“Don’t Make A Mess In Space!” That’s what acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said to the international community regarding potential weapons testing in space following India’s successful test of an anti-satellite missile.
“My message would be: we all live in space, let’s not make it a mess. Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate,” Mr. Shanahan told reporters after India’s test.
India announced on Wednesday that it had conducted the test, dubbed Operation Shakti, in order to determine their weapons systems effectiveness at bringing down satellites in space. The target of the test was reportedly one of India’s own satellites no longer in operation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had now become a country in a league of global “space powers.”
The U.S. was not the only country to express caution. India’s rival Pakistan also lashed out, lambasting New Delhi for weaponizing the “common heritage of mankind” which is outer space. “We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work toward developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The militarization of outer space has been a big topic as of late, ever since the Trump administration announced its much discussed plans to create the U.S. Space Force, plans for which are already being assessed by policymakers on the Hill. India’s Operation Shakti is triggering fears of a potential space arms race, and reminding the international community of what such a race could bring about.
It’s worth noting that we’ve been here before. Similar reactions were seen some twelve years ago when China conducted a similar test.
