Effective Arms Control in Space Could Reduce the Risk of Conflict Back on Earth

Nearly four thousand satellites already operate in a region called low earth orbit. Satellites are also used by militaries for early warnings of ballistic missile launches, detecting nuclear explosions and spotting aggressive movements with photography or rader. If these information gathering satellites get disabled, the country relying on them would suddenly be far less certain about whether and when they are under attack. A promising way to reduce the risk of great power conflict is to work on pushing for disarmament agreements in space,. With a special focus on rules against targeting enemy reconnaissanc satellites.