US fears from Russian-Chinese space weapons
US intelligence assesses that China and Russia have made many advances in space weapons technology, allowing them to be deployed in the near future.
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Rocket carrying Russia's secret satellite into space in 2016. Photo:Roscosmos. |
"Adversaries such as Russia and China are developing anti-satellite capabilities from the ground and in space. These weapons could be deployed and deployed in the near future,"Defense Onequoted General Robert Ashley, director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, speaking in late June.
Although the US intelligence community has not publicly acknowledged that Russia and China are increasingly militarizing space, a February report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence hinted at the possibility.
"Russia and China continue to launch 'experimental satellites' to conduct sophisticated operations in orbit, including some that enhance space warfare capabilities. Some technologies for peaceful purposes such as satellite inspection, refueling, and repair can also be used to attack enemy space assets," the report said.
In September 2014, Russia launched the Olymp-K satellite into orbit. It performed many unusual maneuvers and approached two Intelsat communications satellites at a distance of nearly 11 km.
“This is an unusual and concerning move,” said Kay Sear, director of the company that operates the communications satellite. The Russian move prompted several secret meetings at the Pentagon. Since then, observers have raised concerns about three other Russian maneuverable satellites in orbit.
General Ashley's statement was made in the context of US President Donald Trump recently asking the Pentagon to quickly establish the Space Force (SF), the 6th branch of the US armed forces.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) prohibits member states, including the United States, from deploying nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit around the Earth. Countries are also prohibited from testing weapons in space and from building military bases on the Moon and other planets.
US Deputy Defense Secretary Michael Griffin said in March that Washington could revive a plan developed in the late 1980s that would deploy neutron beam emitters into space to attack missiles on the ground or objects in space.
Observers say the US's establishment of the Space Force risks sparking a new arms race between the superpowers. Moscow has warned that if Washington's newly established force deploys nuclear weapons in space, humanity could face a catastrophic catastrophe.