Science

Judi Lynn

(160,592 posts) Sat Aug 3, 2019, 02:29 AM Aug 2019

France Is Launching a 'Space Force' with Weaponized Satellites

By Hanneke Weitering 10 hours ago Spaceflight

New French satellites will be equipped with machine guns and laser weapons.

Months after President Donald Trump announced the creation of the U.S. Space Force, France is beginning to lay the groundwork for its own version.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last month that the nation's air force will establish a space command for the purpose of national defense, particularly to protect of French satellites.

Last week, French Minister of Defense Florence Parly detailed the nation's plan for its new space force, which involves equipping satellites with machine guns and lasers, according to the French news weekly Le Point.

First, the country will launch next-generation Syracuse satellites equipped with cameras that will be able to identify threats in space, such as anti-satellite weapons.

More:
https://www.space.com/france-military-space-force.html?utm_source=notification

3 replies

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France Is Launching a 'Space Force' with Weaponized Satellites (Original Post) Judi Lynn Aug 2019 OP

Is there a big problem with anti-satellite weapons? mr_lebowski Aug 2019 #1

We have. Igel Aug 2019 #3

I thought this was the Onion Clarity2 Aug 2019 #2

mr_lebowski

(33,643 posts)

1. Is there a big problem with anti-satellite weapons?

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Aug 3, 2019, 03:31 AM

Aug 2019

If so, how come we've never heard of satellites being attacked by such weapons?

Oh, I guess someday they may exist, so ... let's spend Billions on programs to protect the satellites from maybe-someday future weapons ...

Rather than, you know ... feed people, provide housing for the homeless, and try to convert our energy systems to ones that won't destroy the climate and most of the life on earth.

Wouldn't wanna do anything like THAT ...

Igel

(35,337 posts)

3. We have.

Reply to mr_lebowski (Reply #1)

Sat Aug 3, 2019, 08:37 AM

Aug 2019

Three ways.

Satellite-blinding technology. It can take a satellite off line temporary (which has happened) or permanently.

Ground-based launch system to strike satellites. A country or two's produced a lot of space junk testing these and showing proof of principle.

Orbit-based strike system. When one satellite apparently "accidentally" collided and took out another, it was far less than clear this was an accident.

One day such systems might exist. And that day was anywhere from 4-8 years ago.

Clarity2

(1,009 posts)

2. I thought this was the Onion

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sat Aug 3, 2019, 08:09 AM

Aug 2019

So I did a little google search, and apparently there is a threat of Russia/China attacking our satellites: https://www.businessinsider.com/space-race-anti-satellite-china-russia-war-us-2017-07

A US Navy ship launches an SM-3 missile, which can take down satellites.Wikimedia Commons
In 2007, China fired a missile that flew 537 miles above the earth and smashed one of its weather satellites, causing thousands of pieces of debris to drift endlessly through Earth's orbit.
Just a year later, the US Navy responded by shooting down a satellite in danger of falling out of earth's orbit at 133 miles and traveling at 17,000 mph with an SM-3 missile, which the US military fields hundreds of.

Since then, Russia has completed at least five anti-satellite missile tests.

Also link from that article: https://freebeacon.com/national-security/russia-conducts-fifth-test-new-anti-satellite-missile/

There is also the threat of cyberattacks against satellites. Apparently the military uses some of the same satellites that are for civilian use, like gps and weather radar.

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