China Strengthens the Strategic Edge of its Space Program

Reflecting the growing quest for exploiting outer space for boosting its defence capability in all its manifestations, Chinese President Xi Jinping had some time back urged the Air Force wing of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to hasten the process of integrating air and space capabilities in a synergistic manner. During his April visit to Air Force Headquarters in Beijing, he had urged the development of a “new type of combat force that would be able to deal with air and space emergencies swiftly and effectively.” Perhaps President Jinping was keen on preparing China for space war and to position this Asian communist giant as a military power capable of challenging US supremacy in outer space. Xi has left none in doubt that he wants to strengthen the Chinese military space capability by substantial extent. However, China claims that its own plan for the military use of space is nothing but a response to the on-going global developments. “The US has paid considerable attention and resources to the integration of capabilities in both air and space and other powers have also moved towards space militarization,” says Wang Ya’nan, Deputy Editor in Chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine. Jinping had previously said that he wants China to become a super power in space. Interestingly, an analysis of satellite images go on to suggest that a Chinese rocket launch in May 2013 was actually a test of an anti-satellite weapon and not a research mission.

Meanwhile, a section of strategic analysts believe that China’s moon shots have valuable potential military offshoots. As it is, China’s space programme is controlled by PLA which is steadily gaining in experience in remote communications and measurement, missile technology and anti satellite warfare through moon exploration projects. “China is developing the ability to attack an adversary’s space assets, accelerating the militarisation of space. PLA’s writings emphasize the necessity of destroying, damaging and interfering with the enemy’s reconnaissance and communications satellites,” says Pentagon.

In particular, US space analysts see China’s lunar exploration programme as evidence that it has a long range strategic view that is not quite evident in US. China launched its first lunar probe Chang’e-1, which was an orbiter, in October 2007. This was followed by the launch of its second unmanned lunar probe Chang’e-2 in October 2010. After completing its mission, the probe left its 100-km high lunar orbit for Earth Sun L2 Lagrangian point to help China test its advanced tracking and control network, thus making China National Space Administration, the third space agency after National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) to have visited this spot. Chang’e-3 moon landing mission launched in December 2013 did accomplish the mission of successfully soft landing on the lunar surface. Meanwhile, with a view to make it big on the space industrialisation front, China is now preparing for its lunar sample return mission, Chang’e-5, slated for launch in 2017. Ultimately, China hopes to send a human landing mission to the moon before 2025. The technologies developed for lunar exploration missions are expected to boost China’s space war efforts in a big way.

Incidentally, way back in early 2007, China had stunned the world with the successful accomplishment of its first ever killer satellite test. In this test, which had sparked a worldwide concern and controversy, an ageing weather watch satellite located in mid-earth orbit was destroyed by a modified version of a medium range ground based ballistic missile. However, China would need a more sophisticated and longer range missile to put out commission satellites meant for communications and navigation which are normally parked in higher orbits. According to Richard Fisher, a specialist on Chinese military affairs with the International Assessment and Strategy Centre, China has pursued a strategy of carrying out anti-satellite and ABM (Anti Ballistic Missile) programme simultaneously. Not surprisingly then there is a growing concern in US political set up that the fast growing Chinese space capabilities could help this Asian communist giant derive diplomatic and defence related advantages, which, in turn, could hurt the long term national security and geo-strategic interests of USA. According to US Defence Department, China’s modernized military and especially its space related capabilities, could be put to use in ways that increase China’s ability to gain diplomatic advantage or resolve disputes in its favour and possibly against US national interests.   

Significantly, the successful accomplishment of a range of experiments including manual docking in June 2013 by Chinese astronaut trio, ostensibly meant to acquire expertise for building an autonomous space station by the end of this decade, could give a massive push to Chinese space war efforts. Of course, the political dispensation in Beijing continues to downplay the possible military advantages it could draw from the ambitious Chinese manned space programme. But then there is no denying the fact that an autonomous orbital complex would help China boost its space war efforts by serving as a strategic outpost in outer space. “The most important point is that China is developing docking techniques and technology, which, in turn, means precision control for thrusters  and the likes which has obvious military and anti satellite implications,” says Dean Chang, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center in Washington.

Providing a clear pointer to the growing refinement of Chinese space war capabilities, China has started experimenting with laser beams with a view to fashion a weapon capable of disabling an enemy satellite. What makes laser an ideal device for use as a space weapon is its inherent quality of moving straight without getting diffused or dissipated. All said and done, this high energy light beam can easily be exploited to heat up the outer surface of a satellite or a missile until it is put out of commission. Imaging surveillance satellites are particularly vulnerable to the blinding by laser beams because their functions depend on devices which are sensitive to light.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that over the past few years, China has been aiming ground based lasers at both the US and French satellites as part of the plan to develop a laser based anti satellite weapon. Not surprisingly then USA is progressively hardening its satellites so that it could remain immune to futuristic Chinese space based offensive devices. Of course, with technologies acquiring a “sophisticated edge” for blinding and deafening satellites, space faring nations will need to step up research to evolve counter measures.

Meanwhile Indian military experts are advocating the need for India to build up both defensive and offensive components of a space war strategy. As such there is a growing clamour in the Indian strategic circles that  the Narendra Modi led Government should  give a green signal  for firming up a well conceived space security programme that includes a ground work for space war strategy. Sometime back, Avinash Chander, chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had  expressed the view that India too can engineer an anti satellite system by combining  the potentials of the highly successful Agni missile and ballistic missile defence (BMD) kill vehicle. Chander is clear that notwithstanding the global treaties urging nations to keep outer space an area of peace and tranquillity, the possibility of space war breaking out is very much on the cards. “Currently, our satellites are not protected. The only way to counter the enemy attack on our satellites is shooting down his satellites,” argues Chander. The view of Chander is that to ensure the safety of Indian space assets, a constellation of lightweight spacecraft - in the weight class of 30-60 kg with the warheads that can be activated from the ground in the event of an enemy attack need to be deployed at the earliest possible opportunity.

Views expressed are personal.