A Nigerian head of Air Bus Defense and Space Systems, Air Vice Marsha Victor Tommy Udoh, retired, has identified key threats to the peaceful use of outer space during a lecture held at the National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, Abuja at the annual second Brigadier General MO. Agu distinguish lecture. According to him, the Outer Space is a zone that occurs about 100 kilometers (60 miles) above the planet, where there is no appreciable air to breathe or to scatter light. He enumerated the threats to the use of outer space as Shooting down of Satellites, Space Junk, Militarization of Outer Space, Weaponization of Outer Space and International Perspective
Interestingly, despite the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the USA and China have shot down their satellites in 2007 and 2008 respectively; a situation that might encourage other space exploiting nations like India, Japan, Israel, and France to follow suit. Additionally, observations of a Russian satellite executing unusual maneuvers in November 2014, suggest that the introduction of orbital weapons capabilities, preparations for space-based warfare, and a new arms race in space may not be ruled out in a foreseeable future.
Space Junk and Its Implications
Due to the advancement in technology, satellite technology has become available to smaller nations, commercial outfits and even individuals. This has made the access to outer space increasingly “democratized”. Miniature satellites now litter the Low Earth Orbit thereby becoming hazard to other satellite. These “Space Junk” have become major threats to satellites and the more objects there are in space, the more the risk. The International Space Station (ISS) was most recently forced to execute an evasive maneuver in November 2014 when it found itself in the path of a piece of debris 14 centimeters in diameter. Since 1999, the ISS has had to undertake such evasive maneuvers 21 times, including 5 in 2014 alone..
Militarization of Outer Space
The militarization of space is the placement and development of weaponry and military technology in outer space.
Outer space is allowed to be used as an operating location for military spacecraft such as imaging and communications satellites, and some ballistic missiles pass through outer space during their flight.
Today, militaries all over the world rely on satellites for command and control, communication, monitoring, early warning, and navigation with the Global Positioning System. Therefore, “peaceful uses” of outer space include military uses.
However, militarization of outer space is a threat to the peaceful use of outer space.
Weaponization of Outer Space
Weaponization of outer space is generally understood to refer to the placement in orbit (outer space) or on heavenly bodies of space based devices that have a destructive capacity as well as creating weapons that will transit outer space or simply travel from Earth to attack or destroy targets in space.
Many experts argue that ground-based systems designed or used to attack space-based assets also constitute space weapons, though are not technically part of the “weaponization of outer space” since they are not placed in orbit. Some also argue that weapons that travel through space in order to reach their targets, such as hypersonic technology vehicles, also contribute to the weaponization of space.
Currently there are no known weapons deployed in space, however, the US has invested in developing potential technologies, and both China (2007) and the US (2008) have demonstrated anti-satellite capabilities.
In response to the potential threats of space weaponization, as well as perceived ballistic missile threats, the US is also developing a ballistic missile defense shield. While missile defense is presented as a defense of American and allied territories against a limited missile attack, it is in reality one more step towards full spectrum dominance. Missile defence allows countries to develop offensive technologies under the pretense of defense. There are many reasons to be concerned about the development of missile defence and space weapon technology, including the increased conventional military dominance by the US, the vast waste of resources that accompanies any arms build-up, whether it’s a race or an asymmetrical surge, and the physical results of fighting in outer space—especially space debris, which can destroy civil and commercial space infrastructure such as satellites..
