The Philippines plans to establish a space command, initially as a center, to leverage military satellites for persistent surveillance across the archipelago, including the South China Sea. Analysts note significant technical, financial, and manpower challenges.
Germany's top military space commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Traut, warned that Russia may be developing technology to place a nuclear warhead in space. Such an event could cripple satellite services and render parts of orbit unusable for decades, impacting communications, navigation, and military operations. Germany is enhancing its space defense capabilities in response.
US Space Command hosts classified wargames, Apollo Insight, with commercial companies to simulate space threats, including a nuclear detonation in orbit, amid concerns over Russia's potential deployment of WMDs in space.
US Space Command General Stephen Whiting confirmed Russia is now deploying operational anti-satellite weapons with US government satellites in range. The Nivelir system, described as a 'nesting doll' architecture, has placed four satellites in low-Earth orbit that shadow US NRO spy satellites. These satellites have released smaller maneuverable craft, and at least one test in 2020 involved a high-velocity projectile. Whiting warned at CSIS that Russia has moved from testing to operational systems capable of reaching critical US national security satellites.
