Security News > 2022 > May > Beijing needs the ability to 'destroy' Starlink, say Chinese researchers

A researcher from the Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications advocated for Chinese military capability to take out Starlink satellites on the grounds of national security in a peer-reviewed domestic journal.

According to the South China Morning Post, lead author Ren Yuanzhen and colleagues advocated in Modern Defence Technology not only for China to develop anti-satellite capabilities, but also to have a surveillance system that could monitor and track all satellites in Starlink's constellation.

The authors also expressed concern over the ability of Starlink satellites to quickly change orbits via ion thrusters as an offensive move, or for military payloads to be disguised as Starlink machines and sent into orbit undetected.

Unfortunately for the researchers, with 2,400 satellites in orbit, taking out Starlink would be quite difficult to accomplish as the system is extensive enough to continue working even with some satellites missing.

Starlink assisted Ukraine with connectivity after a suspected cyberattack took out the previous satellite service amid Russian military aggression.

Should China take down Starlink, there are more satellite broadband systems to follow.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/05/25/beijing_starlink_takedown/