Satellites from Surrey cause concern in the White House

March 25, 2005
Times

By Simon de Bruxelles
A BRITISH company whose satellites helped to co-ordinate the aid effort after the Asian tsunami has been accused by Washington of helping China to develop weapons in space.

Two miniature satellites built by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), which is based at Surrey University, are on order to China. They will become part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation of small satellites that orbits the Earth, taking photographs and gathering information in the event of a natural disaster.

When they are not being used for disaster monitoring, China could use them for its own purposes: anything from surveying oil pipelines to measuring the extent of deforestation. Washington fears that the satellites could be used to help to prepare for a possible invasion of Taiwan.

According to insiders, the Pentagon regards SSTL as a “threat to global security” and suggested that the technology could form the basis of an anti-satellite attack system. SSTL was founded in 1985 and has become one of the world’s most successful privately owned space companies.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,174-1540947,00.html

I assume that is a euphemism for US military dominance. Interesting, that the purchaser is China. I thought they had most favoured nation status. Could we be at the beginnings of a new Cold War ? If so it may be time to ditch all those Wal-Mart shares.