Context:
China sets up Near-Space Command for Hypersonic Weapons Force.
Hypersonic weapons fly at speeds of at least Mach 5 and are highly maneuverable and able to change course during flight.
About Near Space Region:
- A region above and adjacent to the national airspace.
- Extends from 18 km up to 160 km above sea level.
- At present, Near Space region is a “no man’s land.”
- Characteristics –
- Air is too thin to support flight by most operational military aircraft
- Gravity is too strong for a satellite to sustain itself in orbit and hence, very few aircraft fly there.
- Significance –
- Systems in this region can operate for weeks or months as opposed to Unmanned Air Vehicles, whose missions last 24-40 hours.
- Satellites in this region are less costly than those in geostationary orbits.
- System in Near Space could function as a surrogate satellite of shorter transmission distances, better communications, reconnaissance, and surveillance.
- Deployed equipment has small radar and thermal cross-sections making them relatively invulnerable to most traditional tracking and targeting methods.
- Threats –
- It may become next battleground (establishment of Near-Space Command, U.S. shooting down Chinese spy balloon)
- Limitations –
- Controlling and maintaining near-space equipment is challenging due to the turbulent lower atmosphere.
- Militarisation of this region poses significant diplomatic challenges.
Source: WION
Previous Year Question
A layer in the Earth’s atmosphere called Ionosphere facilitates radio communication. Why?
1. The presence of ozone causes the reflection of radio waves to Earth.
2. Radio waves have a very long wavelength.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
