TOKYO; The Defense Ministry has begun discussions on introducing six “bodyguard” satellites that can protect Japanese satellites from attacks by other countries’ “killer” satellites by fiscal 2035, according to government sources.
The ministry aims to strengthen defence preparedness in outer space as China and Russia are developing killer satellites.
The ministry plans to include the introduction of the satellites in the three key security documents, including the National Security Strategy, which are expected to be revised by the end of the year, according to the sources.
Killer satellites can approach target satellites and attack them by obstructing or neutralising their functions through such means as using robotic arms or electromagnetic rays.
Bodyguard satellites, which are designed to be remotely controlled from the ground, can obstruct the course of killer satellites and stop them from getting close to Japanese satellites. Using onboard cameras, bodyguard satellites also are expected to gather information on the movements of foreign satellites and space debris.
The ministry will newly establish a satellite development office at the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency in fiscal 2027 to accelerate the development of satellite-related technologies.
A bodyguard satellite prototype is scheduled to be launched as early as fiscal 2028 to verify various issues, such as whether it can manoeuvre without any difficulty in geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 kilometres. The ministry aims to launch bodyguard satellites from fiscal 2033 to fiscal 2035, aiming to build a defence system with six of them.
Defence preparedness in outer space needs to be strengthened since satellite-based communications, observation and positioning are indispensable to the lives of the public. “If satellites are obstructed, there will be a major impact not only on the activities of the Self-Defense Forces but also on Japanese society,” a senior ministry official said.
The ministry pointed out in its revision guidelines for the other key security documents that fall under its jurisdiction — the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program — that the activities of killer satellites are intensifying, with China and Russia in mind.
The ministry therefore emphasised the need for countermeasures, noting that there are “challenges in Japan’s satellite protection system.” - Japan News/ANN
