Pentagon is closely monitoring Russia and China test military capabilities in space

US military officials believe Russia and China are aggressively testing new offensive space capabilities, pointing to a series of satellite training missions conducted by both countries in recent months as growing evidence of an effort to weaponize outer space.

US military officials believe Russia and China are aggressively testing new offensive space capabilities, pointing to a series of satellite training missions conducted by both countries in recent months as growing evidence of an effort to weaponize outer space. As recently as last week, Russian satellites were practicing “attack and defend tactics,” maneuvers intended to increase the proficiency of their space force, according to a US defense official. US officials watched multiple Russian satellites work together to surround and isolate another satellite that was positioned in low-Earth orbit, demonstrating how they could potentially target enemy spacecraft in a future conflict, the official added. Russia’s goal remains to put a nuclear weapon in space, the defense official said. Recent Russian satellite movements also suggest they are actively preparing for a potential armed conflict in space, the official added. “Russia wants to take away our advantages in space and they don’t care about collateral damage,” the defense official said. Last year, CNN reported on Russia’s effort to develop a space-based nuclear weapon that would use a massive energy wave, known as an electromagnetic pulse, to potentially knock out a large swath of commercial and government satellites.