Militarization of outer space in the context of contemporary international relations

10.54398/1818510Х_2024_2_7

Annotation

The purpose of this article is to consider the militarization of outer space as a continuously occurring process from the “first space race” to the present and possible ways to limit international military and political tensions in the field of space exploration. The article pays much attention to military space programs and types of outer space weapons, which different countries, primarily the United States and Russia, are developing. The use of the chronological method and the method of system analysis makes it possible to establish a continuity between currently developing military space systems, including those which new participants of space exploration (China, India) are testing. The article examines the relationship between the normative legal documents on outer space of the Cold War period and international treaties on the limitation of nuclear weapons, analyzes the main approaches to limit the deployment of military activities in outer space and assesses their possible application. Based on Russia's testing of “Sarmat” missile and the announcement of the US moratorium on testing anti-satellite weapons, the author finds the idea of bringing the “Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects” (PPWT) to life worth attention. At the same time, the author thinks that the creation of a space situational awareness system alone is insufficient. Nonetheless the American moratorium of 2022 on testing anti-satellite weapons seems to be one of the elements of American policy aimed not only at demonstrating its own technical capabilities, but also at establishing restrictive lines for military activities in space.

Keywords

• “Outer Space Treaty”
• outer space weapons
• spacecraft
• anti-satellite weapons
• “the first space race”
• “the second space race”
• military activities in outer space
• PPWT
• the concept of space situational awareness
• inspection satellites
* click on a keyword to go to the search

References

1. Antonov, A. I. Mezhdunarodno-pravovoe regulirovanie voenno-kosmicheskoy deyatelnosti [International legal regulation of military space activities]. Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta [Vestnik MGIMO-University]. 2012, no. 4 (25), pp. 190–197.
2. Bovdunov, A., Komarova, E. Proekt v formate “zvezdnykh voyn”: zachem Pentagon planiruet sozdat voennuyu orbitalnuyu stantsiyu [Project in the “Star Wars” format: why the Pentagon plans to create a military orbital station]. Available at: https://russian.rt.com/world/article/646898-ssha-boevaya-kosmicheskaya-stanciya (accessed: 22.12.2023).
3. Voron, I. Obostrenie neizbezhno: kak prokhodit militarizatsiya kosmosa [Aggravation is inevitable: how the militarization of space is proceeding]. Available at: https://profile.ru/ military/obostrenie-neizbezhno-kak-proxodit-militarizaciya-kosmosa-586827/ (accessed: 18.12.2023).
4. Vystuplenie Postoyannogo predstavitelya Rossiyskoy Federatsii pri OON i drugikh mezhdunarodnykh organizatsiyakh v Zheneve G. M. Gatilova na plenarnom zasedanii Konferentsii po razoruzheniyu, 27 yanvarya 2022 goda [Statement by Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov at the Plenary Session of the Conference on Disarmament, January 27, 2022]. Available at: https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1796263/ (accessed: 03.01.2024).
5. God nazad SShA vyshli iz Dogovora po PRO-1972 [A year ago, the United States withdrew from the 1972 ABM Treaty]. Available at: https://ria.ru/20021213/281443.html?ysclid= lqwb10hod3739146522 (accessed: 02.01.2024).
6. Dogovor mezhdu Soyuzom Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik i Soedinennymi Shtatami Ameriki ob ogranichenii sistem protivoraketnoy oborony [Treaty Between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems]. Elektronnyy fond pravovykh i normativno-tekhnicheskikh dokumentov [Electronic fund of legal, regulatory and technical documents]. Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1901885/titles/64U0IK (accessed: 03.01.2024).
7. Dogovor o printsipakh deyatel'nosti gosudarstv po issledovaniyu i ispol'zovaniyu kosmicheskogo prostranstva, vklyuchaya Lunu i drugie nebesnye tela [Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies]. Available at: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1901382 (accessed: 03.01.2024).
8. Dogovor SNV-2 [New START Treaty]. Available at: https://ria.ru/20130103/ 916639701.html (accessed: 02.01.2024).
9. Kotov, M. Kak budet vyglyadet' bitva Rossii i SShA v kosmose [What the battle between Russia and the United States in space will look like]. Available at: https://vz.ru/world/2021/ 3/9/1088606.html (accessed: 22.12.2023).
10. Kotov, M. Ukrainskie voennye podstavili Ilona Maska [Ukrainian military framed up Elon Musk]. Available at: https://m.vz.ru/world/2022/4/20/1154666.html (accessed: 22.12.2023).
11. Nikitin, A. V SShA zayavili ob ispytaniyakh Rossiey protivosputnikovoy rakety [The United States announced Russia was testing an anti-satellite missile]. Available at: https://vz.ru/news/2020/12/16/1076111.html (accessed: 22.12.2023).
12. Poslanie Prezidenta Federalnomu Sobraniyu [Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly]. Available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70565 (accessed: 02.01.2024).
13. Pudovkin, E. SShA vyshli iz dogovora po raketam. Chem vazhen DRSMD i kakie riski sozdast ego razval [The United States withdrew from the missile treaty. Why is the INF Treaty important and what risks will its collapse create]. Available at: https://www.rbc.ru/politics/02/08/2019/5d42b0929a794772e68c66ec (accessed: 02.01.2024).
14. Savin, L. Sderzhivanie i militarizatsiya kosmosa [Containment and militarization of outer space]. KATEHON. 01.09.2021. Available at: https://katehon.com/ru/article/sderzhivanie-i-militarizaciya-kosmosa (accessed: 21.12.2023).
15. Sorak, S. Diskurs smestilsja ot kosmosa-svyatilishha k kosmosu kak teatru boevykh deystviy [The discourse has shifted from space as a sanctuary to space as a theater of war]. Available at: https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/interview/diskurs-smestilsya-ot-kosmosa-svyatilishcha-k-kosmosu-kak-teatru-boevykh-deystviy/ (accessed: 22.12.2023).
16. SShA vveli moratoriy na ispytaniya protivosputnikovogo oruzhiya [The United States has introduced a moratorium on anti-satellite weapons testing]. Available at: https://ria-ru.turbopages.org/ria.ru/s/20220419/oruzhie-1784212625.html?utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium= mobile&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fyandex.ru%2Fnews%2Fstory%2FVice-prezident_KHarris_ SSHA_vveli_moratorij_naispytaniya_protivosputnikovogo_oruzhiya--a903fac29ddbe83945de112753 551010 (accessed: 22.12.2023).
17. Fenenko, A., Veselov, V. Perspektivy voennoy kosmonavtiki [Prospects for military astronautics]. Available at: https://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/perspektivy-voennoy-kosmonavtiki/ (accessed: 22.12.2023).
18. Chernikov, A. “Zvezdnye voyny” vozvrashchayutsya? Rossiya i SShA obvinili drug druga v militarizatsii kosmosa [Star Wars coming back? Russia and the United States accused each other of outer space militarization]. Available at: https://mskgazeta.ru/politika/zvezdnye-vojny-vozvrashayutsya-rossiya-i-ssha-obvinili-drug-druga-v-militarizacii-kosmosa.html (accessed: 21.12.2023).
Read more

Popular articles