The 21st century’s warfare has extended beyond Earth, with outer space emerging as a critical new battleground. Recent incidents, such as the hijacking of a Ukrainian television satellite during Russia’s Victory Day parade this year, highlight the growing vulnerability of the over 12,000 satellites orbiting Earth. These satellites, vital for military operations, GPS navigation, intelligence, and economic supply chains, are prime targets for cyberattacks and emerging space-based weapons, raising fears of a new era of conflict in low-Earth orbit.

In a stark demonstration of this threat, Kremlin-backed hackers disrupted Ukrainian television signals, replacing regular programming with Moscow’s parade footage of tanks and soldiers, a psychological blow aimed at intimidating Kyiv. This incident, combined with reports of Russia developing a nuclear space-based weapon, underscores the strategic importance of space in modern warfare. Disabling a satellite—through hacking its software or disrupting its signals—can cause chaos without physical conflict, as Tom Pace, CEO of NetRise and former Marine, told The Associated Press. “Think about GPS,” he said. “Imagine the confusion if a population lost that.”

The 2022 Viasat hack, attributed to Moscow, infected tens of thousands of modems, causing widespread outages across Europe, highlighting the fragility of space episode as a real-world example. National security officials warn that Russia’s anti-satellite nuclear weapon, if deployed, could render low-Earth orbit unusable for up to a year, violating international treaties and threatening global communications, military operations, and economic stability. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, compared this potential weapon to Sputnik, calling it a “Cuban Missile Crisis in space.”

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Beyond cyberattacks, the race for lunar resources, particularly helium-3 for nuclear fusion, is intensifying geopolitical tensions. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy emphasized U.S. plans for a lunar nuclear reactor to secure strategic advantages, stating, “We’re in a race with China to the moon.” Control over lunar energy resources could redefine global power dynamics, according to cybersecurity expert Joseph Rooke of Recorded Future. “This isn’t sci-fi. It’s becoming reality,” Rooke said.

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