Donald Trump eager to start “space war”
Posted on: Wed 9 Dec 2020
In 2019, US President Donald Trump declared, “space is the new war-fighting domain” following the creation of the US Space Force and commitment to “American dominance” in outer space.
Other space-faring nations are greatly concerned about the acceleration of an arms race in space.
The Latest meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, states the importance of “preventing conflicts in outer space and preserving outer space for peaceful purposes” is more necessary than ever.
The incoming Biden-Harris administration appears more interested in international cooperation and larger issues such as challenges of climate change and pandemics.
Human activity in space follows universally accepted principles in the Outer Space Treaty. Since 1967, these rules have ensured exploration and use of space are strictly “for the benefit and interest of all countries”, including no military conflict.
A complex, globally shared area such as space would mean any space war would have no clear winner. A failure of respecting the rules applied to military space could lead to devastation, disruption and impact on civilian lives, especially in powerful countries like the US, whose economics and societies are dependent on space infrastructure.
Breakfast’s Zoe Kaunadis and Tom Mann speak with Steven Freeland from Western Sydney University and Director of the International Institute of Space Law about the potentials of conflict in space.
Produced by Kate Johnson
Image Source: Pixabay
