For the past two days, a new discussion has been making waves globally: nuclear weapons in space. The burning question arises: do such weapons exist? Do world powers possess armaments capable of being launched from outer space? Let's discover whether space weapons could potentially be used to annihilate a country, or if this is all just speculative fiction.
The United States and nations such as Japan are advocating for a ban on the use of nuclear weapons in space. The United Nations voted on the Outer Space Treaty, with 13 votes in favor. However, Russia exercised its veto power. China did not participate in the voting. Currently, Russia does not seem to agree with this stance and is believed to be developing a satellite capable of deploying nuclear weapons in space.
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Source: aajtak
First, what exactly is a 'space weapon'?
Space weapons are those that can be fired from space, targeting either a spot on Earth or an adversary's satellite or space station. Such weaponry could destroy ballistic and cruise missiles from outer space. The concept of space weapons emerged during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union.
It is said that during that time, both countries had designed such weapons. There's also speculation that they even constructed them. However, there has been no official announcement or leaked information about any such weapons being stationed in space to date.
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Does any country possess these types of weapons?
During the era of the Soviet Union, a secret military space station named Almaz was created, equipped with a 23mm autocannon, intended to fend off attacks or destroy targets. To this day, it remains the only weapon of its kind to have been deployed in space.
Source: aajtak
Furthermore, the Soviet Union developed a space weapon platform called Polyus, equipped with a laser weapon and a self-defense cannon. However, there is no clear evidence on whether the Soviet Union actually deployed it in space.
Can nuclear weapons be sent into space?
In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty—a pact among global powers including Russia and the United States—prohibited the deployment of any nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in space. An explosion in space would not directly harm Earth's inhabitants or its environment.
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Weapons that could travel from Earth to space
Countries like India, the United States, China, and Russia possess anti-satellite weapons, capable of shooting down satellites from Earth. These weapons have undergone multiple tests and employ both explosives and kinetic kill strategies. Kinetic kill involves launching a missile without a payload to collide directly with a satellite, shattering it to pieces.
Source: aajtak
Are there currently such weapons in space?
As of now, no country has openly deployed nuclear weapons in space. This means that among the more than 7500 satellites orbiting Earth, none are armed. Those owned by companies or countries are being utilized for national, local, or international security.
Nuclear Reactors Sent into Space
The United States launched an experimental nuclear reactor into space in 1965. Between 1967 and 1988, Russia deployed at least 34 nuclear reactors on satellites to power them. Though these reactors provide energy to satellites, they could potentially be weaponized by any nation, simply by crashing the satellite to the ground.
