Because of the desire of "rivals to challenge the interests of the United States and its allies in space," this area "has become a war zone," according to a new US National Space Strategy, published on the White House website.
As noted in the release leading up to the document, the strategy is intended to be a blueprint for promoting US interests in space for the benefit of the American people.
The strategy also reaffirms the United States' status as an advanced space power.
"In accordance with the new strategy, the United States will advance its national interests in space and become a leader in a new era of permanent human presence in space - on the Moon, Mars - and beyond," the White House said.
"War zone"
The text of the doctrine says that the United States "seeks to ensure the security, stability and accessibility of the space sector."
“Strength and security in space contribute to the security and stability of the United States and the entire world,” the authors of the strategy emphasized.
Therefore, in the area of national security, the United States needs to "modify its institutions, methods, strategies, doctrine, security classification bases, and capabilities in order to deter military action, suppress aggression, and protect" American interests.
White House
Reuters
© Joshua Roberts
Among the ways to achieve these goals, the authors of the document call obtaining information about all actions in space, with the ability to identify potentially dangerous ones.
In addition, it is important to inform all competitors about what kind of interstellar activity Washington considers undesirable.
"The space sector is a priority area for the United States in terms of intelligence and military activities," the strategy emphasizes.
At the same time, it is prescribed to use simultaneously diplomatic, informational, economic and military methods.
Which countries the White House considers as space rivals is not specified in the doctrine.
However, earlier this aspect was raised by US Vice President Mike Pence during a meeting of the National Space Council.
He noted the American achievements in this area, adding also that this area has its own challenges.
The space race, which started in the 1950s, continues to this day, Pence said.
“We are in the lead, but we are not the only ones (who participate in the space race. -
RT
).
Today at the National Space Council, you will learn from the Director of National Intelligence and others that China and Russia continue to develop space weapons, ”Pence said.
Earlier this year, Russia allegedly demonstrated anti-satellite weapons, and China is developing a new manned space station, he said.
Recall that in July, the US and British military accused Russia of testing a spacecraft, which, according to the West, has combat capabilities.
The Russian Foreign Ministry denied these statements, calling them "another anti-Russian attack" and part of an information campaign to "discredit Russian space activities."
Mike Pence
Reuters
© Joshua Roberts
As the head of the regional security sector of the RISS Center for Defense Research, Sergei Ermakov, noted in a commentary to RT, the main idea of the new US space strategy comes down to the importance of American dominance in this area.
“The document also contains good points, for example, plans for landing on the moon.
But the red line is the idea that the United States should dominate and lead.
In addition, there is a clear division of countries into allies and opponents, ”states Ermakov.
According to military expert Alexei Leonkov, in the updated strategy, the US authorities have actually confirmed their plans to militarize space.
“Even earlier, the United States designated space as a potential theater of war.
The new strategy continues this course, "the expert explained in an interview with RT.
Party consensus
Recall that Russia and China were called the main threats to the US national interests in interstellar space and in the Pentagon's space strategy, which was published in June 2020.
The document said that Russia and the PRC allegedly turn space into an arena of confrontation.
"China and Russia are using space as a weapon to reduce the military effectiveness of the United States and its allies, as well as to challenge our freedom of action in outer space," the authors of the doctrine argued.
The US authorities identified the topic of space as one of the priorities for the state after Donald Trump came to power.
As previously noted by experts, in this way the Republican partly copied the policy of one of his predecessors in the presidency, Ronald Reagan.
SpaceX Dragon capsule
Reuters
© NASA
So, in March 2019, Trump's decree created the Space Development Agency (SDA).
As reported on the website of this structure, it is designed to maintain American leadership against the backdrop of renewed competition between powers.
In July last year, SDA unveiled a plan to strengthen space architecture in each of the "layers" of space.
As stated in the document, space is necessary not only to ensure national security, but also to apply modern "methods of military action."
Russia and China were again named as key competitors of the United States in this area.
In August 2019, the Space Command (SPACECOM) began work as part of the US Armed Forces.
As Trump said during the command's launch ceremony, SPACECOM will help Washington maintain its space supremacy.
In December last year, a new branch of the US Armed Forces was also founded - the Space Force.
However, experts note that although the Trump administration raised the excitement around the topic of space exploration, in reality the 45th US president only continued the course of his predecessor.
“Similar doctrines were prepared even under Obama, and this course has changed little under Trump.
Therefore, it can be expected that it will be continued under Biden.
The United States has long viewed Russia and China as rivals.
Most likely, over time, Washington will try to rally its allies around the topic of space and create some kind of unified system of obligations directed against Russia and China, ”predicts Ermakov.
Peaceful initiatives
Meanwhile, Moscow proposes to limit the militarization of outer space.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on all space powers to accept a treaty banning the deployment of weapons in interstellar space.
In addition, the Russian leader proposed to ban the use of force and threats against space objects.
Vladimir Putin
RIA News
© Alexey Nikolsky
According to the current Treaty of 1966, outer space "is not subject to national appropriation either through the proclamation of sovereignty over it, or through use or occupation, or by any other means."
The agreement was approved by the UN General Assembly, more than 100 countries, including the USSR and the USA, joined it.
However, another international document, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, was ratified by only 18 countries, among which there was neither the United States nor the USSR.
This document prohibits the creation of military installations on the Moon.
As Alexei Leonkov noted, Russia has long offered the United States to sign an agreement banning the militarization of outer space.
“But all of Moscow's initiatives remain unanswered.
Washington avoids such a discussion, citing its national interests.
The United States is preparing a concept for a global strike from orbit, which cannot be reflected from the Earth's surface, ”the expert explained.
Sergey Ermakov adheres to a similar point of view.
“Washington will not agree to sign a treaty against the militarization of outer space.
It follows from the updated space strategy that the United States intends to be guided only by its own interests in this area.
But if the American leadership continues to develop the militarization of outer space, this could lead to an additional increase in tension in the world.
The military development of this space will inevitably lower the threshold for the use of weapons and, consequently, for the outbreak of a global conflict, ”summed up Ermakov.