The United States has officially acknowledged that it has deployed space-control weapons in orbit, raising concerns that the move could trigger a fresh arms race beyond Earth and draw other major powers into a contest for dominance in space.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, in orbit. Trump has also said that NASA has begun work on a nuclear-powered spacecraft, with a Mars mission planned for 2028. Beijing demonstrated its ASAT capability in 2007 and has developed satellites such as Shijian-21, which can approach other satellites and potentially alter their orbits. Russia demonstrated its ASAT capability in 2021 by destroying one of its own satellites. India demonstrated its own ASAT capability in 2019 through Mission Shakti and has established the Defence Space Agency to protect its space assets and strengthen its military space capabilities. Major financial institutions Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have estimated that the global space economy could exceed $1 trillion by 2040. One of the most discussed targets is 16 Psyche, an asteroid located between Mars and Jupiter.
The latest US announcement could therefore encourage other space powers, including China, Russia and India, to accelerate the development of their own capabilities. Destroying or disabling key satellites at the beginning of a conflict could therefore significantly reduce an adversary’s military capabilities. However, the US has not revealed what weapons have been deployed. Until now, the US had largely discussed anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons launched from Earth. President Donald Trump has announced plans for a separate US Space Academy, which would train specialists for the Space Force, NASA and the civilian spaceflight industry.
US intelligence agencies have also said Russia is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon that could be used in space. The US Space Force’s admission marks the first official confirmation that Washington has placed weapons directly in orbit. US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink disclosed the information during a speech, following which a US Space Force spokesperson provided written details to the media. Space-control weapons include military systems designed to protect a country’s satellites, communications and navigation capabilities, while also allowing it to disrupt or destroy an adversary’s space assets if required. The latest disclosure, however, points to the deployment of weapons directly in orbit. The development comes as China and Russia expand their counter-space capabilities. Russia is believed to be working on a nuclear-powered anti-satellite weapon, while China has developed robotic grappler satellites capable of approaching other spacecraft and potentially capturing them or changing their orbits. The US move is also being seen as an attempt to signal to its rivals that it is prepared to respond to threats in space. At the same time, Washington is seeking to strengthen its position in shaping international rules governing space and build political support for higher spending on space defence. However, it does not clearly cover conventional weapons, lasers or cyber capabilities. Increased military activity in orbit could also worsen the problem of space debris. Modern military operations depend heavily on satellites. GPS and other satellite systems support missiles, drones and fighter aircraft, while military communications depend on satellites to connect forces with their headquarters. Reconnaissance and early-warning satellites can also detect military movements and missile launches. Countries are consequently developing a range of technologies, including lasers, jammers, ASAT systems and cyber capabilities. Smaller ‘bodyguard satellites’ are also being considered or deployed to protect larger spacecraft. Space is increasingly being treated as another major domain of warfare alongside land, sea, air and cyberspace. The US is also preparing for a long-term expansion of its space capabilities. The proposed academy would train cadets in areas including space warfare, satellite protection, the movement of equipment and resources in space, and missions to the Moon and Mars. A nuclear-powered propulsion system could potentially reduce the travel time between Earth and Mars, which can take around seven to nine months using conventional propulsion. A shorter journey could reduce astronauts’ exposure to cosmic radiation and the amount of food, water, oxygen and other supplies that need to be carried. The technology could also give spacecraft greater flexibility in changing their orbit or direction, although the development of such systems remains a major technological challenge. China remains one of America’s biggest competitors in space. A nuclear explosion in orbit could generate powerful electromagnetic energy capable of damaging the electronic systems of nearby satellites. The competition is not limited to military capabilities. Countries and companies are increasingly looking towards the Moon and asteroids for resources, including water, platinum, nickel and other minerals. Water extracted from ice deposits could potentially be processed to produce oxygen and hydrogen fuel, creating refuelling points for spacecraft and reducing the need to transport supplies from Earth. Estimates of the value of its iron, nickel and gold have reached several thousand times the size of the global economy, although such valuations are theoretical and do not represent currently recoverable wealth. The prospect of space mining has also fuelled speculation that the first individual with a trillion-dollar fortune could eventually emerge from the sector.
In today’s episode of DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor of Zee News, conducted a detailed analysis of the growing race for military dominance in space, the strategic importance of satellites, the development of space weapons and the emerging competition over resources such as minerals and water beyond Earth.
The US passed legislation in 2015 allowing American companies to own resources extracted from space. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prevents countries from claiming sovereignty or ownership over the Moon and other celestial bodies. As countries race to develop the technology needed to operate beyond Earth, the competition is therefore taking place on two fronts — control of strategic space assets and access to the enormous resources that could eventually lie beyond our planet.
NASA’s Artemis programme is focused on the Moon’s south pole, including the study of ice and other resources. China is pursuing lunar exploration through its Chang’e programme and, along with Russia, has proposed the International Lunar Research Station. The UAE has also planned a mission to the asteroid belt, while Japan has already demonstrated asteroid sample-return technology through its Hayabusa missions. Private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin are also working on technologies that could support lower-cost robotic mining operations. The growing interest in space resources has raised a difficult legal question: who owns minerals extracted from the Moon or an asteroid? However, it does not clearly settle the question of ownership of resources extracted from them. The US, Japan and Luxembourg have adopted laws allowing private entities to claim rights over resources obtained from space. The US Artemis Accords also provide for safety zones around certain activities, a concept that China and Russia have criticised as potentially paving the way for control over resources. Developing countries, meanwhile, have argued that space should remain a shared resource for humanity and that its benefits should not be limited to countries with the money and technology to reach it. For now, there is no international authority capable of physically enforcing boundaries or preventing competing claims over space resources.
