The United Kingdom has accused Russia of firing an anti-satellite space weapon in a move the United States and Britain charge is a violation of trust and a dangerous escalation of the arms race with dangerous consequences for the global community.
Air vice-marshal Harvey Smyth, director of the UK's space office, said they are worried by the manner in which the Russians have tested one of its satellites by launching a projectile with the characteristics of a weapon.
Russia's defense ministry officials have earlier stated they were employing new technology to monitor and check Russian space hardware. The U.S. has previously raised worries about Russian latest satellite activity. This marks the second time in three years that Russia has tested new weapons technologies that could set the stage to so-called "killer satellites."
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-proliferation Christopher Ford disclosed that the incident proved Russia was not serious about controlling the use of weapons in space.
"Moscow aims to restrict the capabilities of the U.S. while clearly having no intention of stopping its own counter-space program, Senior Journalist Richard Wood quoted Ford as saying in his report published at 9News. For his part, Gen. Jay Raymond, who heads the U.S. Space Command, said there was strong proof that Russia conducted a test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon.
London and Washington charge that Russia used subterfuge to conceal the space operation. They claim that the Russian anti-missile weapon was launched from the Cosmos 2543, which was supposedly in space for survey and inspection.
The accusations come at a time when relations between Moscow and London are already souring - and just days following the release of the long-awaited report by the Intelligence and Security Committee into Russian influence in Britain's politics.
Ford also pointed out that this event underscores Russia's "hypocritical advocacy of space arms control," AFP reported as published in France24 News. The statement also came as China launched a rover to Mars on Thursday, a mission that coincides with a similar U.S. mission as the global powerhouses bring their competition into outer space.
The statement also came as China launched a rover to Mars on Thursday, a journey coinciding with a similar U.S. mission as the powers take their rivalry into deep space.
The U.S., Russia, China, and the UK are among over 100 countries that have endorsed a space agreement that stipulates deep space is to be explored by all and for peaceful purposes. The treaty specifies that weapons must not be placed in orbit or in outer space.
