More details on Chinese ASAT

From Aviation Week

Chinese ASAT strike was third try; had mobile element

Amy Butler/Web Exclusive

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright says the Chinese made two unsuccessful attempts at an anti-satellite intercept before the successful test in January.

During those earlier tests, at least one of which took place last year, the Chinese interceptor boosted into space but missed the target. The re-entry vehicles later fell back to Earth, an intelligence official says.

Cartwright says the test was a pivotal moment for the U.S.'s presence in space, but he cautioned against an overreaction. "This is not in my mind the defining moment for our relationship," Cartwright says. "This is a good wake up call." His comments came during a speech at the National Space Symposium here Apr. 12.

The debris field left by the interceptor's collision with an aging Chinese weather satellite continues to orbit Earth above the paths followed by satellites in low-Earth orbit. National Reconnaissance Office Director Donald Kerr says it has not affected any of his satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley says the launch system used by the Chinese incorporated a mobile platform, displaying a worrisome level of flexibility on the part of this potential adversary. The two earlier attempts also used a mobile launch system, the intelligence official added.

Meanwhile, U.S. missile defenses continue to develop. Last year, during N. Korea's salvo of ballistic missile firings, the U.S. enacted an unprecedented shift of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system to an alert for about 90 straight days, Cartwright says. Operators at Strategic command manned the system on alert status during the period around the test, and U.S. officials had warning the test would occur before it took place.

The system, being developed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), can shift from operational status to a test mode when needed. In testing mode, MDA can experiment new software modes that haven't been proven. But, when shifted to an operational status the system is reverted to its last validated configuration.