Hijacked Satellites and Orbiting Space Weapons: In the 21st Century, Space Is the New Battlefield

As Russia held its Victory Day parade this year, hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satellite that provides television service to Ukraine. The sight of tanks, soldiers, and weaponry beamed in from Moscow on screens across the country sent a chilling message: 21st-century war is not just fought on land, sea, and air, but also in cyberspace and outer space.

Disabling a satellite can be a devastating blow without firing a single bullet. Hackers target the satellite's security software or disrupt its ability to send or receive signals from Earth. "If you can impede a satellite's ability to communicate, you can cause a significant disruption," said Tom Pace, CEO of NetRise, a cybersecurity firm focused on protecting supply chains.

"Think about GPS," Pace added, "Imagine if a population lost that and the confusion it would cause." More than 12,000 operating satellites now orbit the planet, playing critical roles in broadcast communications, military operations, navigation systems like GPS, intelligence gathering, and economic supply chains. They are also key to early launch-detection efforts, which can warn of approaching missiles.

These satellites make space a significant national security vulnerability, and a prime target for anyone looking to undermine an adversary's economy or military readiness – or deliver a psychological blow like the hackers supporting Russia did when they hijacked television signals to Ukraine.

The Weakest Link: How Hackers Target Satellites

Hackers typically look for the weakest link in the software or hardware that supports a satellite or controls its communications with Earth. The actual orbiting device may be secure, but if it's running on outdated software, it can be easily exploited.

In 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine, someone targeted Viasat, the U.S.-based satellite company used by Ukraine's government and military. The hack, which Kyiv blamed on Moscow, used malware to infect tens of thousands of modems, creating an outage affecting wide swaths of Europe.

Russia's Nuclear, Space-Based Weapon: A Threat to Global Stability

National security officials say Russia is developing a nuclear, space-based weapon designed to take out virtually every satellite in low-Earth orbit at once. The weapon would combine a physical attack that would ripple outward, destroying more satellites, while the nuclear component fries their electronics.

The U.S. has declassified information about this weapon after Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) issued a public warning about it. Turner has pushed for the Department of Defense to provide a classified briefing to lawmakers on the weapon, which, if deployed, would violate an international treaty prohibiting weapons of mass destruction in space.

"If this anti-satellite nuclear weapon were put in space, it would be the end of the space age," said Turner. "It should never be permitted to go into outer space. This is like the Cuban Missile Crisis in space."

The Moon: A New Frontier for Space Exploration and Conflict

Valuable minerals and other materials found on the moon and in asteroids could lead to future conflicts as nations look to exploit new technologies and energy sources.

Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced plans this month to send a small nuclear reactor to the moon, saying it's essential for the U.S. to do so before China or Russia. "We're in a race to the moon," said Duffy, adding that having a base on the moon requires energy and specific locations.

"To have a base on the moon, we need energy and some of the key locations on the moon," explained Duffy. The moon is rich in helium 3, which scientists believe could be used in nuclear fusion to generate huge amounts of energy.

Artificial Intelligence, AI and Space: A New Frontier for Competition

The demand for energy required by artificial intelligence (AI) is driving nations to explore space more aggressively. China and Russia have announced plans for their own nuclear plants on the moon in the coming years, while the U.S. is planning missions to the moon and Mars.

Artificial intelligence will speed up competition as it accelerates resource extraction from asteroids and lunar materials. "This isn't sci-fi; it's quickly becoming a reality," said Joseph Rooke, director of risk insights at Recorded Future. "If you dominate Earth's energy needs, that's game over."

The U.S. Response to Space Security: Creating a New Military Branch

Nations are scrambling to create their own rocket and space programs to exploit commercial prospects and ensure they're not dependent on foreign satellites.

The U.S. Space Force was created in 2019 to protect American interests in space and defend U.S. satellites from attacks from adversaries. The service is growing, but smaller than more established services like the Army, Navy, or Air Force.

"Space is a warfighting domain, and it's our job to contest and control its environment to achieve national security objectives," said the Space Force in a statement. "Access to space is vital for national security."

A Call to Action: Ensuring Russia and China Can't Get the Upper Hand

U.S. officials say that with the threat of Russia's nuclear, space-based weapon and the competition from China, the U.S. must take aggressive steps to ensure it can protect its interests in space.

"You have to pay attention to these things so they don't happen," said Rep. Mike Turner. "We need to take a proactive approach to securing our position in space."