Chinese satellites surged by 667% in 10 years! U.S. Space Force reveals threat differences between China and Russia

Photos provided by the U.S. Space Force show rockets launched at night trailing bright tail flames as they lift off, with light trails streaking across the twilight sky. The U.S. Space Force warned that China and Russia have deployed counter-space capabilities that may interfere with or destroy satellites and threaten the space combat systems that the U.S. military relies on. (Picture: U.S. Space Force)

[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] China’s number of satellites in orbit has increased by 667% in the past 10 years, and the number has exceeded 1,300. The U.S. Space Force assesses that China is closer to challenging U.S. space superiority than Russia, but Russia poses a more immediate threat.

The European defense website "Defence Industry Europe" reported on the 17th that the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) pointed out that China and Russia have deployed counter-space capabilities that can interfere with communications, disrupt ground control networks, and even damage or destroy satellites. The U.S. military relies on space systems to perform missions such as missile warning, tracking, navigation, logistics, and secure communications.

Capt. Amy R. Padilla, director of the Intelligence Planning and Planning Division of the Space Systems Command Intelligence Directorate, said that China is the main long-term competitor of the United States, and Russia is a more urgent threat. She pointed out that if the two countries achieve space superiority or even space dominance, the US military's capabilities in the space field will be severely limited.

The report cited an SSC assessment that China carried out 70 space launches from January to November 2025, carrying 319 payloads, and used at least 10 satellites to track and identify space objects. Alex Schiller, director of intelligence integration at the SSC, said China is closer to challenging U.S. space superiority than Russia by investing a lot of money and conducting more tests.

In 2007, China destroyed a decommissioned weather satellite with a ground missile. SSC stated that China currently has anti-satellite systems that can attack low-Earth orbit satellites, and is believed to be developing weapons that can attack geosynchronous orbit targets.

Russia is developing "orbital nuclear weapons"

Russia continues to research, test and deploy counter-space systems. In November 2021, Russia used a PL-19 "Nudol" missile to destroy the decommissioned Cosmos 1408 satellite. The resulting debris forced astronauts on the International Space Station and Russian astronauts to evacuate.

The U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) also pointed out that Russia is developing a satellite that may carry nuclear weapons and be used for anti-satellite missions.

Counterspace attacks don't necessarily have to destroy satellites to impact services. Communication interference, signal spoofing and network intrusion may affect satellites, communication links and ground control systems; lasers, high-power microwaves and orbital weapons are also among the threats listed by the SSC, and radiation from high-altitude nuclear explosions may damage satellites.

Research by the U.S. Office of Space Commerce estimates that interruptions in GPS services may cause economic losses of US$1 billion per day; if interrupted for 30 days during an important seeding period, losses may be as high as US$45 billion.

SSC said the U.S. Space Force is introducing anti-jamming technology and protective software and shortening the time it takes for satellites to be ready for launch. Dispersing capabilities across larger satellite constellations can also reduce reliance on a single satellite.