The Final Frontier: The Rising Importance of Space in National Defense

The realm of space has often been referred to as the final frontier, and it seems that governments are increasingly focusing on strengthening defense and exploring the military potential of low Earth orbit. Evan Ellis, a research professor and analyst for the U.S. Army War College, has emphasized the growing significance of expanding and protecting space infrastructure from a national security perspective.

Space as a War-Fighting Domain

Ellis has highlighted the importance of space as a war-fighting domain, and the need to protect and use assets in times of war. As a defense analyst, he has participated in space war game scenarios, identifying various types of weapons that could be used in Earth's orbit. These range from kinetic weapons like missiles to non-kinetic weapons such as electromagnetic pulses, microwaves, and lasers. However, not all weapons are practical for space-to-space or space-to-Earth combat scenarios. For instance, lasers are less practical to have in a space-based platform due to energy supply and stability issues. Ellis has suggested that it would be more pragmatic to target other celestial objects rather than ground objects from space.

The Threat of Anti-Satellite Weapons

National security lawyer and Scarab Rising president, Irina Tsukerman, has pointed out that weapons don't need to be in space to pose a threat to orbiting objects. She mentioned that countries like China and Russia have developed various anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) capabilities, including kinetic kill vehicles and electronic warfare systems, aimed at disabling or destroying U.S. satellites. The potential use of ASATs as a wartime weapon is a growing concern, especially with more countries investing in counter-space assets. While destructive ASATs have not yet been deployed in warfare, countries such as Russia, India, China, and the United States have demonstrated their ability to operate such weapons by destroying their own satellites.

Increased Investment in Space Defense

Investment in space from a national security perspective has also seen a significant increase this year. The Space Foundation reported that total global military space budgets increased 18 percent, representing 46 percent of total government space spending. The United States represents the majority of this at 80 percent, but countries like Japan and Poland have also drastically increased their space defense spending.

Concerns Over the Weaponization of Space

There is widespread concern over the weaponization of space, especially given current geopolitical tensions between the United States, Russia, and China. The United Nations' Outer Space Treaty has prohibited nuclear arms or weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in orbit or on celestial bodies such as the moon since 1967. However, increased militarization efforts in this domain already pose risks to national security. The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation identifies three classifications of space weaponry, including Earth-to-space, space-to-space, and space-to-Earth. Currently, only Earth-to-space weapons have been developed in military arsenals due to restrictions outlined in the Outer Space Treaty. However, some argue that growing interest in the latter two categories makes expansion into these areas inevitable.

The Future of Space Warfare

The Center for Strategic and International Studies' project Aerospace Security identifies four different types of space weaponry: kinetic physical, non-kinetic physical, electronic, and cyber. The 2024 Secure World Foundation report noted that the growing use of, and reliance on, space for national security has led more countries to develop their own counter-space capabilities that can deceive, disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy space systems. This sentiment is echoed by a National Air and Space Intelligence Center report, which states that foreign competitors are integrating advanced space and counter-space technologies into warfighting strategies to challenge U.S. superiority and position themselves as space powers.

Bottom Line

The importance of space in national defense and security cannot be overstated. With the growing militarization of space and the development of advanced space and counter-space technologies, the future of warfare could very well be fought in the stars. What are your thoughts on this evolving landscape of national defense? Do share this article with your friends and engage in a discussion. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.