Taiwan V China : Is it possible to detect cruise missile launches from geostationary orbit?

Question

If China launched an invasion of Taiwan I envisage that the first thing they would do is launch a few hundred cruise missiles against the command and control structure, the radar sites, the SAM sites, naval vessels in port, airbases.

Then send in their stealth fighters flying top cover and their attack aircraft lower down.If the cruise missile launches can be detected and tracked the data can be relayed to aircraft and missile sites and they can be shot down.Is this possible from satellites in geostationary orbit 22,000 miles up or would a satellite have to be in low earth orbit (necessitating the need for 50-60 satellites as they pass over every 90 minutes ?) and making them easier targets for Chinese anti satellite missiles.

The only other thing I can think of is AWACS constant patrols but they can be take out by long range missiles.

USAFisnumber1 · Answer

Cruise missiles are like the old Buzz Bombs of WW II.   They are not ballistic missiles,   instead they come on low so you they are not detected until the last minute.    You would not fire them from a satellite as that would defeat the whole idea of coming in low.    China would not want to totally destroy Taiwan as they consider it their land.   They would take out command and control,   military targets and then invade with hundreds of thousands of troops.   If they take out the Taiwan Air Force they can land said troops in airliners at all the airports.   Since Taiwan is one of those nations that do not trust their civilians with guns,  they will be quickly over run.

Anonymous · Answer

If the PRC desires to conquer Taiwan it will be by economic means or a "cyber war", not by military means.

Natasha · Answer

You don't need a satellite to detect a cruise missile. The radar of a SAM system or ship does the job. That's what military's all over the globe rely on for missile detection and defence.

A cruise missile is just a long range regular missile. They're not special. You don't need something as expensive and fancy as a satellites to detect them.

User · Answer

Since the 70s
(or was it the early 80s?)
we have been able to "detect" the headlines of a newspaper from geostationary orbit.

So: yeah, ***if we have a satellite in the proper position***, looking "at" the proper location, then we can detect missiles launched from that location.

Not sure if we can identify what TYPE of missiles are being launched (at the time of launch) with a spy satellite. That might be difficult from that angle, but perhaps the (typically) relatively "low" angle of a cruise missile launch makes that particular sort of missile launch easily identifiable with satellite images.

China's stealth fighter capability is still in its infancy. Their current, sole active, model of stealth aircraft has questionable stealth capabilities.

It is possible to shoot down individual cruise missiles...under certain circumstances.
Generally speaking, defense against cruise missiles (and drones) is considered a "weak spot" in U.S. defense technology.
Israel has a system called "Iron Dome" that is effective on relatively short range cruise missiles (fired from 43 miles or less). Work is being done to extend that range to 150 miles. If the system proves itself at such a range, the U.S. might try to emulate it or might even purchase it from them
and
it might be that Israel would be willing to sell such a system to Taiwan

(Taiwan is about 70 miles from mainland China.)

sam · Answer

China  would not. Taiwan will eventually beg to join. Yes, geosynchronous would detect depending on sensor

Taiwan V China : Is it possible to detect cruise missile launches from geostationary orbit?

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