Chinese physicists simulate nuclear blast against satellites

Computer experiment suggests warhead detonated in near space could disable threats such as Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites

Explosion could produce a cloud that sets a trap for enemies while reducing risk to ‘friendly’ spacecraft, according to model

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Chinese scientists say their computer simulation closely matched the results of the 1958 Teak test. Photo: Wikipedia

Published: 6:30pm, 20 Oct 2022Updated: 6:38pm, 20 Oct 2022

A nuclear blast in near space could create a radioactive cloud over an area as big as New York state, crippling or destroying satellites in near-Earth orbit, according to a new computer simulation conducted by a team of Chinese military scientists.

At the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, a research institute run by the People’s Liberation Army in Xian, researchers developed a model that can evaluate the performance of nuclear anti-satellite weapons at different altitudes and yields with unprecedented detail and accuracy.

The simulation results suggest that a 10-megaton warhead – modestly powerful by today’s standards – could create a serious threat to satellites if it detonates at an altitude of 80km (50 miles).

The blast could turn air molecules into radioactive particles and produce a cloud with a shape similar to an upside down pear, said nuclear physicist Liu Li and his colleagues in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nuclear Techniques on October 15.

In about five minutes, the cloud could rise to an altitude of nearly 500km and spread over an area of more than 140,000 sq km.

“The strong residual radiation of the debris cloud may cause failures of spacecraft moving in it, such as satellites, or even cause direct damage that can lead to destruction,” the researchers said.

A targeted trap

There have been many computer simulations studying the use of nuclear weapons against satellites, but most have focused on an explosion that takes place in space, according to Liu’s team.

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