SC-19 Direct Ascent ASAT Missile
The SC-19 is a direct ascent ASAT missile developed by China, designed to intercept and destroy satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). This system utilizes a solid-fueled missile to launch a kinetic kill vehicle (KKV), which directly collides with its target at high velocity, relying on kinetic energy to destroy the satellite.
• Launch Platform: The SC-19 missile is launched from mobile platforms similar to those used for China’s DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile, which provides mobility and flexibility, making it more difficult to preemptively neutralize.
• Propulsion: The SC-19 is a multi-stage solid-fuel missile. The solid propellant enables it to be launched on short notice, an essential characteristic for ASAT missions where timing is critical to intercept satellites passing overhead.
• Guidance System: The SC-19 utilizes a combination of midcourse guidance and terminal homing systems to locate and strike the satellite. Its terminal phase relies on an advanced seeker system, potentially combining radar and optical sensors, to refine its trajectory and achieve a direct hit.
• Warhead: The warhead of the SC-19 is a KKV, meaning it has no explosives. Instead, the destruction of the target is achieved through the sheer force of impact, which can cause catastrophic fragmentation of the satellite.
This system is specifically optimized for targeting satellites in LEO, which typically house Earth observation, communication, and early-warning systems.
DN-1 (Dong Neng-1) ASAT Missile
The DN-1 is another direct ascent ASAT missile system, primarily aimed at targets in medium Earth orbit (MEO) and possibly geostationary orbit (GEO), representing a more advanced capability than the SC-19.
• Propulsion and Launch Platform: Similar to the SC-19, the DN-1 is thought to use solid- fuel technology, ensuring it can be rapidly launched from mobile ground-based platforms. Its multi-stage propulsion system provides the necessary thrust to reach higher orbits beyond LEO.
• Guidance and Targeting: The DN-1 is equipped with advanced guidance systems that likely involve a combination of inertial navigation, mid-course correction via satellite data link, and terminal phase homing using onboard sensors, including infrared and optical seekers. This sophisticated guidance allows the DN-1 to accurately hit satellites that are much farther from the Earth.
• Kinetic Kill Vehicle (KKV): Similar to the SC-19, the DN-1 carries a KKV designed to destroy the satellite by impact alone. This capability is particularly challenging because the KKV must operate over longer distances and deal with the complexities of intercepting fast-moving targets at higher altitudes.
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The DN-1’s ability to target satellites in MEO and possibly GEO expands China’s capability to attack critical assets, such as global navigation systems (e.g., GPS satellites) or strategic communication satellites, thereby significantly impacting an adversary’s operational effectiveness.
DN-2 (Dong Neng-2) ASAT Missile
The DN-2 is believed to be a further development of the DN-1, with enhanced capabilities to target sat- ellites in higher orbits, including geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
• Propulsion: The DN-2 is expected to have more advanced propulsion than its predecessors, likely employing a larger booster stage that allows it to reach the altitudes of geosynchronous sat- ellites (around 36,000 km above Earth). This necessitates a more powerful multi-stage solid-fu- eled missile to achieve the necessary escape velocity.
• Kinetic Kill Vehicle: The KKV used by the DN-2 would have to be highly precise, given the distances involved. The KKV would need to be capable of making micro-adjustments to its trajec- tory in the terminal phase to ensure it strikes the satellite at such high altitudes. It likely includes advanced sensors, including long-range infrared and optical tracking systems, to accurately locate and intercept the satellite.
• Guidance System: The DN-2’s guidance system is expected to be highly sophisticated, with multiple midcourse correction options and advanced terminal homing capabilities to account for the difficulty of engaging satellites in GEO. The guidance system would use inputs from ground- based tracking stations to update its course mid-flight.
The DN-2 represents a significant threat to high-value satellites in GEO, such as military communi- cation satellites, missile early warning satellites, and weather satellites, which are crucial for global military operations.
HQ-19 Missile Defense/ASAT Hybrid
The HQ-19 is an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system with potential ASAT capabilities, representing a multi-role missile defense system that can intercept both incoming ballistic missiles and low-orbit sat- ellites. It is often compared to the U.S. THAAD system in its role and capabilities.
• Propulsion: The HQ-19 is powered by solid-fuel rocket stages, providing quick response times and a flexible deployment structure, allowing it to be used for both missile defense and ASAT missions.
• Guidance and Targeting: The HQ-19 uses a combination of radar and infrared sensors to track and intercept its target. In an ASAT role, it can be used to engage low-orbit satellites, relying on its terminal homing capabilities to precisely hit the target.
• Kinetic Kill Vehicle (KKV): Like the other ASAT systems, the HQ-19 uses a KKV to destroy its target through a direct collision. However, as a hybrid system, it has the added versatility of being employed against both satellites and incoming missiles.
This dual-purpose capability enhances China’s strategic flexibility, allowing the HQ-19 to be deployed in defense against both space-based and terrestrial threats, providing a layered missile defense strategy while also serving as an ASAT option.
Dong Neng-3 (DN-3) ASAT Missile
The DN-3 is another advanced ASAT system that focuses on kinetic kill operations in higher orbits, similar to the DN-2 but with additional potential improvements in range and target acquisition.
• Propulsion: The DN-3 is believed to utilize a multi-stage solid-fueled rocket similar to the DN-1 and DN-2, but with enhancements that might enable it to reach even more distant targets in space, possibly extending beyond GEO.
• Guidance System: This missile is equipped with a highly advanced guidance system that leverages ground-based tracking, satellite data links, and onboard sensors for midcourse correction and terminal phase targeting. The DN-3’s ability to track and engage satellites at extreme distances requires advanced infrared and optical targeting systems.
• Kinetic Kill Vehicle: The DN-3 carries an enhanced KKV designed for precision strikes against high-altitude satellites. This KKV is likely equipped with autonomous navigation features and advanced course-correcting thrusters to adjust its trajectory in space, ensuring it successfully intercepts the target satellite.
The DN-3’s development signifies China’s ambition to create highly flexible ASAT systems capable of engaging targets across a wide range of orbital altitudes, from LEO to potentially GEO and beyond.
