China’s PLA Daily warns of satellite arms race, citing SpaceX

Key facts

• China's PLA Daily warned of an accelerated pace in the militarized application of low-earth orbit constellations.
• The newspaper cited SpaceX's contract with the U.S. Space Force as a development in this trend.
• Articles emphasized the unprecedented strategic value of space, including satellite networks and orbital competition.
• The authors are from China's Space Engineering University's Space Security Research Centre.

China's official military newspaper, PLA Daily, has issued a warning about an impending arms race concerning low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The publication highlighted SpaceX's recent contract with the U.S. Space Force as an example of the increasing militarization of space.

In a series of articles, PLA Daily stated that the "era of the militarised application of low-orbit constellations is arriving at an accelerated pace." The newspaper emphasized that the "strategic value of space" is becoming "unprecedentedly prominent," encompassing areas such as satellite networks, orbital competition, and spectrum seizure.

The articles were authored by individuals from the Space Security Research Centre at China's Space Engineering University. Their publication followed closely after SpaceX reportedly raised $75 billion in a funding round, which also made its chief executive, Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire.

One article specifically noted that the United States, leveraging its technological advantages and commercial ecosystem, has been increasing the militarized application of low-orbit constellations.