8/19/2019 The New Star Wars
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New space race
Humanity’s dependence on space-based objects hasrocketed since
the world’s first artificial satellite waslaunched in . Some
countries and organiza-tions own one or more space-based platforms
andthere are over , currently operational satellitesorbiting the
planet. Space technologies are increas-ingly available to all
countries, rich or poor, and nowto private citizens and
international organizations –particularly in the realm of
ultra-small ‘nano-satellites’.
Space technology has shown itself to be an equalizerand spur for
global economic development. Satellitesare used for communications,
environmental andweather observation, navigation, military
targeting,and scientific research, from cellular biology throughto
astrophysics.
Almost every country in the world is now dependenton
satellites for a large part of their critical infrastruc-ture.
Changes to landmass, coastal waters, forests,deserts, urban
environments are all tracked by satel-lites. Weather predictions
have become far more
accurate thanks to the use of meteorological
satellites. And internet connectivity, mobile phone use
andtelecommunications are now practical and cost-effec-tive for a
whole range of countries that were previ-ously unable to create the
infrastructure.
Space technologies have changed our world for thebetter. Keeping
space safe and secure is vital for thefuture of economic
development, the alleviation ofpoverty and the management of
earth’s resources.
From the beginning of space flight, national militarymissions
were entwined with the civil, peaceful usesof outer space. For
example, the rockets that are usedto launch satellites into orbit
are the same as the long-range missiles deployed to deliver nuclear
warheads
across the continents. Navigational data is used formissile
guidance and targeting. Earth observationimaging is not only vital
for environmental monitor-ing; it is also used to spy on enemy
military activitiesand provide information for land, sea and air
forces’situational awareness and missile accuracy.
As the militarization of outer space has developedso have
the prospects for its weaponization. Fromanti-satellite weapons
(ASATs) to President Reagan’svision of ‘Star Wars’ and the
Strategic Defense Initia-tive, and now the prospect of cyber-attack
on satel-lites, fears are growing that weapons may become
apermanent feature of space and undermine the manycooperative
ventures such as the International Space
Station.Orbital space debris is a major problem. NASA
tracks more than , pieces of orbital debris andthere are
millions more pieces too small to track – eachcould do serious
damage to the global network of sat-ellites and is a constant
threat to the space station. Anydamage then leads to further damage
in a cascade ofdebris collisions. Existing debris has been caused
byaccidental collisions or by ASAT tests and it remainsin orbit
indefinitely. The problem is growing so fastthat a number of
countries are developing ingenioustools to vacuum up or grab the
debris. One problem is
how satellite operators could distinguish between atool to clean
up debris and a tool to destroy satellitesand how clean-up
operations could distinguishbetween debris and the ultra small
‘nano-satellites’.Indeed, Vitaly Adushkin of the Russian Academy
ofSciences recently warned that space debris could ‘pro-voke
political or even armed conflict ... as the owner ofan impacted and
destroyed satellite could hardlyquickly determine the real cause of
the accident.’
In order to limit the military use and maximize thepeaceful uses
of outer space, governments developeda set of structures to manage
the uses of space andprevent – what many see as inevitable – a
future warin which space systems are attacked from the groundor sea
and weapons are placed in space that attackspace and ground
targets.
The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of OuterSpace (COPUOS) was
established by the General
Assembly in to address the exploration and useof space for
the benefit of all humanity, for peace,
security and development and is the internationalforum for the
development of international space law.In addition, the UN
Secretary-General established agroup of governmental experts that
agreed a set ofsubstantive transparency and
confidence-buildingmeasures for outer space. Likewise, the EU has
estab-lished a process for developing an International Codeof
Conduct for Outer Space Activities, designed toenhance the safety,
security and sustainability ofactivities in outer space.
Although a great deal has been achieved, there arenew
threats on the horizon. All activity that uses elec-tronic mapping,
navigation and timing tools relieson the global navigation
satellite systems (GNSS).
Almost all of the world’s aircraft, maritime
vessels,land-transport networks, energy grids, financial
trans-actions – and, of course, military systems
includinglong-range missiles – are now highly dependent ondata
provided by such systems.
Satellites and their command stations on the groundare
essentially space-based cyber-platforms and sovulnerable to
cyber-attack; many of the older satelliteshave no cyber-security
defences at all. Some states aredeveloping the capabilities to
carry out cyber-attackson satellites and the most serious concerns
are: a) jam-ming and spoofing digital GNSS data that could feedfake
navigational data to planes or ships resulting inconfusion and
collisions; and b) taking physical control
of a satellite that could be switched off or manoeuvredinto the
pathway of another satellite, destroying both.
The world now depends so heavily on space and inparticular on
GNSS data for daily activities that thereis an urgent need for
international collaboration oncyber-security in space – in
conjunction with theaction being taken on orbital debris clean-up –
so thatthe benefits that space provides will be available
andsustainable for the long-term.
Patricia Lewis is Research Director, InternationalSecurity
at Chatham House
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