U.S. publicly confirms it has ‘space control weapons’ deployed in orbit

On September 15, China warned the United States against engaging in a space arms race following the deployment of weapons into orbit by the US Space Force. Beijing and Washington have been competing for influence and strategic presence in space. The US Space Force announced they had deployed "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending... against hostile adversary action," though no specific details were provided.

China's foreign ministry condemned the move, cautioning against weaponizing space and turning it into a battlefield, as well as initiating an arms race there. The ministry's spokesman, Guo Jiakun, urged the US to cease expanding its military capabilities and preparing for war in outer space. The US Space Force highlighted China as a threat, noting Beijing's development and operation of space and counterspace capabilities as part of its military modernization strategy.

Russia was also mentioned as a geopolitical rival that believes space supremacy will be crucial in future conflicts. The militarization of space has been ongoing since the space race began, with tensions over arming and destroying spacecraft dating back to the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, by the Soviet Union in 1957.

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 banned weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but the US, China, Russia, and India have been pursuing alternative methods to engage in space combat, such as targeting each other's satellites, which are vital for military communication, surveillance, and navigation.