China’s Spaceplane Program Raises Questions About Space-Based Directed Energy
A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency threat assessment says China may soon place directed energy weapons in space, adding another security concern to discussions about military activity in orbit.
The assessment comes amid attention to China’s top-secret spaceplane. According to the report, the program cannot easily hide in low-Earth orbit, where such activity is likely to attract more attention.
The available details do not establish when China might deploy space-based directed energy systems or whether the spaceplane itself would carry such weapons. They do, however, indicate that U.S. intelligence sees the development of space-based directed energy as a near-term possibility that warrants monitoring.