An illustration shows the many objects being tracked in low Earth orbit. (European Space Agency)

Space is becoming more congested, contested and competitive. Since the Soviet Union put Sputnik I in space in 1957, no nation has deliberately destroyed another's satellite in orbit. But there is a growing possibility that battles could start to be waged in space. While the militarization of space started long ago, a number of technological developments and tests over the past decade show that the race toward its weaponization is accelerating. For the United States, being the leader in military space technologies provides immense advantages, but its outsize reliance on those technologies entails risks. The current unequal dependence on space, the United States fears, could give adversaries incentive to attack its infrastructure in orbit. Washington is therefore pushing to bolster its capabilities and is preparing for a potential conflict that could escalate into space. Click here to continue reading…