It is reported that on June 24, Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, the head of U.S. Space Command, expressed concern about growing cooperation between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran over space. The four developing nations pose a threat to the United States’ interest in space, according to Whiting during his visit to the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
“Those four nations have increased cooperation in the space arena,” Gen. Whiting stated. “That’s something we’re watching very closely.” The cooperation between analysts and officials could mark the beginning of an “axis” aligned against the United States, according to some experts. However, others believe the concerns may be unwarranted.
Russia Seeks Space Allies Amid Ukraine Struggles
Whiting underscored the importance of these relationships as Moscow. Tries to get help while it is on shaky ground in its operation in Ukraine. “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,” he said.
Recent events have punctuated this growing cooperation. A Russian rocket launched an Iranian satellite in February. That month, Moscow and Beijing announced it would build a nuclear power plant on the moon by the 2030s. And Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a defense pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, amid reports of Russian assistance to North Korea’s fledgling space program. Such cooperation will benefit North Korea immensely through the Russian expertise. In rocket launching ballistic missiles and spacecraft alike.
The cooperation extends into space. Russia uses Iranian and North Korean weaponry in Ukraine, receiving Chinese support to boost its arms production. While the four countries are running mainly by bilateral agreements, their increasing ties cause problems in the already contested domain of space.
But one of the more immediate concerns for SPACECOM is Russia’s recent antics in space. U.S. officials said last month that Russia launched a counterspace weapon into the same low-Earth orbit as a U.S. government satellite. Intelligence and data from previous Russian launches were used to make the assessment, according to Gen. Whiting. “We’ve been tracking objects on orbit for decades,” he said. The parameters of the launch and its co-planar position to a U.S. satellite indicated a deliberate act, similar to the 2017, 2019, and 2022 Russian tests.
Space Domain Heats Up
It includes past incidents in which the Russian satellites were acting aggressively, like the 2019 launch where one satellite shed a sub-satellite that began tailing a National Reconnaissance Office satellite. It said the sub-satellite launched a high-speed projectile. Whiting likened these Russian “nesting dolls” to show how Russia is advancing in antisatellite technologies.
There is, finally, the rapidly expanding China in space. Whiting said that what China had done was “breathtakingly fast.” Beijing developed a broad counterspace capability, encompassing offensive cyber tools, GPS jammers, high-energy lasers, and direct ascent antisatellite weapons, to enhance its own space capabilities. The space capabilities are rapidly being improved to support terrestrial military operations independently.
Strengthening Indo-Pacific Alliances
In the light of these developments, Whiting emphasized the hardening of alliances in the Indo-Pacific. His first trip as the head of the new command was to the headquarters of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, followed by visits to allies in Japan and South Korea. These talks were held to discuss how SPACECOM and regional commands can get on the same page and to infuse a culture of cooperation in order to better react to China’s acts in space.
The growing cooperation between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran makes for a very complicated problem for the United States. As these nations grow their relations in space, the U.S. has to bear the responsibility of lawmaking. To be more vigilant and proactive in safeguarding its interests within this increasingly contested domain. Whiting’s warnings spell out the impetus for urgent action to stem this multi-dimensional threat. By demanding continued observation and strategic responses to maintain U.S. dominance over space.
