Space Militarization | Security Lense | Article | 24-Sep-2024
Space, once a limited and hardly accessible realm has been rapidly emerging as a foreground for the state’s power projection and military dominance. Global powers like the USA, India, Russia, and China have rapidly evolved in space capabilities to overcome emerging security issues and challenges.
In such a challenging environment, with a shifting perspective of security and evolving scientific exploration of space focus on battlefield and strategic tactics it is impertinent for Pakistan to focus on its space capabilities. This article thus discusses the increasing militarization of space, recognizes emerging threats, and evaluates Pakistan’s preparedness to tackle unforeseen threats in this critical domain.
Emerging Threats of Space Militarization
With the increasing strategic importance and the potential of space strategy, many countries have developed themselves in this realm leading to the militarization of space. Militarization of space is the development and disposition of technologies like communication and surveillance satellites in outer space while also developing security infrastructure that can target or disrupt rival space systems. With this increasing development and newfound strategic importance of this domain, various threats have surfaced ranging from satellite warfare to space-based espionage and weaponization of space, all changing the perception of security threats and defense tactics.
Delving into satellite warfare, it is evident that satellites play a vital part in modern warfare. This is because satellites help states with communication, navigation, surveillance, situational awareness, and intelligence gathering all necessary for the state to gain an edge over its adversaries. However, as nations become reliant on satellites susceptibility to satellite warfare also increases.
Satellite warfare could involve the development of Non-Kinetic Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASATs) by nations like the U.S., China, and India. ASATs can be used to destroy satellites in orbit using missile technology posing a direct threat to space assets, military communication, and exploration of opponents. This warfare can also induce electronic warfare and Cyberattacks on the opponent’s data transmission system, ground control system, GPS, and data breaches undermining military operations and disputing their strategic tactics and planning.
Furthermore, space espionage is also emerging as a potential threat leading to over-space militarization. Satellites employed by numerous states in outer space are used as a mechanism to gather intelligence on the adversary and for surveillance and exploration of opponents’ movement and communication through advanced sensors, high-resolution imaging, and signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellites. Most particularly surveillance through Satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) can be used for monitoring military installations, troop movements, and missile launches as they provide high-end, real-time images. The increase in LEO satellites and the increasing capability of the states to spy on one another through space has increased the potential of space espionage adding a new layer to the global security paradigm.
This growing threat and states like the USA, China, India, and Russia’s ability to grow their assets and develop, such as directed-energy weapons and space-to-ground strike systems. For example, recently the U.S. has been working on systems like the X-37B, a secretive unmanned space plane; China has developed anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles such as the SC-19; India successfully tested its own ASAT weapon, Mission Shakti, in 2019 by destroying a satellite in low Earth orbit; and Russia has developed Nudol, an anti-satellite missile system, and has also been accused of testing space-based weapons, including a satellite that released a projectile in 2020 shows the severity of the looming threat of weaponization of space, leading to a new frontier of military engagement.
Pakistan space security awareness
Pakistan has been growing its capabilities and assets with the growing reliance on space technologies that can be used for communication, surveillance, and intelligence. While Pakistan is aware of the potential of space for its national security imperative, it can come between space warfare of the other major states or can also be the victim of collateral damage due to limited preparedness and awareness in the era of space warfare. Such an environment calls for Pakistan to take measures necessary to protect its security imperatives. It can be done in the following way.
Evolution in SUPRCO
Pakistan is making strides in space development and search under the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). Though the National Space Agency SUPARCO currently focuses on developing civilian and scientific applications and launch capabilities, it still possesses the potential to use them for military functions and the protection of space militarization scenarios.
Some civilian satellite space technologies can perform dual functions and serve the space security needs of Pakistan, for example, remote sensing satellites like PRSS-1 andPakTES-1A can provide Pakistan with the strategic edge it requires in space amidst space militarization. They can be used in intelligence gathering, surveillance, disaster management, and resource monitoring proving their potential in strategic applications.
Furthermore, Pakistan’s communication satellites like PakSat-1R, Paksat-MM1, and Paksat-MM1R can significantly improve Pakistan’s military communication infrastructure. It can provide Pakistan with the capabilities to ensure secure military communications in remote and elusive regions. Planning, developing, and maintaining these satellites for multiple roles and protecting them from cyberattacks can be a step forward for Pakistan in space development against the potential threats from space militarization.
Proactive Security and Deterrence Strategies
Given its limited space assets, evolving space militarization, and emerging space warfare threats, Pakistan’s space security awareness and space defense responsiveness should be based on resilience and deterrence. Thus, Pakistan’s primary focus should be the protection of its space assets and the development of deterrence competencies to counter confrontational attacks. Accordingly, developing cybersecurity and satellite resilience ensures that space assets are protected from cyberattacks and electronic warfare giving Pakistan control over its military and intelligence networks and communications.
Similarly, Pakistan can establish a dedicated Space Cybersecurity Division to avert possible hacking or sabotage of its satellites or ground stations. Also, the development of indigenous space technology locally and relying less on foreign technologies is one way of development along with collaborating with international organizations on space cybersecurity protocols and constantly monitoring possible vulnerabilities in space-based networks. Pakistan can further establish deterrence by polishing its capability to incapacitate or destroy antagonistic satellites and strengthening space situational awareness (SSA) systems to detect satellites and debris when necessary. As its active defense and deterrence strategy
Pakistan should build systems that ensure smooth working of national security maneuvers amongst space asset losses by studying space-based defense mechanisms like satellite hardening and on-orbit servicing, to repair or upgrade satellites in the moment of need.
Enhancing Space Diplomacy and Collaborations
Enhancing space diplomacy is another step in raising Pakistan’s space security awareness and development. Pakistan currently faces limited funding and technological expertise as the defense budget is mostly limited to orthodox military needs leading to limited development of the space technology and space defense realm.
Contrary to the major powers Pakistan lacks resources to fulfill its security needs thus Pakistan is required to step up its game in space diplomacy by joining international forums, treaties, and alliances that work toward the peaceful use of outer space.
Pakistan to defend its space assets as well as to protect itself against space militarization should actively promote the prevention of an arms race in space as well as advocate for the transparency measures to avoid unintended escalations in space militarization with like-minded countries. Furthermore, Pakistan to enhance its security and defense infrastructure can also cooperate with countries like China; an emerging space power with development in IoMT, and IoBT with advanced technologies. Pakistan in the past has utilized China’s assistance with the launch of PRSS-1 and can further collaborate with future space development projects with civilian and military applications as well as rely on it to advocate against the peaceful and unexploited use of the space.
Additionally, Pakistan should also foster private sector involvement in space technologies and should pave the way for smooth public-private partnerships that will be imperative for the change of status quo in space. It will also be beneficial to inspire innovation in the space realm by developing small satellites and space applications equipped with AI technology, IoT, and the latest mechanisms that can contribute to both civilian and defense-oriented space security.
Conclusion
As space militarization peaks and the power projection in space by major powers continues, Pakistan continues to navigate the intricacies of satellite warfare, space militarization, and space-based espionage. While Pakistan has made preliminary efforts in developing space capabilities amidst the emerging threats of space militarization there is still so much room left for Pakistan to be prepared and work for development against the space security challenges so as not to be a collateral damage in major states space warfare threats. With the accelerating global space race.
Pakistan must make strategically aware decisions through the development of indigenous space technologies, enhanced collaborations, and evolutionary technologies for the protection of its assets, contribute to maintaining peace in outer space, and safeguard its national interests in this evolving security realm.
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