On November 15, 2021, seven astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) were ordered to take shelter because of the possibility of catastrophic collisions as the station passed through a cloud of debris. The astronauts remained in lifeboats while the ISS passed through the cloud multiple times.
What kinetic ASAT testing tells us about space security governance
The testing of kinetic anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and the debris that they produce are currently garnering global attention and concern. This is partly because of the November 2021 ASAT test conducted by Russia; partly because of our expanding use and dependence on outer space; and partly because of the accelerating development, testing, and demonstration of kinetic ASAT capabilities.
The Sputnik moment re-examined
A U.S. military official recently described a missile test conducted by China in August as “very close to a Sputnik moment.” It seems that the test involved the launch of a re-entry vehicle capable of entering orbit and re-entering Earth’s atmosphere with its payload intact; this primary vehicle also carried a hypersonic glide vehicle that was released following re-entry.
Time to ban debris-generating weapons tests in space
Orbiting our planet are thousands of satellites that support military operations as well as critical civilian and commercial infrastructures that provide essential services for humans all over the world. These satellites are unprotected and can be seriously damaged by even the smallest piece of orbital shrapnel or debris. And in space, the danger is ongoing, because the debris stays in orbit.
Has the first shot been fired in space?
What if space has already been weaponized? This is the claim of the United States military. Following the official establishment of the Space Force in January 2020, a new Defense Space Strategy published in June presents a strategy for “winning wars” in a domain that it depicts as “weaponized” by Russia and China. Russia and China have made similar accusations against the United States.
Did Russia test a weapon in space?
On July 23, 2020, the United States Space Command Public Affairs Office released information claiming that on July 15, Russia “injected a new object [Object 45915] into orbit from Cosmos 2543” and “released this object in proximity to another Russian satellite.”
Why the chances of conflict in outer space are going up
U.S. President Trump’s desire to create a Space Force—a new military branch focused solely on outer space operations—has drawn public attention to the prospects of warfare in a domain that …
Securing the Peaceful Use of Space for Future Generations: Roundtable
Click on image to view Waterloo Declaration Project Ploughshares 57 Erb Street West Waterloo, ON 23-25 May 2012 Roundtable Program 23 May 2012 …
Limited rules of engagement: Even if the Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities is adopted, a significant void will remain
Author Cesar Jaramillo The Ploughshares Monitor Winter 2011 Volume 32 Issue 4 The draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities proposed by the European Union is currently undergoing international …
Intercepting satellites: A comparison of the Chinese and U.S. actions
Authors August Claxton and Jessica West The Ploughshares Monitor Autumn 2008 Volume 29 Issue 3 August Claxton is a student in the MA Program in Global Governance at the University of …
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