WHEN Sputnik was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, the US feared that whoever ruled space would rule the world. In this way, the space race was born.
Today, the American military exploits space more than that of any other nation, relying on satellites to guide its missiles, provide reconnaissance and relay communications. But this high dependence makes it particularly vulnerable to the fallout of any conflict in space.
Other countries should be worried, too: even if their militaries are not as dependent on satellites, they make use of them for positioning, weather forecasts and communications.
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In any case, an attack on one nation鈥檚 satellites could create clouds of orbiting debris that can smash the orbiting assets of other nations. Too much debris and a tipping point may be reached whereby a runaway chain reaction of collisions converts many satellites into shrapnel (see 鈥淪tar wars, latest episode: a new hope鈥�). The resulting shroud of junk could render space exploration, and even the use of satellites, unfeasible for generations.
鈥淎 runaway chain reaction could leave space too dangerous to use for generations to come鈥�
So it is all the more remarkable that efforts to ban space weapons remain stymied. The US has long been the holdout. In 2006, George W. Bush鈥檚 administration issued a blanket refusal to consider space-weapons treaties. In 2008, China and Russia proposed a treaty that would ban weapons in orbit. The initiative went nowhere, in part because Bush wanted the option to park missile interceptors up there. Now, in a welcome U-turn, President Barack Obama鈥檚 states that the US shall 鈥渓ead in the enhancement of security鈥� in space鈥�.
This represents progress but a treaty is still far off. State Department officials that the US has no plans to draft a space-weapons treaty.
US defence secretary Robert Gates places an emphasis on the . The problem is that the same missiles that protect a country can also be used to shoot down satellites.
However, now that the US, Russia and China are on the same page, there鈥檚 no excuse. Even if their earthbound policies are at odds, they have a common interest in maintaining peace in space.