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From USATODAY.com Tech - Top Stories:
TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Fengyun — "Wind and Cloud" — 1-C weather satellite was a proud worker in China's space program. Launched in May 1999, it provided a wealth of information that scientists used for forecasting floods, sandstorms and disturbances in space caused by solar activity.
Now, it has been reduced to a nebula of debris. And that may prove to be its most lasting legacy.
In January China blasted the Fengyun 1-C into oblivion with a land-based anti-satellite missile from its southwestern Xichang spaceport. It was the first kill of a satellite by a land-based missile ever conducted by any nation, including the United States and Russia.
The message was hard to miss: China is ready — and increasingly able — to challenge the U.S. military advantage in space.
"Competition is moving toward the new frontier, space," said Arthur Ding, a research fellow at Taiwan's National Chengchi University.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: China | US military | Russia | Beijing | Chinese
To space and military experts, China's success is no surprise — its military-run space program has taken a great leap forward in recent years.
It launched its first manned space flight in 2003. A second mission in 2005 put two astronauts into orbit for a week, and a third manned launch is planned for next year. This year, China plans to launch a probe that will orbit the moon.
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Re: China Challenges U.S. Lead in Space
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