WASHINGTON — Space security is shifting from a niche arms-control concern to a central policy issue as reliance on satellites deepens and the tools to disrupt them proliferate, according to a new report from the Secure World Foundation.
The report categorizes counterspace capabilities into five areas: direct-ascent weapons such as ground-launched missiles; co-orbital systems that maneuver near other satellites; electronic warfare tools including jamming and spoofing; directed-energy systems such as lasers; and cyber capabilities.
"The actual use of offensive counterspace capabilities could have long-lasting consequences for humanity," the report warns, citing the risk of losing critical services and creating persistent debris fields.
