Pentagon prepares for possible military action in near--Earth space

The Deputy Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said that the U.S. military has launched a comprehensive investigation related to safeguard national security satellites.

According to Carter currently an integrated effort is being investigated to increase the effectiveness of the U.S. military and intelligence satellites in the event of an anti-satellite threat, as well as options are being developed to operate in the absence of satellite support.

He said, the U.S. fiscal Budget 2014 includes the funding for both the above initiatives as well as for the development of ways to counter the space capabilities of potential adversaries in the near-Earth space.

On Monday, the Pentagon released an annual report saying that China views the military control of outer space as a priority and is pursuing a variety of programs to improve its capacity to destroy and capture enemy satellites in the event of an armed conflict.

U.S. remains concerned about the development of anti-satellite weapons in China after the Chinese military in 2007 shot down its own defunct resource satellite orbiting the Earth.

Russia Radio
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Photo: A Delta II rocket launches with the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft payload from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on 10 June 2011. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satйlite de Aplicaciones Cientнficas (SAC)-D mission will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. EPA/BILL INGALLS/HANDOUT MANDATORY CREDIT: (NASA/BILL INGALLS) HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY