The situation is dire for the US space initiative, said a space and security expert who warned that US policymakers are falling short. Sending up three Chinese astronauts to an unfinished space station signals a challenge for the US space administration.
Above and beyond the confines of earth
According to Brandon Weichert, author of "Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower," during an interview with NTD last June 19," The very first thing the Chinese will do to win the fight in a space war against the Americans would be to take out or impair our satellites in a space Pearl Harbor."
He added that the US is ill-prepared to take the fight into space and he believes that it is not prepared to defend or strike back.
Managing the thrust of the CCP in their space program is the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO). The CMSEO is controlled by the Central Military Commission (CMC), which is then overseen by the Chinese Military, reported the Epoch Times.
The CMSEO is headed by Hao Chun, but the manned space program is controlled by Gen. Li Shangfu, the department boss of the CMC.
China's space technology
The Chinese manned space program is difficult to separate from its military counterpart. Three of the Chinese astronauts are part of the Chinese air force. They are Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo. Read also: US Space Force Just Launched a Tactical Satellite After 21-Day Deadline
These three ex-air force members will be staying on the Chinese space station for 90 days, which is the longest stay for Chinese in space since 2003. Tiangong, the space station, will be upgraded with modules next year in 2022.
The International Space Station (ISS) was launched in 1998 and is a joint partnership with the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, and other member nations of the European Space Agency. China was banned from 2011, after doubts about the intention of the Chinese leadership.
The ban is highlighted by a US law that prevents NASA from working with entities from the People's Republic of China (PRC) due to security concerns. The mistrust and stems from an incident in January 2007 when China deployed an anti-satellite missile at one of its inactive weather satellites, causing international worry
Weichert focused on two technologies by the CCP that can knock out a US satellite. One of them is a huge robotic arm that is 30 feet long and can carry 20 tons. It is connected to the orbiting space station.
He added, cited Toys Matrix, "During peacetime, the arm can be used to dock ships onto the space station. In war, it can be manipulated to grab satellites or push them from orbit to wreck them."
Another piece of technology that concerns Weichert is the presence of lasers on the Tiangong. The lasers for clearing space debris, Weichert is concerned it can shoot at other satellites to damage it severely. In 2018, a study concerning laser technology was published that served as inspiration for placing it on the station.
Weichert's interview gives insight into how this US expert fears the advancing Chinese space program can possibly give Beijing the upper hand.
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