This is really fascinating if anyone is willing to take a minute to absorb what is being described here. This is a U.S. spy satellite designed to fly within sight of satellites from other countries so close it literally 'gets eyes' on it. Within 50 miles, which is very close in space terms. And then the other country (China) realizing what's going on and taking evasive maneuvers. But this isn't taking place in low Earth orbit just a hundred miles, or so, above our heads. This is taking place in geosynchronous orbit, 22,500 miles out into space. So far out that a satellite maintains its same position over the Earth as it rotates (thus the geosynchronous moniker).

China’s Shijian-21 towed dead satellite to a high graveyard orbit (space4peace.org)

USA 270, Chinese Shiyan-12 encounter

At the same time as orbital servicing and space tug tests, countries are also engaging in increasing counterspace activities. While China is able to conduct precise operations all the way up at GEO with satellites while receiving active signals, the country also has advanced levels of SSA, as evidenced by activity detected during a close encounter of American and Chinese satellites.

COMSPOC notes that this month USA 270, a U.S. satellite, neared a pair of new Chinese technology test satellites, Shiyan-12 (01) and (02), as it drifted East just below the GEO belt during its operations.

“As you can see, as that [USA 270] satellite gets close, and does a maneuver in the vicinity of these two Chinese satellites, within a matter of two days, the Chinese satellites are on the move,” says Jim Cooper, lead for SSA solutions with COMSPOC.

“China has clearly been monitoring this satellite as it approaches; they’ve seen what the U.S. has done to maneuver, in a way that potentially could impact their satellites.

“They processed that; they understood it. And they effectively planned and executed a mitigation strategy around that U.S. satellite,” Cooper says, seeing both of these satellites leave the area in synchronicity to get away from that U.S. satellite.



https://youtu.be/G--70E8nc7Y

“What we’re showing here is counterspace technology. So, they’re kind of employing a tactic, technique [and] procedure, or TTP, as it’s known by the U.S. Department of Defense, and are showing that they’ve got the exquisite, timely and responsive SSA to understand events that are unfolding.”

The closest approach between the U.S. and one of the Chinese satellites was around 73 kilometers, according to COMSPOC. Not close enough to threaten a potential collision, but enough for one party to decide if it wanted to leave the vicinity to avoid potential intelligence gathering or other activities by the other.

Such close approaches are not forbidden by existing space legislation but indicate a context of growing counterspace activity among major space powers.

“It’s happening more frequently,” says Cooper. “So this is the kind of thing that, going back three years, four years ago, did not happen.

“Over the past several years, we are starting to see these types of scenarios play out more where other countries are approaching and trying to do things around other countries’ satellites. And then we’re seeing those other countries’ satellites react to that situation and do something about it.”

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