Image: KB Arsenal
What’s New: Warnings about Russia wanting nuclear-powered weapons in space to disrupt/destroy U.S. satellites.
Why It’s Important:
- The U.S. is far more dependent on space than any other nation.
- This is especially true for PNT which powers most technologies and is primarily sourced from GPS
- A significant disruption of GPS services would be a near-existential threat for America
- Both Russia and China have terrestrial sources of PNT and would not be nearly as impacted by denial of space-based signals.
- Either Russia or China can hold the US hostage by threatening GPS signals.
- Before its invasion of Ukraine, Russia threatened to shoot down all the GPS satellites if the U.S. or NATO intervened.
What Else to Know:
- This does not seem to be new information. See our post about this 2019 piece:
Russian Nuke Powered Jammer Going into Space? – The Space Review
- The tech to protect the homeland and not have this knife at our throat is mature and, compared to GPS, inexpensive. See:
Get the Bullseye Off GPS – OpEd SpaceNews
GOP warning of ‘national security threat’ is about Russia wanting nuclear weapon in space: Sources
It would not be to drop a weapon on Earth but to possibly use on satellites.
The White House’s national security adviser and leading lawmakers on Capitol Hill sought to allay public concerns on Wednesday after the House Intelligence Committee chairman warned of a “national security threat” related to a “destabilizing foreign military capability” so serious that President Joe Biden should declassify “all information” about it.
Two sources familiar with deliberations on Capitol Hill said the intelligence has to do with Russia wanting to put a nuclear weapon into space.
This would not be to drop a nuclear weapon onto Earth but rather to possibly use against satellites.
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