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The shot that slammed into a crippled United States spy satellite yesterday has raised fears of a new arms race in the heavens.
Thirteen months after China destroyed an ageing satellite with a missile, the operation also added to concerns about disruption of space assets vital for global commerce and security.
The craft was hit 247km over the Pacific, the Pentagon said. The Bush Administration has insisted it was not trying to demonstrate anti-satellite capabilities of the Lockheed Martin Corp "Aegis" ballistic missile defence - though experts said the effect was just that.
The Administration said its goal was to protect populated areas from the spacecraft's unused supply of deadly hydrazine propellant - an explanation many called unpersuasive.
China drew flak from the US and others after it fired a ground-based missile at one of its weather satellites last year in the first anti-satellite test since Washington and Moscow halted theirs more than 20 years ago.
"I'll bet you a dinner that the Russians will do it next," said Philip Coyle, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester under former President Bill Clinton.
- REUTERS
