During her April 18 visit to the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the United States military will stop launching anti-satellite missiles.
After a controversial test by Russia in November, the U.S. hopes that other countries will follow suit in banning the testing of ASATs (anti-satellite weapons). Harris stated that the self-imposed ban will serve as a landmark in “new norms for responsible behavior in space.”
Russia’s November 2021 destruction of its Cosmo 1408 created 1,632 pieces of space debris, according to Reuters. The satellite was blown apart 80 kilometers above the International Space Station, forcing the seven astronauts on board to take shelter.
Ned Price, with the U.S. State Department, called the incident “dangerous and irresponsible behavior,” which he said “jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of outer space and clearly demonstrates that Russia’s claims of opposing the weaponization of space are disingenuous and hypocritical.”
Some critics of the policy, such as Representative Doug Lamborn, believe that other countries could take advantage of the government’s stance.
“This decision creates more opportunities for China and Russia to hold our assets in space at risk while they continue to field ASAT technologies and create hazardous space debris,” he said.
Concerns about Russia potentially destroying commercial satellites have arisen after companies such as Canada’s MTD Ltd. promised to provide Ukraine with intelligence photos from their satellites.
The U.S. will not be able to enforce the ban on other nations, but proponents hope that it will set a good example and deter aggression.
Robin Dickey, a space policy and strategy analyst, commented, “I’m really excited about this announcement because it’s not just the U.S. committing to refrain from these behaviors; it’s about trying to establish international norms for responsible behavior in space and really encouraging other countries to join in.”
