Air Marshal M Matheswaran (Retd) AVSM VM PhD

Air Marshal M Matheswaran (Retd) AVSM VM PhD
• “Security” is a controversial concept.
• State ‐ National Security ‐ IS
•“ the combined ability of the country to pursue the development of internal life without serious interference, or threat of interference, from foreign powers”.
•Resources – Dependency ‐ Vulnerability
…while some might view that space can be kept a weapons‐free sanctuary free of military systems, history tells us that each time new technological opportunities present themselves, nations invariably employ them to avoid being placed in an inferior position.” (Orr)
Technology Development – Air and Space Integration – Space economy.
Terrestrial activities – Space dependency
• Leo: 100‐1500: Telecom, Imaging, Nav, Radio Int,Met
• Meo: 19000‐20000: Nav, Imaging, Telecom.
• Geo: 35,786: Missile Wg Systems, Radio Int, Telecom
• High‐Earth (Elliptical): 450,000‐930,000: Nav, Missile Wg Sys, Radio Int, Telecom.
• Human activity in “near Space” : 900 operating spacecraft – 48% in Geo, 36% Leo, 10% in High elliptical, 6% in Meo. Most (70%) on either military or dual use missions
• ISTAR
•Command & Control, NCW
•Space Surveillance Network
•ABM and BMD
•Launch and Orbital Capability vs Orbital crowding
•Primacy and Priority
• Chinese ASAT 2007 : 960 kg Fengyin – 1C weather satellite destroyed by Chinese mid‐range missile at 864 alt.
• 2,500 particles of debris – 10cm and above
• SSN: 12,851 particles in near earth
• 7% were functioning spacecraft (900), remainder space junk: non‐functioning satellites, spent orbital stages, objects associated with mission programs (53%), and debris fragments (40%). Only 10 cm or above catalogued.
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• Increasing Space dependency – Civil & Military
• Changing nature of war
• Great powers & Space faring nations & Power Politics
• Technology and Control
• Threats and Vulnerabilities
• Space laws and national Security
• Primacy of national Interests
• Security and Global Commons Approach
• Choices for India – Strategy & Structures