Militarising outer space: The new frontier of global power struggles
Humanity’s insatiable quest for dominance and security has reached a new frontier—outer space. Once regarded as a realm of exploration and scientific discovery, space is now becoming a potential battlefield as nations race to extend their military capabilities beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
This evolving dynamic raises critical questions: Is humanity venturing into space for security or supremacy? And at what cost to global peace?
The pursuit of advanced security systems has always been a priority for nations, whether developed or developing. Having established formidable defences on Earth, many countries now view outer space as the next frontier for asserting dominance.
While some nations seek to use space peacefully, others are pushing the boundaries by developing weapons systems capable of operating in orbit. The United States, for instance, has expressed concerns about Russia and China’s advancements in space-based weapons, describing them as growing threats to national security.
The UN’s divided stance
In April 2024, the UN Security Council debated two competing resolutions on the militarisation of space. A U.S.-Japan draft resolution called for reaffirming principles set out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit. However, Russia vetoed the proposal, citing its “hidden motives.”
In response, Russia and China proposed their resolution, advocating a comprehensive ban on the deployment of all weapons in space, not just weapons of mass destruction. This draft failed to secure enough support, with seven nations voting in favour, seven against, and one abstention.
The failure to reach consensus highlights the growing rift among global powers. Russia accused the United States and its allies of seeking to militarise space under the guise of peaceful resolutions.
Voting pattern
For instance, in April 2024, Russia vetoed a resolution at the UN Security Council calling on all countries to prevent an arms race in outer space.
The draft resolution, put forward by the US and Japan, sought to reaffirm a principle already set out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
The US has warned that Russia is believed to be developing a space-based, anti-satellite nuclear weapon.
Russia said it was “firmly committed” to the existing treaty.
The draft called on “all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and of the prevention of an arms race in outer space.”
It also called on countries to uphold the Outer Space Treaty, under which all parties agreed “not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction”.
Of the council’s 15 members, 13 voted in favour, while Russia – one of five permanent members with a veto – voted against and China abstained.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “Russia is firmly committed to its international legal obligations, including 1967 The Outer Space Treaty.”
Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, described the US-Japanese resolution as a “cynical ploy” with “hidden motives”.
The UN Security Council is made up of five permeant members – the US, UK, France, China, and Russia – each of which has a veto, and 10 seats that rotate between the other UN member states.
Moscow now accuses Washington of intending to turn near-Earth orbit into an “arena of military confrontation.
“Moscow on Tuesday commented on the vote on the Russian-Chinese resolution on outer space that took place the day before in the UN Security Council. Seven countries voted for the adoption of the document (Algeria, China, Guyana, Mozambique, Russia, Sierra Leone and Ecuador). Seven countries also opposed the resolution (Great Britain, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the USA, France and Japan). Switzerland abstained. As a result, the document was not adopted (nine votes in favour were needed for its adoption, and none of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council had to vote against it).
“We advocated a comprehensive solution to this issue (a ban on the placement of not only weapons of mass destruction in space, but also other weapons), for a complete rejection,” Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, stressed in an interview with reporters.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in turn, said that the results of the vote on the draft resolution on the prevention of an arms race in outer space and space security submitted by Russia with the co-sponsorship of China to the UN Security Council for consideration “are disappointing.”
“The United States and its allies, despite all the steps we have taken to take into account their proposals (including the developments of the relevant US-Japanese draft resolution), opposed our constructive, comprehensive initiative. Thus, they once again demonstrated the true priorities in the space field, aimed not at keeping space free of weapons of any kind, but at placing weapons in outer space and turning it into an arena of military confrontation,” she said.
On May 17, The New York Times reported that “The Pentagon is seeking to expand its capabilities to wage war in space, convinced that the rapid successes of China and Russia in space operations pose a growing threat to the United States.”
The plans of the US military regarding capacity-building in space, as stated in the publication, are “strictly classified.”
“The US Department of Defense intends to acquire a new generation of ground and space assets that will allow it to protect its satellite network from attack and, if necessary, disable or neutralise enemy spacecraft in orbit,” the article reports, citing Pentagon representatives.