Posthuman Blues

China Confirms Test of Anti-Satellite Weapon

The Chinese government confirmed today that it had conducted a successful test of a new anti-satellite weapon, but said it had no intention of participating in a "space race."

The confirmation, made at a regular press briefing of the foreign ministry, came 12 days after China used a medium-range ballistic missile to destroy its own weather satellite 535 miles above the earth. Several nations, including the United States, Japan, Britain and Australia, had pressed Beijing to explain the test, apparently the first successful destruction of a satellite in orbit for more than 20 years.

(Via Variable Gravitas Content.)