The United States and China are preparing for a possible new battlefield high above Earth, developing satellites and other weapons that could be used to track, disable, or even capture enemy spacecraft. In June, a secretive Chinese spaceplane released a small satellite hundreds of miles above Earth. The satellite then moved around another Chinese spacecraft before heading back toward the spaceplane, according to US space-tracking company LeoLabs. The move has drawn attention because China is developing satellites capable of pursuing and potentially capturing other spacecraft.
Chinese researchers linked to the military are also working on technology that could allow satellites to calculate fuel-efficient movements while chasing another spacecraft. Other research has explored using multiple satellites and nets to capture targets. The United States is developing similar capabilities. Its secretive X-37B unmanned spaceplane can operate for long periods in orbit and deploy satellites or carry cargo.
US Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman warned in July that China was rapidly developing ground and space-based weapons capable of interfering with or destroying targets. "The threat from China is substantial," Saltzman said. The competition is also drawing in US allies.
The United States and Britain carried out a joint military operation in space last year, moving a US satellite close to a suspected Chinese spy satellite. Experts noted that as more satellites fill Earth's orbit, space is becoming an increasingly important part of modern warfare, with jamming, lasers, surveillance, and satellite capture among the capabilities being actively developed.