美军早期装备的“反卫星导弹”，可由F-15战斗机发射

美国研制的定向能反卫星炮

    保护空间的卫星资产蕴藏着困难，包括缺乏定义，合法的议题和竞争国家宗旨，尤其。

    联合国连续催促各国批准并且同意它的各种不同的条约。除此之外，在外太空（UNCOPUS）的和平使用上联合国委员会在2007年6月预定的报告包括它的建议用于减少空间碎片。

    在1月中国的反卫星（ASAT）测试和2006年2月发射的俄国卫星运载火箭第三级缺陷爆炸，已经，举例来说，实证多少有影响的碎片数量可能在在空间中产生。

    美国已经争论在那里没有空间武器和没有军备竞赛的迹象。最近的美国国家空间政策，在2006年10月发布，陈述“美国考虑空间能力，包括地面环节和支持链接，是对它的国家必不可少的利益”。政策争论和平用途允许美国防卫和情报-相关的活动；美国将会认为有目的干涉包括它的空间系统如同它的权利的一个侵害；而且“美国将会劝阻或制止他人任何阻碍那些权利或发展能力想要这么做”。更进一步，它规定美国将会拒绝，如果必需的，敌方使用空间能力敌对美国的国家利益和美国将会“反对新的法律制度或其它限制那些设法禁止或限制美国通向或使用空间”。

    这一个政策文件是对其余的世界一个清楚的信息。科学家关注联盟陈述，800颗运行的卫星在轨道上，美国自己的超过400颗，而俄国有90颗和中国35颗。

    这可能说明为什么，从一个美国远景，他们看起来没有空间军备竞赛，如同国家有一个压倒性的领导一样。 这也可能说明中国为什么示范了它的ASAT能力-去进行表明其他国家对空间有相等权利。它应当预料其他国家将会寻求加入中国，俄国和美国具有一个ASAT能力。

    另一个议题是否任何一个空间条约是可检验的。由于这么多任意用于发射ASAT和破坏卫星，它会是接近到不可能认为一个条约能够确定避免欺骗。

    附原文供对照参考：

Space warfare - in war and peace

Protecting satellite assets in space is fraught with difficulties, including lack of definitions, legal issues and competing national objectives, among others.

The UN continues to urge nations to ratify and accede to its various treaties. In addition, the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUS) is due to report in June 2007 with its recommendations for mitigating space debris.

The Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) test in January and the explosion in February of a defective third stage from a Russian satellite launch vehicle launched in 2006, have, for example, demonstrated how quickly significant amounts of debris can be created in space.

The US has argued that there are no weapons in space and that there is no sign of an arms race. The most recent US National Space Policy, issued in October 2006, states that “the US considers space capabilities, including ground segments and supporting links, to be vital to its national interest”. The policy argues that peaceful purposes allow US defence and intelligence-related activities; that the US will view purposeful interference with its space systems as an infringement of its rights; and that “the US will dissuade or deter others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities intended to do so”. Further, it states that the US will deny, if necessary, adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to US national interests and that the US will “oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit US access to or use of space”.

This policy document is a clear message to the rest of the world. The Union of Concerned Scientists states that, of the 800 active satellites in orbit, the US owns more than 400, while Russia has 90 and China 35.

This may explain why, from a US perspective, they see no arms race in space, as the country has an overwhelming lead. This may also explain why China demonstrated its ASAT capability - to make the point that other nations have an equal right to space. It must be expected that other nations will seek to join China, Russia and the US with an ASAT capability.

The other issue is whether any of the space treaties are verifiable. With so many options for launching ASATs and damaging satellites, it would be near to impossible to consider a treaty that could be certain to prevent cheating.

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© 2007 Jane's Information Group
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