“Rather than stationing more weapons in space, we should be seriously participating in ways to demilitarise the space domain.”
By Dave Webb
Confirming what many peace campaigners have suspected for a long time, it has now been revealed that the US has deployed weapons in space.
While the US has been exploring anti-satellite (ASAT) systems since the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink disclosed last month that these could be kinetic (hit-to-kill projectiles) or non-kinetic (including laser, electronic warfare and signal jamming weapons). The truth is we don’t know what type of weapons there are in space, how many there are, or how long they have been there.
It is even possible that the US has stationed more than one type of weapon in space. Non-kinetic weapons – such as lasers and electronic warfare weapons – could damage electronic equipment, and jamming systems could disrupt communications between satellites and with the ground.
But it would be irresponsible for the US to deploy missiles to destroy satellites, as the debris produced would add to the 15,800 tonnes already circling Earth and increase problems for all space users. It could even lead to the Kessler Syndrome – where collisions between objects in low Earth orbit create debris faster than it decays naturally, creating a self-sustaining chain reaction that could make key orbits unusable for generations.
Space is already vital to the military and has become a war-fighting zone. Major General Paul Tedman, previous commander of UK Space Command, described space as the ‘central nervous system’ of military operations, playing a crucial role in communications, targeting, and weapons guidance.
The importance of space systems was emphasised in 2021 when NATO extended Article 5 (the declaration that an attack on one member state is an attack on all) to include attacks in or from space. This means that, if a satellite were to malfunction or be hit by a meteorite, it could be interpreted as a first strike and could lead to a devastating nuclear war.
The US cites threats by China and Russia as their reason for spending more on space, but at around $80 billion a year, it spends four times more than China in this area, while Russia plans to spend around $6 billion a year over the next 10 years.
But for President Trump and the US military, leading is not enough – they want complete control and domination. Back in 1997, US Space Command released its ‘Vision for 2020’ which contained the following quote, clearly expressing their intentions: “US Space Command – dominating the space dimension of military operations to protect US interests and investment.”
This August, US Space Command published ‘The Space Warfighting Environment 2040’ which describes how the US is preparing to enforce that domination. Tedman was keen for the UK to follow, commenting that “the U.K. must now be more assertive in defending our national interests and our freedom of action in space… We must be able to control space, defend our assets, and – if required – deny its use to hostile actors.”
China and Russia have condemned the stationing of weapons in space but, if they respond in kind, space could soon become a battlefield.
There is no international agreement to prohibit the stationing of weapons in space. Although the 1967 Outer Space Treaty calls for the peaceful use of outer space, it only forbids the stationing of weapons of mass destruction in orbit. For years, the US, alongside Israel and, at times, the UK, have repeatedly voted against United Nations General Assembly resolutions to prevent an arms race in outer space. In not surprising news, the US has also consistently voted against a resolution on no first placement of weapons in outer space. China and Russia have always supported these resolutions.
Meink’s announcement may be in preparation for Trump’s Golden Dome project, a planned missile defence system which includes the stationing of hundreds of interceptor missiles in Earth’s orbit. Further development of the Golden Dome will include US bases in the UK such as Menwith Hill, Fylingdales and the DARC (Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability) proposed for Pembrokeshire. The latter two radar systems could be used to track and target ‘unfriendly’ satellites. The UK’s new Space Strategy states that the government plans to continue to cooperate with the US across the space domain.
The UK has just established its first military squadron to protect satellites in space and respond to emerging threats. But rather than stationing more weapons in space, we should be seriously participating in ways to demilitarise the space domain and work towards cooperation and sharing rather than duplicating space resources that profit the few.
Now is the time to disassociate from the illegal and dangerous actions of the US, close all US bases in the UK, and work to keep space for peace.
- Dave Webb is the Chair of Yorkshire CND. You can follow the CND on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
- This article was first posted on the CND website on 2 October 2026.
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