If satellites also have certain early warning and defense capabilities, wouldn't these anti-satellite weapons lose their effectiveness?
Generally speaking, there are four types of anti-satellite weapons: co-orbital, direct ascent, directed energy and electromagnetic interference.
The so-called co-orbital satellite is actually an anti-satellite satellite. It may sound confusing, but it is indeed an anti-satellite satellite. After this kind of satellite is launched, it will change its orbit to the same orbit as the target satellite, and then use its own thrusters to accelerate and approach the satellite, and then use its own kill warhead to generate an explosion and destroy the target satellite.
This kind of anti-satellite satellite is actually a specially developed orbital suicide satellite. They can be launched in advance and deployed in space orbit, or they can be launched at any time when needed, maneuver toward the target orbit, approach the target satellite, and then destroy the target satellite.
The direct-ascent missile is actually an anti-satellite missile. This is the current focus of research in various countries. It is also the first anti-satellite weapon that has begun to be installed and has successfully conducted multiple satellite interception tests.
Its principle is actually very simple. It is an anti-aircraft missile, but it is a large anti-aircraft missile. To a certain extent, it is actually similar to light launch vehicles and solid fuel launch vehicles. It can also be improved from some strategic-level missile bodies.
It is characterized by rapid launch and direct, effective, accurate and reliable attack methods. Can carry out precise attacks on satellites in medium and low orbits. The entire attack process is actually similar to launching a satellite, except that the satellite is turned into the warhead of the missile.
It will go straight to the satellite in orbit, and then explode through impact, destroying the target satellite.
As for the directed energy type, it is actually a laser weapon, which is also called a directed energy weapon. To put it simply, it uses high-power laser irradiation to burn the satellite. At present, there are not many countries that use lasers for anti-satellite implementation, and not everyone has the strength in this area.
The methods used are mainly divided into three types. The first type is the road-based laser anti-satellite system, which uses high-power road-based lasers to illuminate satellites in orbit, thereby burning the target satellites.
It's just that the ground is too far away from space and is easily affected by weather conditions. For example, if the clouds are too thick, it is not suitable for using laser weapons, because the moisture in the thick clouds will refract the laser beam and reduce its energy.
Moreover, land laser weapons require a large amount of electrical energy and are generally fixed in one position, making them easily detectable by the enemy. By changing orbit, the satellite can avoid this area and avoid being illuminated by the laser beam.
So on this basis, some countries have developed airborne laser anti-satellite weapon systems. Some aircraft with high-altitude flight capabilities, such as transport aircraft, modified passenger aircraft, high-altitude drones, etc., are equipped with laser anti-satellite weapon systems, which can illuminate target satellites at an altitude of more than 20,000 meters, and can better burn target satellites. .
And because the airborne laser anti-satellite weapon system is mounted on an aircraft, it basically flies at an altitude of more than 20,000 meters. It has left the troposphere and reached the stratosphere, so it is not affected by clouds and weather conditions.
In addition, because it is mounted on an aircraft, it is more maneuverable and flexible, allowing it to better track these target satellites and then destroy them.
However, the airborne laser anti-satellite weapon system cannot be particularly powerful due to aircraft load and volume limitations, so the lethality of its laser beam is limited.
After summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of the previous two laser weapons, scientists installed the laser anti-satellite weapon system on satellites or other spacecraft, allowing these spacecraft to fly in space orbits.
In this way, also in space, the distance will be closer. And because it is in space, the light will not be attenuated, nor will it be affected by the scattering of molecules in the air. Therefore, laser beam weapons in space are more capable and more lethal.
And because laser weapons are deployed on satellites or spacecraft and fly in space orbit, they are more flexible and can attack targets quickly.
It seems that laser anti-satellite weapons are very powerful, but they also have great limitations. In particular, it seems that some important satellites will be designed in this area, such as adding reflective and heat-insulating materials to cope with the high temperatures generated by laser irradiation.
In fact, all satellite surface materials are made of thermal insulation materials, which can also adapt to higher temperatures. Coupled with the special design for laser irradiation, these important satellites will not suffer major damage even if they are exposed to laser irradiation.
And the orbiting speed of these satellites is very fast, 7.9 kilometers per second, which is 478 kilometers per minute. Therefore, it is very difficult for the laser to track the irradiation.
Therefore, although all major powers are currently developing this type of laser anti-satellite weapon, no laser anti-satellite experiment in this area has yet been announced, and the specifics are not known.
However, judging from the current signs, this type of laser anti-satellite weapon should not have been officially put into equipment application.
As for the fourth type of electromagnetic interference, this is actually very clear, which is to use strong electromagnetic waves to interfere with these satellites or even use gun electromagnetic waves to destroy some electronic components inside these satellites.
To put it simply, modern satellite communications rely on electromagnetic waves. If they can be interfered with and suppressed, these satellites will lose their effectiveness. Even under the irradiation of strong electromagnetic waves, some components inside the satellite will be damaged, causing the function of the entire satellite to be affected or even paralyzed.
Considering the distance factor, this type of method can basically only interfere with satellite communications, and it is difficult to actually affect the satellite. Moreover, interference is also regional, and it is impossible to achieve global interference, so its effect is limited.
So currently, the most important anti-satellite modes are mainly the first two types of hard kill. The latter two soft-kill methods are currently not prominent due to limitations of various factors.
In this way, as long as a country's national strength and military strength reach a certain level, anti-satellite weapons must be what they are pursuing. This is also true. These military powers in the world are actually developing anti-satellite weapons, but the progress is different.
Because of this, many people are very worried. Maybe because of a war, the whole world may have to go back a hundred years. Because when the war just started, the satellites in space had already been seized by the other side.
The absence of satellites means that the radio, television, and satellite navigation communications in our daily lives will disappear, which will have a huge impact on mankind.
