The White House has confirmed that the US has intelligence on Russia’s anti-satellite capability, which could pose a threat to the security and stability of the space domain.
In a press briefing on Friday, the White House press secretary said that the US was aware of Russia’s development and testing of anti-satellite weapons, which could be used to damage or destroy satellites in orbit.
The press secretary said that the US was concerned about the potential implications of such weapons for the peaceful use of outer space, as well as for the safety and sustainability of the space environment. The press secretary also said that the US was committed to maintaining and enhancing its space capabilities, and to working with allies and partners to deter and counter any threats to the space domain.
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The press secretary urged Russia to refrain from any actions that could escalate tensions or undermine stability in space, and to engage in constructive dialogue on norms of behavior and responsible conduct in space.
The confirmation comes after a report by CNN earlier this week, which cited unnamed US officials as saying that Russia had conducted a test of a new anti-satellite missile system, known as Nudol, in December last year. The report said that the test was successful and demonstrated a significant improvement in Russia’s anti-satellite capability.
The report also said that the US intelligence community had assessed that Russia was developing other types of anti-satellite weapons, such as lasers and jammers, which could interfere with or disable satellites without physically destroying them.
Anti-satellite weapons are considered to be a serious threat to the security and stability of the space domain, as they could create debris that could endanger other satellites and spacecraft or create a situation of mutual vulnerability and mistrust among space-faring nations.
The US, Russia, China, and India are among the countries that have demonstrated anti-satellite capabilities in the past, either through kinetic or non-kinetic means. However, there is no international treaty or agreement that specifically regulates or prohibits the development or use of such weapons.
The only existing legal framework for outer space is the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bans the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit but does not address conventional weapons or anti-satellite systems.
The US has been advocating for the development of norms of behavior and responsible conduct in space, as well as for enhancing transparency and confidence-building measures among space actors. The US has also been pursuing bilateral and multilateral cooperation on space security issues with allies and partners, such as NATO, Japan, Australia, India, and others.
The US has also expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with Russia and China on space issues but has accused them of pursuing destabilizing activities and policies in space, such as developing anti-satellite weapons or proposing treaties that would limit US freedom of action in space.