China Hints it Stuck Time Bombs on U.S. Satellites

HONG KONG — China has developed a space weapon that can creep into the tailpipes of enemy satellites, where it would grab on and hide, waiting for the right time to blow up. Here are the details:


The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese scientists say they’ve created a space weapon that attaches itself to the inside of an enemy satellite’s booster exhaust cone.


The scientists published their weapon research in the Chinese journal Electronic Technology & Software Engineering in September. They say that the weapon is designed to fit snugly in the exhaust cones of the gas boosters that move satellites around.


The device weighs only 3.5 kilograms and — once it has entered the exhaust cone — would use an electric motor to extend a thin probe that can pass through the narrowest part of the booster.


Once inside the booster chamber, the probe would expand to keep the device firmly attached and hidden inside the exhaust cone. The device can then wait for a long time before it detonates a special melt-cast explosive that burns slowly, simulating an engine malfunction and severely damaging the satellite.


The scientists say the probe’s attachment sequence can also be reversed to release the weapon from the target.


The South China Morning Post says the U.S. military has already voiced concerns about China’s Shijian-17, an experimental probe with a robotic arm that has conducted some unusual maneuvers since its launch in 2016.