive weapon.
They could have said it was for protection from space debris or comets etc.

Because it is a status symbol for them. They were very celebratory that a small club has been joined.

 

[arnold_al_qadr]

so india shoot an indian satellite that unknown to them??

lots of satellite, can't keep track of them all..

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Staying out of this one, was ban hammered for 6 months for saying that India has a greater obligation to it's impoverished peoples rather than concentrating on nuclear arms race in a previous post....

 

[R0H1T]

Yeah if only there wasn't this rogue terrorist nation on the western front, supported by another rogue one on the eastern front. Let's not forget the legacy that was, well by you know who

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/13/usa.pakistan
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/.../india-pakistan-partition-imperial-britain.html

 

[Prima.Vera]

Ok. So India shuts down an unknown Indian satellite.
Unknown by government or by local plebe?

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

They're not even trying to hide the fact it's an offensive weapon.
They could have said it was for protection from space debris or comets etc.

They're a space power, step back is the message.
Clearly like everyone else they're feeling resurgence in the air , everyone clearly needs to chill IMHO.

 

[EarthDog]

LOL, I read this as NVIDIA shoots down a weather satellite...........

 

[R0H1T]

You never know, JHH could try to sell that as a revolutionary feature of their next gen cards

 

[FordGT90Concept]

A detailed statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that an Indian satellite had been used for the test, but did not specify which satellite it was.

...I think it was a satellite India needed to make disappear (e.g. of the espionage variety). Relations with Pakistan are very sour right now and that satellite may have implicated India in something they didn't want to be implicated in. So they shot it down with a missile test being the cover story.

Dutch Space Agency thinks it was MICROSAT-R

Microsat-R (2019-006A), is a 740 kg Indian military satellite launched two months earlier, on 24 January 2019, on PLSV-C44 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota Range (SHAR), a rocket launch centre operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) located in Andhra Pradesh. Microsat-R is an imaging satellite meant for military use for providing high resolution photo of the Earth’s surface.

Yup, probably intended to take pictures of Pakistan. The orbit it was in was no longer suitable for the intended task. Repurposed for missile testing.


Most of the missile testing space debris is China's fault. 10 tests, 3028 pieces of debris remain in orbit. Russia had 28 tests, 356 pieces of debris remain in orbit. USA had 30 tests, none remains in orbit.

 

[xkm1948]

Great, more mother fuking space junks to hinder space exploration. I guess it is common pratice when savages first learned how to shoot fuking rocket in the sky now.

 

[R0H1T]

Great, you din't bother to read the article I guess

India's test occurred at a lower altitude, some 300km, so its effects may be shorter lived as debris from the test is pulled into Earth's atmosphere. Also, it appears the target was the relatively small Microsat-r satellite, with a mass of about 700kg. This means there should be less debris.

From the comments sections at Ars ~
The following table provides a very rough guide to the lifetime of an object in a circular or near circular orbit at various altitudes.

Code:
Satellite Altitude Lifetime
200 km 1 day
300 km 1 month
400 km 1 year
500 km 10 years
700 km 100 years
900 km 1000 years

 

[droopyRO]

Great, more mother fuking space junks to hinder space exploration. I guess it is common pratice when savages first learned how to shoot fuking rocket in the sky now.

If you send a couple of gypsies in to space with proper space walking suits, they would clean that junk in no time and make a profit.

 

[Bones]

Because it is a status symbol for them. They were very celebratory that a small club has been joined.

So they've joined the satellite hunting club - I guess they'll stuff and mount a piece of it over their capital building or something.

 

[Fizban]

Great, you din't bother to read the article I guess

From the comments sections at Ars ~
The following table provides a very rough guide to the lifetime of an object in a circular or near circular orbit at various altitudes.

Code:
Satellite Altitude Lifetime
200 km 1 day
300 km 1 month
400 km 1 year
500 km 10 years
700 km 100 years
900 km 1000 years

It's still more space debris than not shooting it period. Not really sure what you're trying to get at by insinuating someone didn't read the article if they think this leads to more space debris.

 

[R0H1T]

First of all shooting down a satellite for the intent of destroying it will take the same route, you don't destroy these things completely even if you're trying to get rid of space junk! The chart shows the time it takes for normal space debris to clear out in the atmosphere, at various altitudes. Secondly, this was a first for India & given the microsat probably worth a try. The only thing questionable was timing i.e. just before the elections. Would you for instance criticize a failed rocket launch from a fledgling space program, just because someone (else) did it first or worse?

 

[Fizban]

A failed rocket launch has literally nothing in common with intentional destruction of a satellite for no clear purpose.

They either wanted that satellite destroyed because it contained data they were afraid of falling into the wrong hands, or it was a massive waste of money for the sake of propaganda. The former suggests the Indian Government is sticking its nose where it knows it shouldn't be. The latter is just a massive waste of Indian taxpayer money. Neither scenario strikes me as something that is good for anyone aside from the Indian government.

 

[remixedcat]

LOL, I read this as NVIDIA shoots down a weather satellite...........

are they triggered by storms?

 

[R0H1T]

What do you mean no clear purpose? There's couple of reasons - elections, also a deterrent to Pak & China. If you want a background on the latter how about you go study the history of South Asia, recent events in Kashmir & Pak's acquisition of nuclear arms, besides the empire? If not maybe stop commenting on things which you know virtually nothing about! As for data falling into wrong hands - genuinely curious how do you suppose that'll happen? While I have no doubt the PR stunt was avoidable, the arms race in South Asia isn't just our doing!

 

[sepheronx]

Yeah if only there wasn't this rogue terrorist nation on the western front, supported by another rogue one on the eastern front. Let's not forget the legacy that was, well by you know who

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/13/usa.pakistan
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/.../india-pakistan-partition-imperial-britain.html

That is the problem. A lot of people have zero idea what a real threat Pakistan and China are to India. I dont disagree with this move of India because they need this weapon in order to deal with any potential radar or optical based satellites that are used continuously for Pakistan's and China's ambitions in providing terrorist support within India.

The missile used is a Agni-5 ICBM booster with a kintetic warhead. While it may sound crude, its actually rather very impressive imo and while some complain about India having to provide for its people, it also has to provide security for its people and its country. India is surrounded by rather hostile nations, two of which are nuclear powers and one being somewhat of a host to Chinese navy (Sri Lanka). And when you have a nation of 1.25B people, its rather hard to provide for everyone, especially the poor.

The US has a lot of poor, and it sure doesn't have 1.25B people.

 

[Caring1]

This isn't a political thread, save it for PM.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

It's not a political thread but the motivation behind the missile demonstration was likely political. 32 articles in the last week...

Some highlights...

February 28, 2019: Pakistan envoy calls on U.S. to play greater role in India-Pakistan tensions

March 23, 2019: Pakistan call for peace with India as it shows off its military might

This conflict is rooted in England splitting India and Pakistan on religious boundaries in 1947...
March 25, 2019: India, Pakistan spar over alleged religious conversion of Hindu girls

...only providing this information for context, not discussion. India's action here was not entirely surprising given the recent events of the region.