If Russia were to deploy nuclear warheads to destroy American satellites, it could have catastrophic consequences such as causing failures in your home’s electrical and water systems, halting air, rail, and road transportation, and rendering your cellphone inoperable.

The following are some of the causes of concern this week regarding reports of Russia potentially developing nuclear weapons in space.

The White House stated that the threat is not immediate. However, concerns about space dangers from Russia and China have been amplified by reports of a new anti-satellite weapon. With a significant portion of the country’s infrastructure relying on U.S. satellite communications, the vulnerability of these satellites has grown.

This is not the first instance of a nuclear warhead being detonated in space. China and Russia are also actively seeking ways to disable or destroy U.S. satellites.

Let’s examine the events that have occurred in the past, the possible reasons for Russia’s current pursuit of a nuclear weapon for space, and the actions being taken by the U.S. to address the various threats in space.

Russia and the United States have both exploded nuclear bombs in outer space. During the 1960s, there was limited understanding of the effects of these new weapons of mass destruction in the Earth’s atmosphere. In order to gain more information, both nations conducted experiments. The Soviet Union’s experiments, named Project K, occurred from 1961 to 1962. The U.S. conducted 11 tests, with the largest and first successful one known as Starfish Prime, according to Stephen Schwartz, a non-resident senior fellow at the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

In July 1962, the United States launched Starfish Prime, which involved sending a 1.4-megaton thermonuclear warhead into space on a Thor missile and detonating it at a height of approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface.

The missile was fired from a distance of approximately 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) from Hawaii, but the impacts of the tests were observed throughout the equator region.

According to a 1982 report from the Department of Defense on the tests, the explosion at a high altitude released a significant amount of energy, resulting in widespread auroras across the Pacific.

A powerful explosion caused damage to multiple satellites, including a British one called Ariel, when radioactive material from the blast reached them. According to Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, radio systems and the electrical grid in Hawaii were briefly disrupted. The 1982 report described the impact on satellites as similar to a malfunction in an old Saturday matinee film.

According to Kristensen, the former Soviet Union performed a test called Project K at a lower orbit and this resulted in damaging systems on the ground, such as underground cables and a power plant.

In 1963, a year after, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to a nuclear test ban treaty that banned any future testing of nuclear weapons in space.

The White House’s spokesperson for national security, John Kirby, refused on Thursday to comment on whether the new Russian weapon has the capability to carry nuclear weapons. He stated that it would go against an international agreement that forbids the use of “nuclear weapons or any other forms of weapons of mass destruction” in space.

According to John Ferrari, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, the potential for causing significant harm is a key reason why the Russians may consider placing a warhead in space. This is particularly relevant if they perceive their military and economy as weakened after engaging in a two-year conflict with a pro-U.S. Ukraine.

According to him, a weapon deployed in space that has the potential to disrupt U.S. communications and economy could serve as a powerful equalizer. This would be the most recent advancement in Russia and China’s attempts to militarize outer space.

China has recently conducted trials on a satellite equipped with a robotic arm capable of navigating to a designated system, grasping it, and shifting it from its orbit.

In 2019, Russia successfully deployed a unique satellite design known as a “nesting doll” which contains multiple smaller satellites and a destructive projectile that can target and destroy nearby satellites. This maneuver was performed near a U.S. satellite.

At a space conference in 2022, Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, the deputy chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, stated that when a nesting doll system is positioned near one of our valuable NRO capabilities, it puts that asset in danger. The NRO refers to the National Reconnaissance Office.

In 2021, Russia made global news with a conventional anti-satellite test in which it destroyed one of its own systems. Similar to the Starfish test, this resulted in a significant amount of space debris that posed a temporary threat to the International Space Station.

According to Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the rapid changes in space posed a major concern that led to the formation of the U.S. Space Force. Since its establishment in 2019, the force has prioritized creating a training program for its members, known as Guardians, to identify and prepare for potential threats from space. This includes simulating scenarios of space conflict.

The establishment of the Space Force led to an increase in expenditures on satellite technology and protection. In the past, when different branches of the military were responsible for space operations, funding for a new satellite would have to compete with other priorities such as ships or fighter jets. According to Ferrari, the services had a more pressing need for these aircraft and vessels.

According to Ferrari, the recent news that Russia may be developing a nuclear weapon for space has raised important concerns for Congress and the Defense Department. Despite progress, there is still more work to be done in addressing this issue. If Russia were to deploy a nuclear weapon against satellites, resulting in significant damage to the U.S. economy, would it be justifiable for the U.S. to retaliate by bombing Russian cities?

Ferrari asked, “How will you address this? You seem to have limited choices.” He then questioned, “What approach should be taken in regards to deterrence theory?”

Source: wral.com