The idea of weapons in space, once a plot of science fiction, became a reality Monday (Sept. 14), when U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink revealed at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in Maryland that the United States had deployed “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.”
Experts are worried that with this new announcement, outer space may become the next frontier for an arms race. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union, dictated that no weapons should be placed in orbit. But the treaty had no enforcement mechanism, meaning the U.S.’ announcement may not result in any international sanctions, which could instead encourage other countries to add their own weapons to the final frontier, experts suggested.
With the U.S.’ recent deployment of these technologies, Live Science ran a poll to see how readers felt about the possible threat of weapons in space. The results reveal just how worrying this topic is.
More than 280 readers voted in the poll, with 80% choosing the option “Yes, I’m worried that space will become the next frontier for weapons.”
The comments reflect this general trend. “Of course I am worried that the US have put weapons in space,” one reader wrote, adding that they’re worried by anything the administration in Washington is currently doing.
Other readers echoed this sentiment, with one commenter saying, “Peace in space depends on the calibre and wisdom of world leaders which currently is simply not up to the necessary standard to be unlegislated.”
The next-largest voting group, 14% of readers, picked this option: “This is a bit premature, and I’m waiting to see how other countries will react.”
One comment opined that the presence of weapons in space doesn’t necessarily mean they are intended to set off a major conflict, with one reader writing, “I think the observation ‘if you want peace, prepare for war’ is most relevant here. There is no suggestion these weapons were put there to start a war, but if one eventuates one day we will be glad defensive measures are already in place.”
