The US has new intelligence on Russian military capabilities related to its efforts to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite system in space, according to multiple sources familiar with the intelligence.
What is confusing? A nuclear weapon satellite doesn’t even have to get remotely close to the hostile sat. Which means it has to be given a lot of area to be in.
Ok so you are running a satellite that Russia hates. You know that they are violating the no nukes in space rule. You need to keep your sat far far away from any Russian one. It moves a little closer to you? You have to waste fuel putting some distance. Which decreasing the lifespan of your satellite since it now has less fuel. This is why nukes in space are a very very bad idea. It translates to less satellites up there with shorter lifespans. And since everything can be considered a viable target in war everything has to act like it is.
To make it worse other governments will honor the treaty and won’t put nukes up there. Which grants Russia control over more orbits since they can break the rules.
What is confusing? A nuclear weapon satellite doesn’t even have to get remotely close to the hostile sat. Which means it has to be given a lot of area to be in.
Ok so you are running a satellite that Russia hates. You know that they are violating the no nukes in space rule. You need to keep your sat far far away from any Russian one. It moves a little closer to you? You have to waste fuel putting some distance. Which decreasing the lifespan of your satellite since it now has less fuel. This is why nukes in space are a very very bad idea. It translates to less satellites up there with shorter lifespans. And since everything can be considered a viable target in war everything has to act like it is.
To make it worse other governments will honor the treaty and won’t put nukes up there. Which grants Russia control over more orbits since they can break the rules.