Search results

Fears about the militarization of space are widespread. For example, the recent development of Anti-Satellite (ASAT) capabilities by rising powers like China and India is often described as a technologically driven arms race. This article takes a social constructivist approach to deconstruct the dynamics of this supposed arms race. Using a case study of Mission Shakti, the 2019 Indian ASAT test, the conclusion is that the ASAT arms race is more complex than it seems at first glance. Most importantly, states seem less motivated by security gains but frequently make status-seeking arguments. This offers possibilities for de-securitizing outer space again.

Lately, commentators on spaceflight raise concerns over rising militarization, possible weaponization, and space becoming a theater of war. Some see arms control regimes as the solution, while others point to the complexity of space technologies and the impossibility to create a functioning arms control regime. These concerns are usually discussed within their separate disciplinary logic in physics and engineering, in international law, and in political science. We argue that combining these perspectives enables us to see the unique opportunities of outer space that allow the creation of a functional arms control regime. We recall major debates in technology, international law, and political science and show how distinct aspects in each discipline not only constrain, but also facilitate space arms control. We employ these findings in discussion of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) of 1972.