Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Space Command is preparing for potential space conflicts, particularly with Russia. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting warned about increasing cooperation in space among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

-This includes Russia aiding North Korea's space program and collaborating with China on a lunar nuclear power plant. Recently, a Russian satellite, Cosmos 2576, believed to be a counterspace weapon, was launched, potentially threatening U.S. satellites.

-The U.S. intelligence community has also indicated that Russia may be developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. The U.S. is enhancing its space defense readiness, targeting full combat readiness by 2027, and strengthening alliances through initiatives like Operation Olympic Defender.

Space Command to Reach Combat Readiness by 2027 Amid Rising Threats

It wasn't a long time ago, and it absolutely isn't in a galaxy far, far away. It also isn't where no one has boldly gone before. Nor is it the plot from the latest science fiction series on Netflix.

Rather, the very real U.S. Space Command, a unified combatant command within the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for military operations in outer space, is now preparing for a possible space war with Russia. 

The head of the command issued a dire warning that nations such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are establishing closer ties, including in the space domain.

"It does appear there is a growing sense of cooperation in the space sphere between these four countries, at least bilaterally within these four countries," said Gen. Stephen N. Whiting on Monday during a visit to the Air Force Foundation's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. "That's something we're keenly observing."

According to a report from Air & Space Forces magazine, Whiting isn't alone in raising concerns that the U.S. could face a space-borne axis of authoritarian states. Military analysts and other officials have been closely monitoring the activities of the four nations – specifically, their efforts to coordinate in space.

In February, a Russian rocket carried the most recent Iranian satellite into orbit. A month later, Moscow and Beijing announced plans to build a nuclear power plant on the lunar surface in the coming decade. Russia has also aided North Korea's space program.

"We're very interested in those relationships," Whiting added. "As we've seen Russia struggle on the battlefield in Ukraine, it appears that they've gone to these other countries … looking for assistance and maybe they're willing to share or cooperate more in the space sphere. Certainly, that's of concern to us."

Russia's Co-Planar – Cosmos 2576

In May, Washington noted the launch of a Russian satellite that is believed to be a "counterspace weapon." The Cosmos 2576 could be a "co-planar." In other words, it might be deployed in the same orbital plane as a U.S. imaging satellite, one reported to be a classified military imaging asset in the Keyhole 11 series, according to NPR.

Such an alignment allows the Kremlin's satellite to monitor, track, and possibly even interfere with the U.S. satellite.

The U.S. satellite was launched in 2021. "Keyhole" is a still-used Cold War-era codename for satellite imaging systems that are used for observation around the world.

This isn't the first time that Russia has launched such a satellite, but previous launches in 2017, 2019, and even 2022 were largely tests. 

Nukes in Space

The U.S. intelligence community has warned that the Kremlin may also be working on a nuclear anti-satellite weapon, though it hasn't been deployed yet.

While Whiting didn't comment on such a weapon, Space News reported that other U.S. officials have warned that a nuclear detonation in space could "produce a massive wave of radiation and a powerful electromagnetic pulse capable of destroying, blinding, or disabling satellites over a wide area.”

U.S. Space Command is now preparing for a war in space, and Whiting said the goal is to "maximize combat readiness by 2027." That includes executing tests and operations. The U.S. is strengthening its partnerships through programs such as Operation Olympic Defender, a U.S.-led multinational initiative aimed at sharing intelligence and deterring hostile actions in the space domain. Current members of the alliance include Australia, Canada, and the UK, while France, Germany, and New Zealand have been invited to join.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

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