Tens of thousands of kilometres above the Earth’s surface, Chinese satellites have been spotted moving in mysterious zigzag patterns.
Space observers – including those at the Pentagon – are not sure what the unusual manoeuvres are meant to achieve, but they are reportedly happening at higher speeds and becoming more complex.
They are also coming “uncomfortably close” to US spacecraft.
As a rising space power, China has made big advances in recent years with orbital inspection, repair and refuelling – all crucial to sustaining navigation, weather forecast, and broadband internet services.
But there are concerns that the same space techniques – employed in what Beijing considers a “war-fighting domain” – could be used to capture detailed images, closely inspect enemy satellites, intercept radio frequency signals, or even inflict damage on rival spacecraft.
In the past decade, China has developed one of the world’s most comprehensive space defence systems. It leads in direct ascent and co-orbital anti-satellite (ASAT) technologies in low Earth orbit, ahead of the No 1 space power, the United States, according to open-source data analysed by US-based research organisation Secure World Foundation (SWF) and published in April.
So much so that China’s strength in this area has prompted leaders of the American air and space forces to make rare public calls for “space weapons” this year.
