[Popular Science of Chinese Military Technology] What was the first “hidden killer” planted by humans in space like?

After the launch of the first artificial satellites in the late 1950s, the United States and the Soviet Union, which had the highest level of aerospace technology during the Cold War, naturally began to think about military artificial satellites and corresponding countermeasures. After a series of not very successful high-altitude nuclear tests and nuclear warhead anti-satellite weapons, scientists finally embarked on the path of "anti-satellite satellites".

Dance on Track

Compared with the common military and civilian satellites today, the "pioneers" in the late 1950s did not have the ability to change their orbits independently. The first batch of artificial satellites were mainly for exploration purposes, and the technology was quite immature. Under the leadership of Academician Chelomei of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, OKB-52 began to try to enable satellites to have the ability to independently change the plane and altitude of their orbits. As a countermeasure to the US experimental "Corona" reconnaissance satellite and "Bold Orion" anti-satellite missile, this plan was added to the anti-satellite defense system project in 1961 and officially entered the development process as an anti-satellite weapon.

Pictured: A modern high-definition reconstruction of the "Flight" No. 1 image (Source: External Internet data)

Unlike the use of the EMP effect of high-altitude nuclear explosions to achieve killing, the Soviet Union's "anti-satellite satellite" hopes to achieve the destruction of the target in a more "non-polluting" way. Although the release of a large number of fragments will still seriously hinder other spacecraft in similar orbits, compared with the radioactive dust belt that can cause serious collateral damage as long as it gets close, the fragments of conventional killing methods only have impact damage, which is easier to solve by avoiding dangerous orbits, and the probability of accidentally injuring one's own units is greatly reduced. However, the accuracy required for conventional killing methods is amazing. Unlike aircraft in the atmosphere that conduct air combat based on target altitude and speed, spacecraft in orbit rely more on accelerated orbit changes rather than vertical maneuvers to increase their orbital altitude. It was a huge problem for electronic technology in the 1960s to allow the attacking satellite to enter the killing range of the target satellite or even directly intersect.

Soviet scientists conducted extensive experiments and eventually developed a complex but effective control logic based on the electronic technology of the 1960s: the main control of the satellite is carried out by the ground, and the ground control station commands the orbit change according to the status of the target satellite. At a closer distance, the electronic technology at that time did not support high-resolution television image transmission. Scientists installed a complete set of radars and built-in computers for the satellite to completely break away from ground control at the end. After the radar finds the target, it locks and independently completes the killing. Unlike aircraft in the atmosphere, which always need to consider ground echo interference radar search, the "sky" radar on the satellite will hardly be interfered by any clutter, and the target interception is very clear. Even without using Doppler radar, a good locking effect can be obtained. After the position of the target satellite is clear, the satellite's built-in computer will calculate the impact course, and use the rocket engine to quickly approach and release fragments for killing when the distance is appropriate.

Pictured: 5mm steel balls used as lethal fragments (Photo source: NetEase)

In 1963, the Soviet Union launched its first satellite capable of changing orbits, becoming the first spacecraft in human history to have the ability to change orbits independently. The project series of satellites was named "Flight" and fully tested its ability to change orbits in 1963, proving its ability to become an anti-satellite weapon. The project was eventually called the "Satellite Fighter."

Spear and Shield

In order to meet the development needs of the "satellite fighter" project, the Soviet Union must have enough "target" satellites for experiments to ensure that the "satellite fighter" has complete combat effectiveness. Before this, most of the anti-satellite weapon experiments of the United States and the Soviet Union did not install complete warheads, let alone actual combat tests to destroy specific targets. In order to meet the needs of the test, scientists developed the world's first "armored satellite". In order to ensure that it can withstand multiple attacks from the "satellite fighter", a steel armor protective layer is used to protect the internal instruments. The armored satellite was named "Tulip". It can detect and discover the lethal fragments released by the "satellite fighter", can withstand attacks from three "satellite fighters", and has the ability to change orbits to maintain orbit, making it an excellent target. The first "Tulip" armored target satellite was launched in 1971 and was eventually destroyed by the "satellite fighter" in the same year, achieving the first purposeful and targeted anti-satellite weapon test in human history.

Pictured: The unlaunched Diamond Space Station (Photo source: NetEase)

As a concern for the advancement of American space technology and possible anti-satellite capabilities, Soviet scientists proposed a space station project that would use artillery to attack satellites or defend themselves at the same time. Compared to the "satellite fighter", this project allows personnel to stay in orbit and operate spacecraft, with higher operational accuracy and reliability. At the same time, an armed space station equipped with artillery is not a disposable weapon. It can be reused and can also be used for ground reconnaissance and photography missions, which is more worth looking forward to in terms of economic cost. Scientists simply and crudely fixed a set of 23mm aircraft cannons on the space station, and this project was called "Diamond". The "Diamond" plan developed in parallel with the "Salute" space station. After the successful deployment of the "Salute" 1 space station in 1971, the "Diamond" 1, which was also the "Salute" 2, was launched in 1973, but was eventually abandoned due to pressure leaks. In 1974, Almaz 2, also known as Salyut 3, finally entered orbit successfully, and in 1975, it fired a 23mm cannon at a target under remote control, becoming the first weapon to be launched in space.

Compared with today's highly developed electronic technology, the development of anti-satellite weapons during the Cold War was a difficult process. From the earliest nuclear anti-satellite weapons to the Soviet Union's conventional anti-satellite weapon attempts, all of them were engineering miracles. In the absence of digital circuits and advanced computers, scientists squeezed out every bit of available technology and used "simple and crude" and sophisticated engineering and automated control designs to achieve astonishing space weapon systems. Among them, the "Satellite Fighter" project was used until 1993, and the "Diamond" project directly led to more advanced space weapon platforms later, leaving its mark in the history of human space exploration.

About the author: Huang Tian, ​​a media worker, mainly engaged in military and science-related media work, has long studied the development of Cold War military technology

Produced by: Popular Science of Chinese Military Technology

Producer: Guangming Online Science Department

Author: Huang Tian (Caidongqing Science and Technology Innovation Team)

Review expert: Liu Xiaofeng (senior military science writer)

Planning: Jin He