Space Benefit Security
by Prof. U.R. Rao
Space security
In the extremely provocative
and highly charged star wars atmosphere, weaponisation of space by
any global power is bound to initiate actions and reactions by other
space powers, resulting in an arms race in space. Space weaponisation
envisages deployment of directed energy weapons such as space based
lasers, kinetic energy weapons, conventional warheads, anti-satellite
(ASAT’s) weapons, inter-continental ballistic missiles etc.,
in space. Even though detonation of nuclear warheads in space is not
yet a part of the plan, it cannot be totally ruled out in an asymmetric
warfare scenario. Accidental or intentional use of directed laser
and kinetic weapons, triggering of space mines and the use of very
high energy electro-magnetic impulses can damage a large number of
particularly low earth orbiting civilian and commercial satellites
rendering them totally dysfunctional. The extensive creation of debris
from the destruction of space objects themselves would create unacceptable
risks to civilian operating systems in space.
Space weaponisation will no doubt be highly detrimental to space security,
jeopardizing the space assets of various countries, which are being
extensively used for peaceful applications. While developed nations
have alternate means of providing services related to communication,
disaster management, meteorology, education, health and management
of natural resources, many of the developing countries today depend
solely on their own or available space assets for these vital applications.
Under the “first come - first served” principle of the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU), developed nations have already established
a virtual monopoly in the occupation of geostationary slots, leaving
very few opportunities for the upcoming developing countries. In many
cases developing countries have had to curtail their services for
coordinating their slots with the already established services. In
spite of these limitations, thanks to the developments in space technology,
many developing countries have been able to build space-based services
either by leasing space services from other countries or by having
their own satellite systems. Widespread application of space technology
benefits has become the vital component of socio-economic development
for many of the developing countries like India. What is at stake
here is the peaceful uses of space applications by the large majority
of people including those in the poverty stricken developing nations.
Space
assets for socio-economic development
Developing nations not
having adequate infrastructure have been able to leap frog by leveraging
space technology. The Indian Space Programme, for example, is primarily
application oriented, aimed at solving identified national tasks for
all around socio-economic development of the nation, on a totally
self-reliant basis. Starting with a modest beginning in 1963 with
the establishment of an equatorial rocket launching station for carrying
out sounding rocket experiments in meteorology, aeronomy, and astronomy
with the help and assistance from NASA (USA), the Soviet Union, CNES
(France) and the UK, it carried out the first major sociological experiment
called the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) in
1975 using NASA’s ATS-6 satellite for imparting developmental
education to 2,400 backward rural villages in the country. Encouraged
by the success of this experiment, India undertook to build satellite
technology capability for providing communication, meteorological
and remote sensing services to the country on a nationwide scale.
India, a country with a multiethnic population of over one billion,
speaking more than 20 major languages and 400 dialects, is now being
served by about 80 transponders on a number of INSAT satellites to
meet its communication, broadcasting, distance education, developmental
education and disaster management requirements. Regular meteorological
imaging from the INSAT system of satellites not only helps in providing
weather information to the large Indian population, but also has become
the only source of meteorological information over the Indian ocean
for the entire world.
Similarly, Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) are extensively
used to monitor forestry, soil characteristics, water resources including
underground water, agricultural crops, environmental pollution, command
area development, mineral resources, land use practices and also to
initiate sustainable integrated development at each watershed level.
Establishment of over 20,000 VSAT’s in the country, which is
growing at a compounded rate of 20 per cent a year, has made it possible
to transmit data and information to even the most remote corners of
the country, enabling the vast rural population to receive the benefits
of distance education and tele-medicine. Development of low cost information
kiosks are now providing access to a large number of villages to obtain
information related to better agricultural practices, land records,
fertilizers, market trends etc. Leveraging the availability of technically
qualified scientists and engineers, India has successfully built a
strong space program including rocket launching capability, satellite
manufacturing technology and application technology programs.
China likewise has built a very strong space program and has been
using its space capability for distance education, teacher training,
communication and broadcasting services and management of its natural
resources. China has established over 50,000 VSATs across the country
for supporting their extensive educational training program. Indonesia
is able to provide reliable connectivity and educational services
to the sparsely distributed population in thousands of small islands
belonging to the country. Other countries like Thailand, Mexico, South
Africa and many of the Latin American countries have either bought
satellite systems or leased transponder capacity from commercial satellites
to enable their citizens to benefit from space technology applications.
Many of the developing nations have also set up ground based facilities
to enable them to receive imagery from meteorological and remote sensing
satellites through bilateral arrangements with providers of such space
services. A few of the countries have also developed their own capability
to fabricate and use mini-satellites for specific applications.
The phenomenal developments in space technology, digital compression
techniques and convergence of computer and communication technologies
have initiated the information technology revolution across the world.
This has resulted in shifting the comparative advantage to those nations
which can access, analyze, assimilate, synthesize and use the vast
bank of data and information, which is pouring in at the rate of 20
trillion bits a day. Additionally many developing nations like India,
China and the Philippines have also become attractive destinations
for outsourcing services, thanks to the establishment of reliable
communication infrastructure using space assets. In summary, application
of space technology has become a vital component of socio-economic
development for many of the developing countries in the world. Any
disruption of their space services will no doubt cause an incalculable
harm to the developing nations severely affecting their ability to
effectively compete in the globalized economy.
Space weaponisation has
indeed become a major threat to civilian space assets, on which the
future well being of many nations, developing nations in particular,
depend. A unilateral commitment by the major space powers not to be
the first to deploy space weapons or to carry out destructive anti-satellite
weapon tests would indeed be a first step in the right direction to
avoid an arms race in space. Such a commitment could be further strengthened
by the major powers also making an open declaration stating that they
will not be the first to use nuclear weapons. Eventually a comprehensive
treaty forbidding space weaponisation is the only answer to ensure
safety to space
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