The United States is seeking to build a spy base in the United Kingdom to probe deep space and spot any attempts by states such as Russia or China to attack vital satellites orbiting Earth.
Using radar technology that can identify an object the size of a soccer ball up to 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers), the facility would also be able to search for less sinister, but equally damaging, space debris. , which can also shatter satellites if they collide.
A US Space Force officer said the concept is to build three radar bases around the world, potentially one in Scotland or southern England.
The other two sites are expected to be in the US state of Texas and Australia. The goal is for the first base to be operational by 2025.
“This is necessary because we want to maintain chain of custody of targets that could threaten our systems in geosynchronous orbit,” Lt. Col. Jack Walker told Sky News.
“It could be satellites or just rocket body debris from other launches.”
He was speaking at the US Space And Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles during a visit from Ben Wallace, the British Secretary of Defense, and two British military leaders.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, Chief of the Royal Air Force, gave an idea of threats in space, with some countries developing lasers that can be fired from Earth at orbiting targets, or hostile satellites deliberately moved in the path of others.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace (right) is on a week-long visit to the United States. Photo: US Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center
“I would say we need to prepare for the defense potential of our critical infrastructure in space,” he told Sky News.
“Right now there are countries like Russia and China that are doing things, developing systems that are… a threat to the satellites we rely on in our day to day lives.”
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-07-16 19:13:00
