The US Department of Defense has publicly acknowledged for the first time that it has deployed military-purpose weapon systems in Earth orbit, with the Air Force Secretary confirming the fact at a congressional hearing. The move is seen as a key turning point in the trilateral space race and may trigger a new round of arms competition and space governance battles.
The US government publicly acknowledged for the first time on September 15 the deployment of weapons in Earth orbit, with defense analysts warning this move may trigger a new round of global space arms race. The decision will affect global satellite communications security, commercial space activities, and the reform of international space legal frameworks, and may push space powers such as China and Russia to accelerate the development of anti-satellite weapons and space combat capabilities. Against the backdrop of accelerated parallel commercialization and militarization of low-Earth orbit, the pressure for reform of the global space governance system will further increase.