Temporary disabling methods
Irreversible methods through loss of function
“Can reduce the efficiency and lethality of the enemy across all domains”
North Korea’s attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite on the 21st (archive photo) ⓒKorean Central News Agency
As North Korea continues to claim regular operation of the military reconnaissance satellite launched on the 21st, the U.S. Space Force has stated that it is possible to “deter” the North Korean satellite. They explained that both methods exist to turn off the satellite and temporarily inflict irreversible damage.
In response to a question from Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 29th (local time), asking whether the U.S. Space Force has the capability to stop North Korean satellite activity, the U.S. Space Force responded by stating that they can deny the enemy’s space and counter-space capabilities and services using various reversible and irreversible means. They further mentioned, “We can reduce the efficiency and lethality of the enemy across all domains.”
They emphasized, “Operations to deny the enemy’s hostile use of space can begin in all domains,” and “We can reduce the enemy’s overall space utilization capabilities from orbit, ground, and cyber.”
Experts have pointed out that the reversible and irreversible means mentioned by the U.S. Space Force can be summarized as ‘temporary disability’ and ‘loss of function.’
They explained that there are ‘reversible methods’ that temporarily turn off the satellite using lasers or electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and ‘irreversible methods’ that directly damage the satellite.
A senior researcher at the RAND Corporation, Bruce Bennett, who related to the reversible methods, said, “Most reconnaissance satellites use cameras and send signals through radios,” and “There are ways to disable these functions temporarily.” This is interpreted as the U.S. can interfere with North Korea’s satellite communication system and force it to malfunction temporarily.
Senior Researcher Bennett said about irreversible methods, “It’s about destroying the satellite’s operational capabilities,” and “It could be destroying the satellite itself or burning the satellite’s electronics.”
He evaluated that the U.S. Space Force’s mention of ‘reducing the overall space utilization capabilities from orbit, ground, and cyber’ implies △the destruction of satellite ground stations △and the introduction of viruses into the ground station and satellite communication programs.
“North Korean Satellite has Military Value… Should not be Underestimated”
Experts emphasized that while questioning the performance of North Korean satellites, future development possibilities should be considered.
Van Diepen, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation at the U.S. State Department, told Voice of America (VOA) that while he expects the resolution of North Korean satellite photos to be low, he said, “There is definitely value.”
Looking at the photos released by North Korea, the analysis is that the satellite is small, making it difficult to equip various equipment for high-quality photo shooting, but “it will be able to identify the gathering of large-scale troops, fighters, or warships.”
Given that North Korea has repeatedly expressed its intention to attack major military facilities such as airports and ports in the South with nuclear missiles, even if the resolution is low, the level of satellite capability that can obtain related information is considered a significant threat.
Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said, “Any image taken from space can have military utility,” and “It will also have utility in terms of information.”
Above all, as the number of satellites increases, the level of information can only increase, so attention should be paid to North Korea’s ‘military trend’ of openly stating “multi-angle satellite deployment.”
Markus Schiller, a missile expert from Germany’s ST Analytics, said, “If additional satellite launches continue as North Korea has publicly stated, it will become a real concern, not political propaganda,” and “The U.S. and its allies should not underestimate it too much.”
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