IMAGES COURTESY OF NASA, NORAD, US ARMY, USAF, DOD
DEEP T BLACK Espionage
War in Space
he launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union in 1957 marked the beginning of a superpower rivalry with the United States that lasted throughout the Cold War. Both Moscow and Washington recognised the value and significance of space. Since then, hundreds of satellites have been launched for military and civilian scientific exploration. However, no longer do the two nations compete to provide a “three minute warning”, or seek to destroy relative missile launching sites - at least for now.
A USAF officer runs through a checklist during Global Positioning System satellite operations. This operations centre in Colorado controls a constellation of 29 orbiting satellites that provides navigation data to military and civilian users worldwide. The implications of satellite disruption are obvious
The new threat is an emerging one, and an unqualified puzzle that now sees analysts across the world scrambling for answers. In the last two
Air Traffic Control - Flights
Emergency Services
GPS - Vehicle Navigation
NASA
Power
Maritime Navigation
© EDMONDS.COM
' NYCEM
Comms
ALL AT RISK IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE EYE SPY
Preparing for a Space Pearl Harbour 20
A covert black programme is already being enabled to ensure the safety of “friendly satellites” E Y E
S P Y
I S S U E
3 7,
2 0 0 5/6
E Y E
S P Y
I S S U E
3 7,
2 0 0 5/6
decades, the revolution in computers and telecommunications has resulted in a new element in the space arena: commercial utilization. Miniaturisation, efficient power sources and growth in computing power has made smaller satellites possible and thus affordable to many countries. In a world free of suspicion and reason, this new technology would be hailed as a breakthrough, but dig ever so slightly beneath the surface and you will find a very different scenario. “Deep Black” has suddenly assumed a different meaning. Many nations are now launching satellites or planning for future programmes. Innocent university studies are driving private industry and photographs taken of previously top secret sites appear regularly. Satellites can now be “driven” to different locations in space and emerging
technology is augmenting a plethora of systems built for new industries. Most satellites are launched to provide communications data, traffic and travel guidance, help in scientific discovery or weather monitoring, but the modus operandi of others are less than transparent. Even nations such as Iran are joining the ‘space race’, but some intelligence watchers believe rogue satellites blanketed in seemingly benevolent programmes are now orbiting Earth. Forecasters predict these will pose an enormous threat to the intelligence and defence world in future days. Thus it was inevitable countermeasures by the USA, Russia and at least three other nations are rapidly being discussed. Fears were raised that the neutrality of space was nearing its end in January
21