Satellites Bump During Secret Maneuvers

The Chinese have been conducting experiments with their satellites in space. China’s SJ-12 satellite has been maneuvered at least 6 times, one resulting in ‘bumping’ another Chinese satellite. Speculation on the maneuvers ranges from space station preparation to military to purely scientific. A close encounter of the Chinese kind.

Such close encounters could allow China to practice rendezvous procedures between its future space station and other spacecraft, as well as learn about satellite formation flying, said Brian Weeden, a former U.S. Air Force orbital analyst and now technical adviser for the Secure World Foundation.

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