The US Space Force will deploy a fleet of spy satellites this summer to monitor Chinese and Russian spacecraft that have the potential to disable or harm objects in orbit, Bloomberg reports.
The satellite network, called Silent Barker, will be positioned approximately 35,400 km above Earth. These satellites, developed in collaboration with the US National Space Intelligence Agency, are designed to detect and track enemy satellites in order to identify threats in a timely manner.
The United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, is scheduled to launch the Atlas V rocket and the Silent Barker satellites into space sometime after July, although the exact date has not yet been announced.
The annual threat report by the director of the National Space Intelligence Agency states that China possesses weapons capable of targeting US and allied satellites, citing examples such as China's SJ-21 and Shijian-17 satellites. The report suggests that the Chinese People's Liberation Army has plans for future "counter-space operations."
It is worth noting that in response to the increasing potential threats from Russia and China, the Pentagon has initiated possible training of the US Space Force in collaboration with these countries.
What is the US Space Force?
The US Space Force, established in 2019, is the sixth independent branch of the US Armed Forces, taking over responsibilities originally assigned to the Air Force. Its primary mission is to safeguard US interests in space and equip its units to address potential threats. The tasks of the Space Force include rocket launches, satellite management, ground communications, and sensor equipment. The current personnel strength of the US Space Force is approximately 16,000 individuals.
As members of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the United States, China, and Russia engage in scientific activities, but all three countries possess significant military capabilities in space.
What are the implications of it for world politics?
The launch of these satellites might work as a "green light" for many other countries to openly launch their spy satellites into space, especially after the US condemning China for, supposedly, launching spy balloons and satellites and the recent North Korean failed rocket launch.
This might start a new race between the global powers as during the Cold War, but instead of nuclear warheads it is with satellites and space technologies.
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