- Gen. Chance Saltzman, head of the US military’s space operations, warned of China’s threat in orbit.
- He said he was more worried about China than the risk of Russian nuclear weapons in space.
- The US is heavily reliant on private companies, such as SpaceX, for its space defense capabilities.
China is developing military space gear at a “mind-boggling” pace, according to the US Space Force chief.
“The number of different categories of space weapons that [China has] created and . . . the speed with which they’re doing it is very threatening,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman, per the Financial Times.
In an interview with Politico, Saltzman added that China’s progress in military space technology posed a bigger challenge than possible Russian nuclear weapons in orbit.
He said he is also worried that China has developed a network of hundreds of military satellites that could be used as a targeting system for military missions on Earth.
It’s one of a series of warnings from top US military officials in recent months about the growing threat in space posed by China.
Space warfare is a growing risk
Space dominance has been an important issue for Chinese premier Xi Jinping, who has frequently expressed his desire for China to be a “space power in all respects.”
And it seems China is rapidly catching up to the US. In recent years, China has developed a sophisticated military program in space, where for decades, the US has been the dominant force.
In April, NASA chief Bill Nelson warned that China was passing off military endeavors in space as civilian projects.
China has repeatedly denied that it intends to establish any military presence in outer space. “Space war can not be won and must never be fought,” its ambassador to the UN said in 2021.
However, it is believed to be developing a hypersonic glide vehicle and other weapons capable of evading air defense systems and satellite warnings. It has also developed technology capable of targeting US satellites.
‘A pivotal moment in history’
“We are at a pivotal moment in history,” Troy Meink, principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which builds and operates the US fleet of spy satellites, said at an April conference in Colorado, as quoted by Space.com.
“For the first time in decades, US leadership in space and space technology is being challenged,” Meink added. “Our competitors are actively seeking ways to threaten our capabilities, and we see this every day.”
According to the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, China’s expenditure on space endeavors increased from $2.15 billion in 2022 to $14 billion in 2023.
Meanwhile, the US Space Force has requested a budget of $29.4 billion for the 2025 financial year.
As the FT notes, the US space defense capabilities are heavily reliant on private companies, such as SpaceX. Last week, SpaceX secured new contracts worth $733.5 million for national security space missions.
“The truth is, whoever controls the space domain will dominate the future global economy,” wrote analyst Arthur Herman for the conservative-leaning Hudson Institute in February.
“If America was the preeminent space power from Presidents John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, we’ve let our edge slip away, while China and Russia aim to displace us all together.”
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