U.S. space weapons probably aren’t what you think
Elusive, satellite-stalking spacecraft could unleash space war—or help keep orbital peace
The United States announced the presence of space weapons on September 14, a revelation that came as no surprise to those familiar with the subject. Military use of space has been ongoing for over five decades, with the U.S. and Soviet Union even testing nuclear weapons in space during the 1960s. Modern satellites, including GPS, weather, and communication systems, have militaristic roots, prompting concerns about defending space assets.
The U.S., deeply dependent on space assets for operations, aims to signal accountability for orbital conflicts to rivals China and Russia. Four types of space weapons exist: nuclear bombs, directed-energy weapons, kinetic antisatellite weapons, and platforms for disrupting satellites without destruction. Nuclear weapons are banned under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and would have catastrophic consequences, making their deployment highly unlikely.
Kinetic antisatellite weapons, like missiles, are effective but generate debris, contradicting U.S. policy. Directed-energy weapons, like lasers, could target satellites precisely but may lack sufficient technological maturity. The remaining option is platforms for interference using rendezvous and proximity operations (RPOs), such as communication jammers that emit electromagnetic noise to disrupt satellite signals.
Written by urgent.news from Scientific American's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
