--- title: "Space Force Head Says China Could Blow Up Satellites" description: "US Space Force chief John Raymond, told Japanese newspaper Nikkei in an interview that he's worried about China's anti-satellite technologies." date: "2021-09-09" modified: "2021-09-09" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-force-head-china-satellites" categories: - "Space" - "Space Force" tags: - "anti-satellite weapon" - "china" - "space force" - "the digest" --- # Space Force Head Says China Could Blow Up Satellites ![US Space Force chief John Raymond, told Japanese newspaper Nikkei in an interview that he's worried about China's anti-satellite technologies.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Fighting Words US Space Force chief John Raymond, [told Japanese newspaper *Nikkei*]() in an interview that he's worried about China's anti-satellite technologies posing a threat to the US military's presence in space. Raymond told the newspaper that China is building "everything from reversible jammers of our GPS system — which provides navigation and timing with precision— to jamming of communications satellites." "They've got missiles they can launch from the ground and destroy satellites," he added. "I’m convinced that these capabilities that they’re developing would be utilized by them in their efforts in any potential conflict." ## Space Adversaries Both [China]() and [Russia](), arguably the United States' greatest adversaries in space, are actively working on anti-satellite technologies. And that has military leaders worried — communications and GPS satellites are key to the military's operations. With any of them taken out or jammed, any country would face a steep tactical disadvantage. Relations between the US and China [grew sour]() over Donald Trump's presidency. The Space Force, the youngest arm of the US military, was formed under his leadership in large part to [gain dominance in space](), further incentivizing all world powers to militarize orbit. The nascent military arm's many critics, however, have argued that the Space Force suffers from [unnecessary bureaucratic bloat]() with a [less-than-clear mandate](). Adversary nations, of course, aren't the only threat to satellites. The growing problem of [space debris]() cluttering up the Earth's orbit has become a real issue. Taking out a satellite could make matters even worse, thanks to [knock-on effects](). In fact, recent reports suggest that a Chinese military satellite [may have gotten smashed]() by a disintegrating Russian rocket earlier this year. It's a worrying arms race between three of the world's greatest superpowers. Each nation is getting ready to defend its assets were it to ever come to a clash in space. But given the costs involved — and the sheer amount of political fallout — it's unlikely we'll see a satellite being smashed to bits any time soon. **READ MORE:** [US Space Force chief convinced China would use satellite killers]() \[*Nikkei Asia*\] **More on anti-satellite tech:** *[Report: Pentagon Working on Space-Based Anti-Satellite Tech]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()