The Militarisation of Space
When we think of space, we conjure up images of stars, galaxies and the planets; we think of rockets blasting off from Cape Canaveral, the moon landings, of the Mars Rover, and the Voyager probes heading out of the Solar System.
Yet these images and feats of science, engineering and exploration are only the visible tip of a deadly iceberg. Behind the glossy and inspiring images of exploration and discovery we find, as Professor Bleddyn Bowen eloquently puts it, that the “the original sin” of the global space age is the desire to use space for military advantage and global control.
Yet these images and feats of science, engineering and exploration are only the visible tip of a deadly iceberg. Behind the glossy and inspiring images of exploration and discovery we find, as Professor Bleddyn Bowen eloquently puts it, that the “the original sin” of the global space age is the desire to use space for military advantage and global control.
Voyager illustration - NASA
While there have always been scientists, engineers and technicians involved in the space age with humanitarian and scientific aims, the early rocket programmes were developed as part of efforts to develop nuclear missiles, while the first satellites were put into space in order to find targets for those missiles. Although its easy to trace the military influence on space exploration and development right to the earliest days, its also very clear that over the last few years we have seen a real ratcheting up by the global military powers (and others) to occupy and use space for war-fighting. This is happening for a number of reasons.
Space-based operations now affect many aspects of modern life and commerce. The global economy relies heavily on satellites in orbit to provide communication services for a variety of services including mobile phones, the internet, television, and financial trading systems. Global positioning system (GPS) satellites play a key role in transport networks, while earth observation satellites provide information for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and crop observation.
Satellite launch costs have also fallen dramatically over recent years and continue to drop. The price of placing a satellite in low earth orbit is now approaching $1,000 per kilo – about 80 times lower than Space Shuttle per-kg launch costs in the early 1980s. This is driving a new ‘race for space’, with many commercial and government actors keen to capitalise on the economic and strategic advantages offered by the exploitation of space. However this is also creating conditions for conflict. Satellite orbits are contested and space assets are at risk from a variety of natural and artificial hazards and threats, including potential anti-satellite capabilities.
Space-based operations now affect many aspects of modern life and commerce. The global economy relies heavily on satellites in orbit to provide communication services for a variety of services including mobile phones, the internet, television, and financial trading systems. Global positioning system (GPS) satellites play a key role in transport networks, while earth observation satellites provide information for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and crop observation.
Satellite launch costs have also fallen dramatically over recent years and continue to drop. The price of placing a satellite in low earth orbit is now approaching $1,000 per kilo – about 80 times lower than Space Shuttle per-kg launch costs in the early 1980s. This is driving a new ‘race for space’, with many commercial and government actors keen to capitalise on the economic and strategic advantages offered by the exploitation of space. However this is also creating conditions for conflict. Satellite orbits are contested and space assets are at risk from a variety of natural and artificial hazards and threats, including potential anti-satellite capabilities.
Space has also become a key domain for military operations. Modern military engagements rely heavily on space-based assets. Space systems are used for command and control globally; surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance; missile warning; and in support of forces deployed overseas.
Satellites also provide secure communications links for military and security forces, including communications needed to fly armed drones remotely. Many precision-guided munitions use information provided by space-based assets to correct their positioning in order to hit a target.
Satellites also provide secure communications links for military and security forces, including communications needed to fly armed drones remotely. Many precision-guided munitions use information provided by space-based assets to correct their positioning in order to hit a target.
The Way Forward
The militarisation of space endangers global peace and security, betrays contempt for decades of arms control efforts, and will inevitably contribute significantly to a new arms race.
Wars may not begin in space or be decided by what happens in orbit alone, and space technology, for all its glamour, is not going to provide simple solutions to long-standing strategic problems relating to relationships between nations. On the other hand, the risk of misinterpreting a complex and unforeseen situation in space may have the potential to escalate into a serious crisis. As Beyza Unal from Chatham House has pointed out, there is a lot at stake: “Irresponsible behaviour and disregard for the rules of outer space, especially when there is universal agreement on what those rules should be, endanger not only the space-based assets on which we all depend, but also the global system of international peace and security”.
Wars may not begin in space or be decided by what happens in orbit alone, and space technology, for all its glamour, is not going to provide simple solutions to long-standing strategic problems relating to relationships between nations. On the other hand, the risk of misinterpreting a complex and unforeseen situation in space may have the potential to escalate into a serious crisis. As Beyza Unal from Chatham House has pointed out, there is a lot at stake: “Irresponsible behaviour and disregard for the rules of outer space, especially when there is universal agreement on what those rules should be, endanger not only the space-based assets on which we all depend, but also the global system of international peace and security”.
Our Position
- Rather than this military expansion into space the UK should be upholding and extoling the virtue of the Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967, which recognises that space is a ‘global commons’ to be used for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all countries and humankind. The treaty - which we accept needs to be updated - was aimed at preventing national and commercial exploitation of space and the damage that would cause. Instead of upholding that common good, the UK and other states in conjunction with a gang of billionaires – are now doing the exact opposite.
- The cost to international security and the environment of a new space arms race should be at the front of our thinking – not an almost forgotten afterthought. Billions of pounds are going to spent launching military systems into space with an untold amount of harm being done to the environment as a result. There is an urgent need for proper and detailed research into the environmental impact of a UK space programme. While individual elements of the UK military space programme, such as development of spaceport have an environmental assessment, this is often undertaken as an afterthought, once development has begun.
- We believe that it is simply not good enough, legally or ethically, for the government to say in relation to its militarisation of space ‘if we don’t do this then others will’. The UK must uphold the principles behind the Outer Space Treaty, working with its allies to update it to make it relevant to the current context and to technological developments rather than ignoring it as it currently seems to be.
- Outer space is a region of wonder and inspiration. It continues to challenge and inspire many people who wish to explore and discover. However, a growing number of space activities are focussing on commercial exploitation and warfighting. We urge academics, scientists, government officials, space sector businesses and all those who are inspired by space to ensure that their work is not exploited for military purposes.
- We urge more public discussion and debate about this new push to exploit space for military and commercial purposes. Currently, decisions with huge implications are being made by a small elite of policymakers and wealthy entrepreneurs for their own purposes and not for the benefit of humanity. This must change.
