SWF's Brian Weeden presents at Washington press luncheon "Satellite Laser Blinding"

SWF Technical Advisor Brian Weeden and Dr. Yousaf Butt of the Union of Concerned Scientists were the featured speakers at a press luncheon on "Satellite Laser Blinding" held on 27 August at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC. Yousaf spoke about his recent article in the journal "Science and Global Security" in which he discussed the possibility that the 2006 reports of China "dazzling" US intelligence satellites was actually the result of satellite laser ranging (SLR).

The more than 40 SLR sites world-wide are used primarily to produce very accurate positions of satellites for their owners. Other peaceful, legitimate reasons for firing lasers into space, including laser communications research and adaptive telescope optics, and their potential to harm satellites were also discussed.

Brian focused his remarks on the existing United States regulations for lasers fired into space, including the Lasing Clearing House (LCH). Operated by US Strategic Command as part of the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB in California, the LCH is responsible for screening all US Department of Defense lasers being fired into space and ensuring that they do not endanger any active satellites. Brian also talked about some aspects of intentional law on this issue, and the in expanding the LCH function internationally.