Russia’s Alleged Nuclear Anti-Satellite Weapon: International Law and Political Rhetoric
Document Type
Blog Post
Publication Title
Articles of War
Publication Date
7-31-2024
Abstract
(Excerpt)
The development and testing of anti-satellite weapons (ASATs), as well as debates concerning the legal and policy implications of ASAT testing and use, have existed since soon after the dawn of the Space Age. The centrality of these issues has waxed and waned over time. However, recent years have seen renewed testing of destructive ASATs (such as missiles) that spawn orbital debris and of rendezvous and proximity operations by satellites that may actually be tests of on-orbit ASAT capabilities.
There is no treaty explicitly banning ASATs. However, in April 2022, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced a unilateral moratorium on destructive ASAT testing by the United States and invited other States to join. As of October 2023, 37 States had made similar announcements and, with the support of 155 States, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution (A/RES/77/41) that backed a moratorium on testing direct ascent ASATs. Russia, China, and India, all of whom have tested ASAT technologies in recent years, did not support such a moratorium.
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Available at: https://lieber.westpoint.edu/russias-nuclear-anti-satellite-weapon-international-law/