US Satellites Dodging Chinese Missile Debris

GSGKT writes "Today's Washington Times runs a story about the increasing problem with space junk orbiting the earth. Debris from the anti-satellite missile test by the Chinese military last year threatens the integrity of more than 800 operating satellites, half of them belonging to the US. Two orbiting U.S. spacecraft were forced to change course to avoid being damaged soon after the incident. Air Force Brig. Gen. Ted Kresge, director of air, space and information operations at the Air Force Space Command in Colorado, estimates that "essentially (Chinese anti-satellite tests) increase the amount of space debris orbiting the Earth by about 20 percent", and the debris might threaten spacecraft for up to 100 years."

Well

[Icarus1919]

On the other hand, it looks like the missiles really do work.

Well? What would you expect from Xeonphobes?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's just their way of building the Great Spacewall of China.

Re:Huh?

[palegray.net]

Aw crap, somebody read the article :).

...so?

[Timothy Brownawell]

Send someone up with a really big vacuum cleaner.

Re:Huh?

[Skuldo]

Someone had to :p

That's a laugh!

[gbutler69]

North America does not *need* China in any sense of the word. That is a complete fallacy. We could cease all trade with China tomorrow and we would be perfectly fine. In fact, we'd probably be better off. Don't start in about all the "goods" we'd be missing. So what! We'd make 'em here. They'd be more expensive, but, that'd be a good thing. By the way, this WILL happen. As the oil reserves in the world dwindle, all nations will increasingly turn inward. Sorry to say it, but all the "international trade" and talk about "free trade" is economic voodoo! It's about to get UGLY! Real UGLY! Prepare for feudal times! By the way, this means the decline of human civilization and our inevitable extinction from this Galaxy. Free Trad, Schmree Trad. It won't matter one bit!

Re:Well? What would you expect from Xeonphobes?

[palegray.net]

They're afraid of Intel microprocessors [wikipedia.org]? Damn, that's odd...

Where's the news?

[Opportunist]

USA threatened by Chinese junk.

Oh, that it's now also in space? That's the news here, I guess?

Re:...so?

[Opportunist]

That's the joke, duh. Vacuum cleaner. Get it? Like, not a "vacuum cleaner", but someone cleaning the vacu...

Never mind, no joke gets better by explaining it.

Re:Right when the Chinese dump junk in space:

[Opportunist]

You've seen enough Ninja movies haven't you?

Let them come. According to the RIAA we got way more than enough pirates to handle them. Yarr!

Re:...so?

[LordKronos]

You mean like Mega Maid?

Re:...so?

[maltwhiskman]

This is all about nothing.

Re:I'll add this

[Anonymous Coward]

foot shortages,

Talk about a crippling legacy!

Re:SanctionThem?

[NoMaster]

"Spreading democracy" my ass.

Yup. What the US practices is more like "Spread your ass" democracy.