U.S. satellites increasingly vulnerable to China’s ground- based lasers
- Analysts have identified five Chinese laser bases
- China also has several satellite laser ranging stations
- A 1-watt laser has 1 in 1,000 chance to permanently damage a sensor; A 40-watt laser doubles the odds.
- To Damage a satellite’s optical elements (pixels and filters) an anti- satellite laser must be located ~10 kilometers of intended target.
- SPACECOM & NRO to develop a “playbook” to protect US imagery “We’re pretty comfortable [in asserting] that they are developing directed energy weapons-probably building lasers to blind our satellites”-General Jay Raymond 1 Oct 2019
