In 10 points: What is anti-satellite weapon A-SAT? All you need to know

Target destroyed by India's A-SAT missile was an out of service Indian satellite

By : ABP Live | Updated at : 27 Mar 2019 01:52 PM (IST)

In 10 points: What is anti-satellite weapon A-SAT and all you need to know In 10 points: What is anti-satellite weapon A-SAT? All you need to know

Image used for representational purpose/ Courtesy: YouTube

Anti-Satellite weapons (which are abbreviated as A-SAT) are created to destroy or incapacitate satellites

While there are many countries which possess the weapons, only four countries have demonstrated their A-SAT capabilities.

New Delhi: PM Modi on Wednesday announced another feather in India’s cap as the country registered its name in the elite space power list. The country became the only fourth country to demonstrate Anti Satellite capabilities, in a milestone moment for India’s “Mission Shakti”. Here are the important points to know about an A-SAT missile:

Anti-Satellite weapons (which are abbreviated as A-SAT) are created to destroy or incapacitate satellites.
While there are many countries which possess this capability, only four countries have demonstrated their A-SAT capabilities.
India is the fourth country to demonstrate its A-SAT capability.
Only US, Russia and China had demonstrated their A-SAT capabilities before India.
Although no A-SAT system has yet been used in any warfare, several nations have shot down their own (defunct) satellites to demonstrate their capabilities.
Target destroyed by India's A-SAT missile was also an out of service Indian satellite
In the year 1958, US became the first country to test A-SAT technology, the USSR followed in 1964 and China in 2007.
In 2015, Russia tested its PL-19 Nudol missile and followed it up with other tests.
The DRDO, in February 2010, had announced that India was developing necessary technology to produce a weapon to destroy enemy satellites in space.
As per the Indian PM, A-SAT is solely India's defence initiative for its security. The capability won't breach any international law or treaties