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Space Invaders in the Real World
By Hwaa Irfan 26/09/2001
Note: This article has been revised from its original format by the Science and Health section editor to pertain to the recent traumatic events in the United States.
"Failure to continue to dominate space," warned former CIA chief James Schlesinger, "will mean the downfall of the U.S. as a world power…Our position depends on space, space sensors, space communications, space intelligence and also, guiding our weapons accurately from space…"(Waller, p.3, 5).
In light of the Tuesday September 11 attacks on the U.S., this statement - made more than a month ago - may now hold an even stronger meaning for some people. However, for others, it is just one more way that the world spends money on fear instead of hope. While a comprehensive space defense system would protect and guard the globe in some ways, it would be useless in attacks such as those carried out on the WTC. In addition, the system would have a high impact on the environment and would need a defense system if its own.
Just last month, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a suit in federal court for the District of Columbia to force the U.S. Defense Departments' hand on "Star Wars." They called for new environmental impact statements on missile defense activities before carrying out new tests. The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization wants to build a Missile Defense System "test bed" from Alaska and the Marshall Islands to Hawaii and California to allow for tests on a multi-layered defense system of ground and sea based radars and space-based heat sensing satellites.
The suit identifies the new missile defense program as being inadequate environmentally, as it is reliant on the previous Clinton plan. Test rocket launches would admit large quantities of ozone-depleting chemicals into the atmosphere, including solvents and other explosive chemical compounds. Space debris from interception tests could collide with satellites and powerful new missile tracking radars and would emit hazardous electromagnetic radiation (Lazaroff, p.1, 2).
In addition, the "Star Wars" defense system would also need a defense system of its own. Current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, chaired a report to Congress in January 2001 warning that the 600 satellites the U.S. military depends on for photoreconnaissance, targeting, communications, weather forecasting, early warning and intelligence gathering are vulnerable to attack (Broder, p.2, 3).
The current "Star Wars" system also has too many "gaps" to function optimally. It would be useless in another attack such as that carried out on the World Trade Center and Pentagon two weeks ago and it is often unable to detect many major security events.
There is currently a backup system in place in the form of U.S. Naval ships (Ricks, p.27) - used to fill in the gaps left by the constellation of U.S. spy satellites because satellites cannot be overhead all the time. However, even those could not detect the 1998 Indian nuclear weapons tests because they were carried out, undetected, by the use of fiber optic lines (Broder, p.4).
However, despite the limits and environmental impact of the "Star Wars" program, the militarization of space has remained a popular idea since it was born during the period 1960 - 1972, when the Soviet Union built its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites. Increased defense systems have been multiplying like rabbits ever since. Since the Vietnam War, the possession of nuclear weapons has grown from four to over six nations, the construction of plutonium reprocessing facilities increased in Israel, the Cuban missile crisis has occurred, the detonation of the first Chinese atomic weapon has taken place, and the six -Day war in the Middle East was fought (Brugioni, p.56). During this time an increased American defense system has amassed:
1. A satellite went into orbit to monitor specific sites and detect infrared light.
2. Ground-based radar and space-based infrared detection systems have been put in place to track incoming missiles.
3. A battle management center to order the launch of a ground-based interceptor to destroy the attacking missile halfway to its target is operational.
Submarines and a variety of antenna ground systems give additional U.S. defense system support. The U.S. military has a network of new satellites, eavesdropping stations, and radar and listening posts around the world. New capabilities are in progress in South America, South Asia and Africa. Sites include Botswana - a base for an Air Force Technical Applications Center charged with monitoring seismic data for signs of nuclear tests. Also in place are:
1. Anti-drug sites in Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Bermuda, Peru and Columbia.
2. U.S. intelligence units in Ethiopia, Eritrea and China (along the Russian border).
3. Air Force Space Command base in Greenland.
4. Army missile Ranges in Pakistan and Peru and anti-drug intelligence posts (Moran, p.2)
The success of the current system is often "shown-off" in tests around the world. There were five days of "war games" that took place earlier this year in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. During these "games" micro-satellites that shadowed the enemy's satellites - neutralizing them by blocking their view and jamming their signals or melting their circuitry with lasers - were deployed (Broder, p.1).
Although such highly sophisticated technology may impress some people, it can also give people a false sense of security. Many Americans, until the attack on their land, believed they were safely protected by the American defense system. However, recent events have brought to light even more that it is only God that can protect us from evil.
Sources:
Broder, Jonanthan. "Forward March…into Space." MSNBC. 05/02.01.
Brugioni, Dino, A. "The Art and Science of Photreconnaisance." Scientific America. 274:3(1996)56.
Lazaroff, Cat. "Star Wars Plan Violates Environmental Laws, Suit Charges." Environment. The Lycos. Network. 08/30/01.
Moran, Michael. "Americas Global Embrace." MSNBC. 05/02/01.
Ricks, Thomas, E. "Chinas' Anger Over Flights Was Ignored." Guardian Weekly. April (2001) 27.
Tabatabai, Muhammad, H. "Al-Mizan: An Exegesis of the Qur'an." WOFIS. Iran.
Waller, Michael. "Militarizing Space." Insight. March 01. 1-5.
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