Why the US Was Surprised by China's Success in 'Space Debris Cleanup' [Reading Science]

▲The robotic arm of the International Space Station is approaching the Dragon. [Photo by NASA TV] Archive photo. Not related to the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The U.S. government has been taken aback and is now actively investing and responding after China demonstrated space debris removal capabilities that could be repurposed at any time as satellite interception weapons.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), affiliated with the U.S. Congress, released a report titled "Challenges Faced by the Department of Defense (DoD) in Strategic Competition with China" on the 15th (local time). The GAO pointed out in this report that China has recently made remarkable advancements in satellite interception capabilities in space, emerging as a significant challenge to U.S. space security.

In fact, China successfully used the Shijian 21 satellite, launched last December for a space debris removal experiment, to tow and incinerate the malfunctioning Beidou-2 G2 navigation satellite drifting in orbit at the end of last month, then disposed of it in an orbit about 300 km high, known as a so-called "satellite graveyard." The Beidou-2 G2 navigation satellite was launched in 2009 but soon malfunctioned and drifted in orbit. This high-level space experiment success by China has surprised not only the U.S. but also other major space powers. The "space debris collection" capability can be utilized at any time as an interception weapon to eliminate enemy satellites. Until now, except for the U.S., no country has possessed the ability to detect and approach moving satellites or space debris and dock, tow, and release them using robotic arms.

The report highlights China's capabilities and suggests that the U.S. Congress should closely monitor whether the Department of Defense is preparing timely countermeasures in areas such as space, cyber warfare, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Regarding space, it especially advises focusing all efforts on improving satellite communication technology and establishing ground-based satellite control systems.

The report states, "To win the strategic competition with China, continuous efforts are needed to enhance the U.S. combat credibility, prevent conflicts, protect national interests, and strengthen alliances by reinforcing conventional deterrence," urging the U.S. Department of Defense to take proactive and timely "actions."

In response, Catherine Berik, GAO Director, told the space-specialized media SpaceNews, "The fact that China's satellite actually captured another satellite and moved it out of orbit signifies a major leap in satellite interception capability," adding, "The U.S. relies on satellites launched into space for communication, navigation systems, and intelligence gathering in the defense sector, but now China is actually developing weapon systems capable of destroying these capabilities."