India tested the ASAT system on March 27 - 2019. The aim being to destroy enemy satellite systems in the case of a war.
Given India's current space capabilities, why just stick to defensive weapons?
Why not have MIRVs loaded in a satellite and station them on a country - Spy Satellite on steroids!
Common rebuttal is, this will start a space war, others will do it to us as well. The same holds true for nukes and BMs and ICBMs. Those exist!
If such stuff exist, I feel countries will be more careful doing stupid stuff. A great weapon is that which prevents a war from happening.
However, if done right, there are a number of advantages -
1) Guaranteed Second Strike capabilities (Payload is nuclear) -
Enemy ASAT systems can take it out - sure, but if we have a bunch of satellites circling a country, distinguishing is difficult. One has to try and take out all of them which is not possible. Also, it can have the capability to defend itself against a strike (not totally impossible I feel).
2) Easily deployable precision fire power -
(Payload is non-nuclear)
Satellite imagery acts as a major source of intel, wouldn't it be super nice to have the capability to take a target out without firing missiles or sending jets and so on?
Example - Take the Balakote situation, that mission could have been undertaken with so much simplicity.
ISRO and DRDO can definitely collaborate and come up with such a system. So, why is not being done? I am curious about the reasons. Are they -
1) Prohibitive cost, and/or not worth the cost?
2) Maintenance/performance issues?
3) Political - May act as a provocation and start space arms race.
4) Absolute Sci-Fi level thought process and tech has not matured for such stuff, atleast in our country?
5) May be being discussed and developed in some dark DRDO room somewhere?
6) Security issues like malfunction which can cause a catastrophic situation? Again possible to prevent?
I was just thinking of this - might be extremely childish and stupid idea, but want to know the pros and cons and others see it.
Given India's current space capabilities, why just stick to defensive weapons?
Why not have MIRVs loaded in a satellite and station them on a country - Spy Satellite on steroids!
Common rebuttal is, this will start a space war, others will do it to us as well. The same holds true for nukes and BMs and ICBMs. Those exist!
If such stuff exist, I feel countries will be more careful doing stupid stuff. A great weapon is that which prevents a war from happening.
However, if done right, there are a number of advantages -
1) Guaranteed Second Strike capabilities (Payload is nuclear) -
Enemy ASAT systems can take it out - sure, but if we have a bunch of satellites circling a country, distinguishing is difficult. One has to try and take out all of them which is not possible. Also, it can have the capability to defend itself against a strike (not totally impossible I feel).
2) Easily deployable precision fire power -
(Payload is non-nuclear)
Satellite imagery acts as a major source of intel, wouldn't it be super nice to have the capability to take a target out without firing missiles or sending jets and so on?
Example - Take the Balakote situation, that mission could have been undertaken with so much simplicity.
ISRO and DRDO can definitely collaborate and come up with such a system. So, why is not being done? I am curious about the reasons. Are they -
1) Prohibitive cost, and/or not worth the cost?
2) Maintenance/performance issues?
3) Political - May act as a provocation and start space arms race.
4) Absolute Sci-Fi level thought process and tech has not matured for such stuff, atleast in our country?
5) May be being discussed and developed in some dark DRDO room somewhere?
6) Security issues like malfunction which can cause a catastrophic situation? Again possible to prevent?
I was just thinking of this - might be extremely childish and stupid idea, but want to know the pros and cons and others see it.