US confirms for first time it has deployed space weapons

[Ziggurat]

Probably an ICBM interceptor prototype of some kind, either energy or kinetic. Assuming it actually went up at all.

Probably not. For space-based interceptors to give you good coverage, you would need a huge swarm of them, because it does you no good to have an anti-ballistic satellite in an orbit far away from the missile you're trying to hit. And you don't have time to reposition satellites for an ICBM intercept either. More likely is weapons to disable/destroy enemy satellites. When you're targeting another satellite, you have time to hunt it down, so it's much easier to get effective coverage.

using anti-satellite weapons is, of course, very much a nuclear option, as the debris from such an attack would damage other satellites indiscriminately, potentially causing a Kessler Syndrome that would take out most satellites.

That depends. Low-earth orbits decay on their own relatively quickly, you don't really need to worry about Kessler Syndrome. For example, at Starlink altitudes, you might get a chain reaction, but it would mostly clear up within a year or two.

A high energy laser could blind a satellite without producing debris.

There are a few possible options for anti-satellite weapons. Some of them will produce debris, but that's not a hard requirement. There are ways to disable or degrade a satellite without breaking it apart. An EMP could fry its communications, a laser might blind or otherwise disable it, but you don't necessarily even need to damage it. If you simply block the view of a spy satellite, or hell, cover the solar panels with a trash bag, it's not going to work anymore. Both China and the US have been very interested in satellites that can navigate around other satellites (ie, approach them at a slow speed, not just slam into them) for a reason.

 

[Ziggurat]

Another treaty violated by the US.
Never trust anything an American President says

You are confused. There is no treaty preventing weapons in space. The Outer Space Treaty prohibits nuclear weapons in space, but it does not prohibit conventional weapons. We do not have nuclear weapons in space. That's a stupid place to put them anyways.

 

[JayUtah]

Technically an ICBM puts nuclear warheads temporarily in space, but of course that's not the point. "Nuking the site from orbit" is, in fact, not a very good way to make sure.

It really is far more likely that the orbital weapons claimed to have been deployed are anti-satellite weapons.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Now that too many people are agreeing with me I've changed my mind. The space weapon is aimed outwards, and is intended to combat alien threats. Clearly the government has inside information and knows that aliens not only exist, but pose a threat to Earth.

 

[Norman Alexander]

Now that too many people are agreeing with me I've changed my mind. The space weapon is aimed outwards, and is intended to combat alien threats. Clearly the government has inside information and knows that aliens not only exist, but pose a threat to Earth.

They are enacting Trump's edict to "Shoot for the Moon!"

 

[Darat]

Now that too many people are agreeing with me I've changed my mind. The space weapon is aimed outwards, and is intended to combat alien threats. Clearly the government has inside information and knows that aliens not only exist, but pose a threat to Earth.

Another success for Trump, zero, yes zero illegal aliens have passed the USA's space defences this year!

 

[P.J. Denyer]

Technically an ICBM puts nuclear warheads temporarily in space, but of course that's not the point. "Nuking the site from orbit" is, in fact, not a very good way to make sure.

It really is far more likely that the orbital weapons claimed to have been deployed are anti-satellite weapons.

You're saying Ripley lied to us?!?

 

[TragicMonkey]

You're saying Ripley lied to us?!?

Believe it or not!