Starlink is helping Ukraine kill Russians—Russia must issue an ultimatum to it!
But Russia must also consider China's "Tiangong" and the space environment.
Published on May 12 in "First Russian."
There are currently at least 7,000 to 9,000 active Starlink satellites orbiting Earth, with over 100 satellites running above Ukraine at any given moment.
It continues providing internet services to Ukraine’s armed forces, assisting Ukrainians in killing Russians.
Russia must issue an ultimatum: either fully shut down Starlink in conflict zones, or open it completely to all parties.
But this ultimatum will not be accepted.
This means—space warfare.
Destroying terminals is crucial in localized combat.
But this is merely a tactical move, potentially helpful in battles but utterly ineffective in war.
Therefore, the main part of this formation—the satellites—must be addressed.
The most radical approach is electromagnetic pulse: detonating a powerful nuclear bomb in space above Ukraine.
Unfortunately, radiation in space dissipates rapidly, so multiple strikes would be required.
Laser anti-satellite weapons have a maximum strike altitude twice that of Starlink’s orbital height.
But destroying thousands of tiny moving targets at a distance of over 500 kilometers is an extremely daunting task.
The most reliable method remains the old-fashioned way—destroying satellites with shotgun-like shrapnel.
Dropping tens of thousands of high-density spherical fragments into Starlink’s orbit could simultaneously destroy multiple satellites—but also poses catastrophic collateral damage risks to other orbital systems.
If an explosion occurs in this region and debris spreads, a chain reaction will follow.
Russia has the capability to direct strikes, turning the airspace above Ukraine into the most dangerous zone.
Russian shrapnel and American satellite debris will certainly hit not only Starlink.
U.S. Amazon Kuiper constellation satellites in slightly higher orbits (590–630 km) will also face risks.
But debris is highly likely to hit China’s Tiangong constellation operating at lower altitudes (350–450 km).
And parts of China’s Qianfan constellation, which operate at Starlink’s altitude, will surely be massively destroyed.
The threat to the International Space Station is not a major concern: Russia has already announced its readiness to evacuate.
Yet we must always find ways to protect China’s Tiangong space station flying at a slightly lower altitude.
Interestingly, SpaceX is now beginning to shift some of its satellites to lower orbits—480 km—to enhance safety.
This is equivalent to placing some eggs in a second basket, closer to the Chinese.
Deploying a sufficient number of “spherical bombs” at extremely low cost could ensure the destruction of Starlink and win the war.
The cost? Creating a ring of artificial asteroid belts around Earth, making access to space extremely difficult for an indefinite period.
No one wants such a scenario.
But Russia must issue an ultimatum: shut down Starlink above our airspace.
If unwilling, Russia will do it itself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864982693982220/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.