Chinese military drill
China’s Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology (NINT) is operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This is the institute where research on nuclear weapons would be done for the country. A paper has been published by this institute this month. Researchers have been quoted by the South China Morning Post as saying that an advanced computer model developed specifically to see the effects of nuclear weapons at different altitudes has been prepared.
According to researchers, due to the blast, the particles present in the air can be converted into radioactive elements. After this these particles form clouds. According to the researchers, a 10-megaton weapon can be so dangerous that it explodes at an altitude of 80 km. It was a kind of drill in which Chinese military scientists tested anti-satellite weapons.
Radioactive cloud will become a threat
The radioactive cloud formed in the blast that took place close to space is equal to New York in size. According to scientist Liu Li and his colleagues, the clouds formed in this type of blast are visible from a pear. On October 15, this research was released in the journal Nuclear Techniques. Within five minutes, this cloud can reach a height of 500 km from the earth. Also covers an area of 140,000 square kilometers.
Liu’s team notes that there have been several computer simulations before that have studied the use of nuclear anti-satellite weapons in space. However, a nuclear explosion in space would not produce more clouds due to the absence of air.
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dangerous cloud network
According to Lew and his colleagues, the particles of energy produced by the explosion of the cloud capture the earth. These particles form the radioactive belt. This belt can be a big threat to any spacecraft. Also, due to this belt, nuclear weapons will become inactive and there will be a big threat to satellites. According to Liu’s team, gamma rays and beta particles are strong in the cloud. This affects the spacecraft and communication. The cloud rises above the earth at a speed of 2.3 kilometers per second. This creates a network of clouds against those satellites.
Chinese army scared of Starlinks
China is believed to be using anti-nuclear satellite weapons against the Starlink satellites. One such anti-nuclear weapon could be approved by the Chinese military to destroy Starlink satellites located in low-Earth orbit. The Chinese military sees Starlink as a major threat to itself. In May this year itself, concerns were expressed by the Chinese military about the dangers associated with the Starlink satellite internet system. The PLA believes that Starlinks can be used by the US military to influence outer space.
