Popular Mechanics

The United States, Russia, China, and other countries are developing new weapons to hold the satellite constellations of other powers at risk. Anti-satellite weapons are useful not only for crippling the ability of military adversaries to operate on the battlefield, they also threaten civilian uses of space. The result are attacks that are harder to pinpoint to any one perpetrator, and which could deal a serious blow to the military and economic might of spacefaring powers in peace and war.

Two reports, one from the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the other from The Secure World Foundation, analyze open source data to provide estimates of anti-satellite warfare programs worldwide, including the United States. The result is a chilling look at weapons that could be used to neutralize not only military space satellites but civilian ones, resulting in significant disruptions in everything from television signals to the Global Positioning System.

According to CSIS and SWF, Russia is investing significant time and attention in anti-satellite weapons. The 14A042 Nudol missile is derived from ballistic missile interceptors and can shoot down incoming ballistic missiles and has a limited anti-satellite capability. Nudol has completed seven tests to date.

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