A high-ranking official from the U.S. Space Force testified that China conducted 'air combat (dogfighting)' exercises in space last year using multiple satellites. As China's space technology and space operation capabilities rapidly improve, the potential for conflict between the two countries in space is also increasing.
Maj. Gen. Michael Guetlein, deputy commander of space operations at the U.S. Space Force, attended the McAllister Defense Program Conference in Arlington, Virginia, on the 18th (local time) and said, 'We have confirmed that adversaries of the U.S. conducted military training using five satellites in low Earth orbit last year.' Guetlein did not specify which country's satellites the five belonged to. A Space Force spokesperson separately informed reporters that they were Chinese satellites.
Dogfighting refers to close-range combat between fighter jets. It evokes images of intense aerial battles between spacecraft, as seen in the science fiction movie Star Wars, but this exercise involved satellites. At the event, Guetlein stated, 'As a result of verifying space situational awareness information provided by commercial partners, we discovered that five space objects approached each other and then separated.' He added, 'It appears that they practiced tactics, techniques, and procedures for conducting space operations in orbit from one satellite to another.' He went on to warn that 'the adversaries of the U.S. practiced aerial combat in space to simulate orbital warfare,' saying, 'This is a new phase of extensive efforts to deny, disrupt, degrade, and destroy the space capabilities held by the U.S.' Defense News, a military journal, reported that during the training, three Chinese experimental satellites, Shiyan-24C, and two experimental spacecraft, Shijian-605A and B, were confirmed to have been deployed.
China and Russia have previously tested a technology called rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) using two satellites to approach and then separate from each other in low Earth orbit. However, it is unusual to capture a scene where multiple satellites are simultaneously deployed in a manner resembling a dogfight between several fighter jets.
The U.S. and other countries are pushing efforts to secure rendezvous technology for satellites or spacecraft to use in space. Astroscale, a Japanese company specialized in space debris removal, is developing satellites that can capture satellites or space debris in orbit. Satellites and space debris flying in low Earth orbit travel at speeds of 7 to 8 kilometers per second. The technology required to accurately approach and capture such space objects is as challenging as catching a flying bullet with tongs. Experts believe China has significantly enhanced its maneuvering capabilities for satellites in low Earth orbit.
On the same day, Guetlein mentioned other space activities conducted by adversaries of the U.S. Leolabs, a space tracking company based in Colorado, also confirmed the training situation of China through ground radar and observed ongoing training cases carried out by Russia, which was disclosed through the space community. In 2019, Russia conducted an experiment using a satellite to drop a smaller satellite nearby.
However, the U.S. is more concerned about the diminishing gap in space technology with China. U.S. Space Force officials noted in previous interviews with other media outlets that 'China is making significant advances in space technology that could potentially make it a game changer in space,' emphasizing 'the necessity for the U.S. to secure superiority in space.'
China is indeed accelerating its development of technology to manage space up to 36,000 kilometers above the ground. In January, China launched the Shijian-25 satellite to test technology for refueling in orbit and extending the lifespan of spacecraft. This is the first time China has revealed that it has secured refueling and maintenance capabilities in orbit. The U.S. only succeeded in extending the operational lifespan of a satellite by 5 years by refueling it for the first time through Northrop Grumman in 2019. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also pursued a similar project, but it was halted due to technical difficulties, cost overruns, and delays. Additionally, China has set a goal to surpass the U.S. in space stealth technology. Experts point to reusable launch vehicles and small satellite constellations as the key areas for future competition between the U.S. and China. The Chinese government also announced plans to place the aerospace forces created as an independent unit in direct management under the Central Military Commission.
The U.S. still maintains an advantage over China in space. The U.S. possesses the most space assets, with over 8,000 satellites in orbit, which is 12 times the total number of China's satellites. However, Guetlein warned that 'once, the capability gap between the U.S. and China in space was enormous,' adding, 'If the U.S. does not change the way it views space, it may find it increasingly difficult to maintain its advantage.'
Experts say the U.S. is most concerned about the possibility of China using its space capabilities to exert influence over other countries. They worry that China may act as a partner comparable to the U.S. in space, leveraging its Belt and Road Initiative to extend influence over latecomer countries pursuing space exploration.
Aerial combat involving satellites does not unfold as quickly as it does in science fiction movies like Star Wars. It takes a short time of several hours to several weeks just to change a satellite's orbit. The fact that the deputy commander of the U.S. Space Force used the term aerial combat in space indicates the special significance behind it. The overall interpretation among the U.S. space industry is that this is to emphasize that the U.S. needs to hurry to maintain its advantage in space.