Whatever Trump claims, weaponisation of space makes losers of us all
It takes little imagination to realise a space war would inevitably escalate into all-out conflict, almost surely involving nuclear weapons
Quick Look
Senior Colonel Zhou Bo (ret) criticizes the US Space Force's recent admission of deploying on-orbit space control weapons, warning that such actions violate the spirit of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and risk escalating global conflict into space.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The US Space Force announced on September 14 the possession of on-orbit space control weapons.
When the US Space Force announced on September 14 that “the US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action”, I thought of Isaac Newton’s well-known declaration that he could not calculate the madness of people.
This is the first time a country has admitted to deploying weapons in space. Today, the orbits are congested and contested with many nations conducting military activities, such as surveillance and reconnaissance, early missile warning, satellite communications and navigation. While the United States stands alone with an independent Space Force as a full separate service, many other states such as China, Russia, Britain, France and Japan have built dedicated space combat organisations.
However, none of them has publicly acknowledged deploying on-orbit space weapons, unwilling to face the global backlash against turning outer space into a battlefield. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty already bans nuclear weapons in space. Deploying any other weapon will also draw widespread international criticism.
Open Questions
- What specific capabilities do the US on-orbit weapons possess?
- How will other nations respond to this official admission?
