DATE= 10/2/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-220751
TITLE=U-S LASER TEST (L)
BYLINE=REBECCA MCMENAMIN
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN HAS GIVEN APPROVAL
FOR A CONTROVERSIAL EXPERIMENT IN WHICH A GROUND-BASED LASER WILL
BE FIRED AT AN ORBITING U-S AIR FORCE SATELLITE. REBECCA
MCMENAMIN REPORTS THAT WHILE THE PENTAGON VIEWS THE TEST AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT VITAL DATA -- SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AS
WELL AS ARMS CONTROL ADVOCATES, ARE NOT PLEASED.
TEXT: THE LASER EXPERIMENT IS TO BE CONDUCTED WITHIN DAYS,
WEATHER PERMITTING. IN WHAT WILL BE THE FIRST TEST OF ITS KIND,
U-S FORCES IN THE WESTERN STATE OF NEW MEXICO WILL FIRE A
POWERFUL GROUND-BASED LASER AT A MILITARY SATELLITE ORBITING SOME
400 KILOMETERS UP IN SPACE.
THEY WILL THEN ANALYZE SENSORS ON THE SPACECRAFT TO DETERMINE THE
EFFECTS OF THE LASER BEAM. DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE PURPOSE IS
NOT TO DESTROY THE SATELLITE, BUT TO TEST THE VULNERABILITY OF
SUCH SPACECRAFT TO LASERS. THIS INFORMATION COULD BE CRITICAL IN
TIME OF WARFARE, GIVEN THE INCREASING USE OF SPACE PROBES FOR
COMMUNICATIONS AND SPYING ACTIVITIES.
HOWEVER, CRITICS SAY SUCH A TEST COULD FUEL A NEW ARMS RACE.
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TOM HARKIN (OF IOWA) RELEASED A STATEMENT
CALLING THE EXPERIMENT UNNECESSARY AND PROVOCATIVE. HE SAYS IT
WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ARMS CONTROL EFFORTS.
CHARLES VICK, A RESEARCH ANALYST WITH "THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN
SCIENTISTS" BASED IN WASHINGTON, AGREES.
// VICK ACT //
IT'S CERTAINLY A PROVOCATIVE DECISION TO CARRY OUT A
TEST OF A WEAPONS SYSTEM THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY
NEEDED. IT MAY BE LOOKED AT AS A PROVOCATION BY OTHER
NATIONS, CREATING A NEW STRATEGIC ARMS RACE FOR THAT
KIND OF CAPABILITY.
// END ACT //
BUT A PENTAGON SPOKESMAN, NAVY CAPTAIN MIKE DOUBLEDAY, REJECTS
SUCH CRITICISM. HE SAYS THE TEST DOES NOT VIOLATE ANY
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND THAT IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF
EFFORTS TO PROTECT AMERICAN SATELLITES.
// DOUBLEDAY ACT //
WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR. THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT BEING USED
TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY OF U-S SATELLITE SYSTEMS. IT IS
A LOGICAL STEP TO TAKE. WE ARE INTERESTED HERE IN
GATHERING DATA WHICH CAN IMPROVE OUR PLANNING FOR
PROTECTION OF OUR SATELLITES.
// END ACT //
CAPTAIN DOUBLEDAY ADDS THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT IS BECOMING MORE
RELIANT ON WEAPONS TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE SATELLITE-BASED SO, IN
HIS WORDS, IT IS PRUDENT TO MAKE THE SPACE PROBES AS SAFE AS
POSSIBLE.
// REST OPT //
MEANWHILE, THERE IS YET ANOTHER ASPECT TO THE CRITICISM OF THE
PENTAGON DECISION -- COMING FROM THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED
THE TARGET SATELLITE, SPECTRUM ASTRO. COMPANY SPOKESMAN STAN
DUBYN SAYS ONLY 40 PERCENT OF THE SPACECRAFT'S CAPABILITY HAS
BEEN EXPLOITED DURING ITS 15 MONTHS IN ORBIT.
// DUBYN ACT //
IT IS SIGNIFICANTLY PREMATURE TO BE PUTTING THIS
SPACECRFAT OUT OF COMMISSION AT THIS JUNCTURE. WE
SPECIFICALLY PUT THREE YEARS OF FUEL ON BOARD HOPING WE
WOULD GET TO OPERATE THE SPACECRAFT FOR THREE YEARS.
// END ACT //
MR. DUBYN SAYS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS WILLING TO PAY FOR INFORMATION THE
SATELLITE COULD STILL PROVIDE. THIS RANGES FROM DATA ABOUT
MINERAL AND MINING EXPLORATION, TO TRENDS REGARDING CROPS AND
FORESTATION, AND EVEN FOREST FIRES AND OIL SLICKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RJM/RRM
02-Oct-97 4:46 PM EDT (2046 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
