The Indian Defense Space Research Organization (DSRO) is engaged in developing space arms and the Indian Defence Ministry made it evident that space warfare is a priority area till 2025. India is also a participant in this space arms race as it conducted an anti-satellite weapons test in March 2019 which resulted in space debris. which recognised that its adversaries including China and Russia have turned space into a warfighting domain. space assets’ (Washington Post, 19 January 2007) accessed 18 June 2022 In 2018, a National Space Strategy and National Defense Strategy was issued by the U.S. 4 Dafna Linzer, Marc Kaufman, ‘China criticized for Anti-Satellite missile test destruction of an aging satellite illustrates vulnerability of U.S. as it created a large amount of space debris.

The test carried out in 2007 was met with international criticism especially from the U.S. In 20, China carried out anti-satellite destruction tests. Spires, ‘Beyond Horizons’ (1998) accessed at 17 June 2022Ĭurrently, countries like China, Russia, India and the United States are actively pursuing military uses of space.

The troops relied heavily on the data provided by DMSP to conduct combat operations. The DMSP military weather satellites provided weather images and tactical weather information to the commander-in-chiefs. Bruger, ‘Not Ready for the First Space War: What About the Second?’ (1995) Naval War College Review 48 (1) accessed 17 June 2022 Similarly, during the Vietnam War, air drones were used for aerial photo-reconnaissance to support the U.S. Dudney, ‘Space Power in the Gulf’ (Airforcemag, 1 June 2003) accessed 15 June 2022 Steven J. Defense support program (DSP) satellites also provided Israel and Saudi Arabia with missile warning data. The Global Positioning System (GPS) was used by the military, navy and air force to plan their attack and defense. The use of satellite communications played a huge role in coordination as the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) assisted in collecting weather data and aided in the movement of troops. The first use of space weapons took place in Operation Desert Storm when the Gulf war broke out in 1991. 1 ‘The Space Race’ (21 February 2021) accessed 13 June 2022 accessed 13 June 2022 Captain John Shaw, ‘The Influence of Space Power upon History (1944-1998) accessed 15 June 2022 This summit marked an end to the Cold War. The Soviets tried to keep up by modernizing their ICBM and developing their first anti-satellite weapon – however, it feared America’s rapid space developments and this was one of the reasons it agreed to the Reykjavik summit in 1986. With successful Apollo missions, the launch of America’s reusable space shuttle, and the beginning of the Strategic Defense Initiative – the USA invested heavily in space technology. The Soviets imitated the same space strategy and used satellites to track the nuclear movement in the USA. Air Force’s missile warning satellites which provided the first line of defense against any strikes. The satellites operated by NRO had the support of the U.S. CORONA gathered intelligence on the Soviet Union and its allies by using satellites. From 1960-72, it operated a program code-named ‘CORONA’ in collaboration with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Air Force then started national security-oriented space programs to exploit the military potential of space. ICBM was originally the first space weapon which transformed the strategic nature of space warfare. In 1959, the USA launched a strategic defensive weapon called the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). army launched its first satellite ‘Explorer I’ the year after, and then established a federal agency for space exploration called the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The USA feared it could deliver a nuclear warhead into U.S. In 1957, Russia launched Sputnik-I (an artificial satellite) which posed a threat to the USA.

Due to technological progress, space exploration served as another arena in which this was possible and this led to the space race.

The Cold War between the world superpowers – the United States of America and the Soviet Union – marked the beginning of an era in which they were preoccupied with proving their superiority over each other in all fields technology, military firepower, politics and the economy.

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