Here, one of those sites, the Oahu Defense Area in Hawaii, is shown in 1968. His plan is to build a geo-referenced database so that anyone can research the Nike missile sites through Google Earth. Those missiles became obsolete with the advent of long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (opens in new tab) (ICBMs).ĭavid Tewksbury, a GIS (geographic information system) specialist at Hamilton College in New York, aimed to preserve a visual record of the abandoned Nike missile launch sites before they vanish - either as a result of being reclaimed by nature, repurposed by the military or redeveloped. Some of those missiles even carried nuclear warheads. Nike missiles, which were supersonic surface-to-air missiles, sat ready to launch at nearly 300 sites across the United States during a period of the Cold War, from 1954 to the 1970s.

(Image credit: Google Earth) (opens in new tab) The study was an effort to figure out how China could get itself on the same strategic footing as the USA in terms of space constellations.This Google Earth image shows the Oahu Defense Area in Hawaii, which was equipped with missiles in open air with earthen revetments, or embankments, between paired launch sites, shown here in 1968. In February, Chinese researchers mooted aggressive countermeasures against SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. The South China Morning Post said the device might emit 10 gigawatts in 10 pulses per second, making it able to disable enemy drones, aeroplanes and other satellites.

In other space defence news, reports suggest that China has developed a power source that is compact and light enough to be fitted to satellites but powerful enough to power a microwave weapon capable of knocking out microprocessors in distant equipment.

ESA's Solar Orbiter will swing past Earth this week – sure hope nobody created a big cloud of space junk up there.

You, me and debris: NASA cans ISS spacewalk because it's getting too risky outside.

Russian anti-satellite test added to a 'pressing threat to security' in space.Russia says Starlink satellites could become military targets.It was designed to work with the geosynchronous Defense Support Program, the Space-Based Infrared System, among others. The existing Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) implemented low Earth orbiter within the layered Ballistic Missile Defense System. A related design review said the MEO systems would offer wider field of view and longer pass times over target areas than the LEO systems alone.

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