THE space arms race is speeding up, according to two new reports released today.
Experts are warning of bigger consequences and “global repercussions” if military action moves from Earth and into space.
1
A report from the Secure World Foundation states: “Today there are increased incentives for development, and potential use, of offensive counterspace capabilities.
“There are also greater potential consequences from their widespread use that could have global repercussions well beyond the military, as huge parts of the global economy and society are increasingly reliant on space applications.”
The report highlights that only a small number of nations used to have ‘counterspace weapons’ that could target things like important communication satellites.
Brian Weeden, director of program planning at the Secure World Foundation, said: “We just keep adding more countries every year.”
Countries with these weapons include the US, Russia, China, India, Australia, France, Iran, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and the UK.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies also released a concerning report.
It claims that Russia and the United States used to be the two big players in counterspace weapons.
According to Susan Gordon, former principal deputy director of national intelligence, China has “demonstrated its intention to project hard and soft power through the growth in on-orbit military support capabilities, and grabbed our attention and imagination with its counterspace demonstrations ranging from hypersonic missile launches to co-orbital rendezvous with other satellites.”
Most read in Tech
China is also said to have launched the most satellites in the past year than any other nation.
The report also states that Russia has created “a threatening debris field” and used “apparent GPS jamming in Ukraine”.
Experts have claimed that the most concerning attacks can be cyberattacks.
Despite weapons being produced to physically attack satellites in space, cyberattacking satellite ground systems on Earth is said to be a big concern.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The US Sun team?
