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Comment by csense | Hacker News Reader

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csense·

So China has the technology to destroy satellites [1], and is developing alternatives to US satellites.

Does this make anyone else nervous?

Maybe Trump has a point when he says we should stop letting China steal our technology.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi...

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>So China has the technology to destroy satellites [

Any country that can launch a satellite has a technology to destroy one. It's called a missile. You don't even need to go to orbit - just intersect the orbit of the target and dump a bucket of nails in its path.

Aren't GPS satellites geostationary?

no, they are not.

> Any country that can launch a satellite has a technology to destroy one

It's easier to put something in orbit than to knock something out of orbit.

You can destroy something without taking it out of orbit. The pieces will happily carry on along their orbital trajectories.

It's easier to put something in orbit than to hit something in orbit.

Well I'll disagree with my own unsubstantiated claim. Consider that its easier to manufacture flak shells than make airplanes. The same applies to space.

Not meaningfully. If you can get into a similar orbit, it's easy in comparison to intercept.

You don't even need much of a missile, if you happen to have an air force; back in 1985 the USAF did a test in which the pilot of an F-15 shot down a satellite, from an altitude of 38,000 feet.

Any country/company who has launch vehicles can destroy satellites. SpaceX could just as easily destroy satellites.

Don't give Musk any ideas

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