Pentagon official warns Russian space bomb could be devastating – as China beats NASA to launch first mission to dark side of moon

A Pentagon official warned lawmakers that Russia’s development of a nuclear space satellite could disable all other global satellites for as long as a year.

Satellites are not built to withstand the radiation from a nuclear explosion and some could be destroyed by the blast, causing “devastating” consequences for the US and other countries’ capabilities in space.

This is the first time the Biden administration has openly discussed the “indiscriminate weapon” at an open congressional hearing, following a disclosure by lawmakers in February.

Meanwhile, China has launched the first mission to collect samples from the dark side of the moon, while the US government has warned that China could claim ownership of the moon if it were to reach the lunar surface first.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured) has denied claims that the country is building a nuclear anti-satellite that could destroy all other satellites in space for up to a year.

Russia already has several space-based military assets. These include co-orbital anti-satellite weapons (ASAT), direct-lift ASAT missiles and Starlink communications satellites that it is contracting for its war against Ukraine

“The concept we’re concerned about is that Russia is developing and — if we can’t convince them otherwise — they will eventually fly a nuclear weapon into space that will be an indiscriminate weapon,” said John Plumb, the deputy Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. said Wednesday during a House subcommittee hearing.

He added that the weapon would not distinguish between civilian, commercial or military satellites that provide mobile phone reception, internet access and data on foreign threats.

SpaceX’s Starlink has 5,400 satellites in orbit that have been critical to Ukraine staying online and having communications capabilities during the ongoing Russian invasion.

In February, lawmakers first warned that Russia was developing a nuclear anti-satellite, known as a nuclear EMP, that posed a “serious national security threat” to the US.

“Our general knowledge of Russia’s pursuit of these types of capabilities goes back many, many months, if not a few years,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. CNN at the time.

“But only in recent weeks has the intelligence community been able to assess with a greater sense of confidence exactly how Russia continues to pursue this.”

The weapon has not yet been deployed into space, and Plumb said there is no “imminent” threat to public safety, and that the anti-satellite would not be capable of attacking humans or causing physical destruction on Earth.

However, if the nuclear EMP is deployed, “it could threaten all satellites operated by countries and companies around the world, as well as the vital communications, scientific, meteorological, agricultural, commercial and national security services to which we all serve to depend on. up,” Plumb said.

Shortly after lawmakers said Russia was building the anti-satellite nuclear weapon, Russian President Vladimir Putin vehemently denied the reports at a meeting. meeting with his defense minister in Moscow and claimed he was against deploying nuclear weapons in space.

China on Friday launched its Chang’e 6 rocket (pictured) that will travel to the dark side of the moon to collect rock samples from the lunar surface

Concerns about Russia’s potential impact on space satellites arise as China launched the Chang E’6 mission to the dark side of the moon on Friday, becoming the first country to deploy a mission to the region.

Last month, NASA warned that China could use its civilian space program as a cover for military operations and that their plans to create a landing base on the lunar surface could pose a national security threat.

He noted that many of his concerns stem from the close ties of China’s space programs to the People’s Liberation Army, a military arm of the Communist Party.

“My concern would be if China got there first and suddenly said, ‘OK, this is our territory, stay out,’” Nelson said.

He said his concerns stem from the close ties of China’s space programs to the People’s Liberation Army, a military wing of the Communist Party.

“My concern would be if China got there first and suddenly said, ‘OK, this is our territory, stay out,’” Nelson said.

He argued that if anyone doubts his warning, they should look at Beijing’s claims that the country owns most of the territory in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, which is jointly owned by China, Taiwan, Vietnam , Malaysia and the Philippines.

“China has made extraordinary progress, especially in the last decade, but they are very secretive about it,” Nelson said at the hearing.

“We believe that many of their so-called civilian space programs are a military program,” he continued. “And I think we’re actually in a race.”