Anti-satellite weapon

An artist's impression of a futuristic anti-satellite weapon capable of destroying satellites using its "circular saw" extensions

Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic or tactical[1] purposes. Although no ASAT system has yet been utilized in warfare, a few countries (China, India, Russia, and the United States) have successfully shot down their own satellites to demonstrate[2] their ASAT capabilities in a show of force.[3][4] ASATs have also been used to remove decommissioned satellites.[5]

ASAT roles include: defensive measures against an adversary's space-based and nuclear weapons, a force multiplier for a nuclear first strike, a countermeasure against an adversary's anti-ballistic missile defense (ABM), an asymmetric counter to a technologically superior adversary, and a counter-value weapon.[6]

Use of ASATs generates space debris, which can collide with other satellites and generate more space debris.[2] A cascading multiplication of space debris could cause Earth to suffer from Kessler syndrome.

  1. ^ Friedman, Norman (1989). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems. The Naval Institute Guide To... Series. Naval Institute Press. p. 244. ISBN 9780870217937. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020. That distinction in turn should help differentiate naval ASAT, as a tactical operation, from strategic-warning ASAT [...].
  2. ^ a b Hitchens, Theresa (5 April 2019). "Indian ASAT Debris Threatens All LEO Sats: Update". Breaking Defense. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. ^ Strout, Nathan (16 December 2020). "Space Command calls out another Russian anti-satellite weapon test". C4ISRNET. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Russia conducts space-based anti-satellite weapons test". United States Space Command. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  5. ^ Gohd, Chelsea (22 November 2021). "Russian anti-satellite missile test draws condemnation from space companies and countries". Space.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  6. ^ Strauch, Adam. "Still All Quiet on the Orbital Front? The Slow Proliferation of Anti-satellite Weapons/Na Orbitalni Fronte Stale Klid? Pomala Proliferace Protisatelitnich Zbrani." Obrana a Strategie/Defence & Strategy 2014.2 (2014): 61. Web.