Outer space could soon be a space for war as anti-satellite demonstrations from countries such as China and Russia for the past 15 years have sent an ominous threat to US space systems.
Brian Weeden, a director at the Secure World Foundation and a co-editor of the Global Counterspace Capabilities report expresses concern by warning these operational capabilities may be used to “disrupt, degrade, or destroy US space systems.”
Thus, the US military currently entertains the idea of revealing a very secret space weapon to demonstrate its capabilities, as per Breaking Defense.
It has previously been said that the weapon was supposed to be revealed by the Trump administration during the Space Symposium in 2020, which was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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The military deliberated instead to move the reveal at this year’s Space Symposium in Colorado but this move was also reconsidered due to the withdrawal of American troops and the recent fall of Afghanistan.
Although, more reports show that the public demonstration of this secret weapon would probably take place later this year.
According to Weeden, this tactical reveal is the US military’s way of saying that they are capable of defeating attacks on their satellites in space. Nothing much is said about the weapon itself at this time since all information related to it has been heavily classified.
However, there are speculations on what the weapon might be able to do, according to Breaking Defense, which includes (a.) A laser for blinding enemy satellites, (b.) radio frequency jammers on military satellites, and (c.) an electronic “zapper” which is similar to a high-powered microwave system.
Still, these are all speculations, and no one knows yet whether this new and highly anticipated space weapon would be located in space or remain on the ground.
During the Trump administration, US military officials have repeatedly referred to space as a potential “warfighting domain.” Weeden says that in the near future, space is highly likely to be a place not only for military activities but also for civil and commercial movements.
With all the possibilities of eventual life in outer space, it is no surprise that the strongest countries in the world would do anything to remain on top—and use all means necessary to take their pursuits to astronomical heights.
