A Practical Operation Strategy for an Electrodynamic Tether System
- Paper number
IAC-05-C1.P.15
- Author
Dr. Noboru Takeichi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Year
2005
- Abstract
China tested an anti-satellite(ASAT) missile in January 2007. The US struck down a failed spy satellite in 2008, to prevent its toxic fuel from leakage in the earth’s atmosphere, but this may potentially prove to be a frivolous excuse for testing ASAT missiles in future. The US National Space Policy 2006 states that the US is opposed to any further legal limitations which restrict its use of space. As of 2008, US wants to provide a missile shield to Warsaw, India plans to have its own ballistic missile shield by 2010 and claims that it has the technology to make ASAT weaponry. ASAT missiles had been tested by the US even after the OST had been signed and no objection had been raised against the US at the time of its signing the treaty on grounds of its possessing such missiles.
Although ballistic missiles, on account of having fractional orbits, are outside the ambit of international space law, ballistic missile defence(BMD) technologies may be space based and hence not immune from its application, although they may be legal under it. Nevertheless, deployment of BMD and ASATs needs to be controlled, else it shall stoke unhealthy levels of suspicion and spawn an arms race. However, BMD and ASATs are unlikely to qualify as weapons of mass destruction, and will not be within the prohibition of Art.IV. Further, as BMD is defensive in nature and its use does not amount to aggression, notwithstanding that it may amount to weaponisation of space, its deployment would qualify as ‘peaceful use’ for the purposes of Art.IV, and hence be in compliance with the Treaty.
Additionally, BMD technologies can be adapted for attack, such as for creating anti-satellite missiles. ASATs had never previously become part of a nation’s arsenal for several reasons, including their cost-benefit analysis, but they may become so in future. Keeping a detailed examination of these factors in mind, an amendment of Article IV, so as to bring within its grasp ASAT missiles and BMD systems, is submitted to be in the interest of all nations, and in accord with the purposes of the OST. It shall be explained how most existing international agreements such as the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, 2002 which are merely bilateral in nature are inadequate for the current purpose.
- Abstract document