Japan is planning to launch a military space force by 2019 that would initially be tasked with protecting satellites from dangerous debris orbiting the Earth, a report said.<\/p>\n
The move is aimed at strengthening Japan-US cooperation in space, and comes after the countries pledged to boost joint work on monitoring space debris, Kyodo news agency said Sunday.<\/p>\n
Japan would provide the US military with information obtained by the force as part of the joint bid to strengthen ties in space, the so-called “fourth battlefield”, Kyodo said, citing unnamed sources.<\/p>\n
Japan’s defence ministry is looking at creating the new force using personnel from the Air Self-Defence Force, the country’s air force, it added.<\/p>\n
The unit would acquire radar and telescope facilities, jointly with the science ministry and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, to run its observatory operations, Kyodo said.<\/p>\n
Thousands of pieces of debris – including old satellites as well as pieces of rockets and other space equipment – are orbiting the Earth and threaten to collide with functioning communications and reconnaissance satellites.<\/p>\n
Suspended Telkom CFO hearing set for August<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n