US Space Command Chief: 'China is clearly our pacing challenge'
Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, Gen. John Raymond the head of U.S. Space Command, discussed the main issues in space and said there was a need for a rules-based order and described the present situation as being like the 'wild, Wild West.' (Video courtesy: Aspen Security Forum.)
Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force Gen. John ‘Jay’ Raymond stressed the need for international norms when it comes to space operations, while pointing to problems posed by Russia and China.
Addressing the Aspen Security Forum on Tuesday, Raymond said China was growing its program at a fast pace, explaining "China has gone from zero to 60 very quickly, and they are clearly our pacing challenge because…they're moving at speed they have the economy to support the development.
"They're really doing two things: the first thing they're doing is they're building space capabilities for their own use, so just like we've enjoyed space capabilities that we've been able to integrate, China has built a space program to do the same thing," Raymond said while noting this "provides them advantage and that provides risk to our forces. The other thing that they're doing, they have seen the advantages that space has provided us as: we've integrated space and cyber and multi domain operations, and to be honest they don't like what they see."
Raymond further explained that while space operations are hardly something new, the area has exploded in recent years to the point of being far more difficult to manage.
"One of the challenges is there are no rules or very few rules," Raymond said. "It's the wild, Wild West."
Raymond said that the U.S. is trying to lead the way, and that there have been discussions among other countries and the United Nations.
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"This is something that we're trying to establish the the the norms, if you will, the rules of the road," he said.
One example Raymond discussed was the issue of space debris. He mentioned how Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the U.S. will not conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing while calling on other nations to make similar commitments.
These tests create long-lasting debris in space that can threaten existing satellites and pose dangers to astronauts. Russia conducted such a test in 2021, and China did the same in 2007.
Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman displays his insignia during a presentation of the United States Space Force flag in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., May 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Raymond said Russia's test resulted in blowing up a satellite into more than 1,500 pieces, while China's test created 3,000 pieces of debris. Raymond added that the U.S. has been trying to manage these sorts of situations.
"We act as the space traffic control for the world. We make sure that that people don't hit that debris and other things in space," he said.
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China, meanwhile, has accused the U.S. of outer space aggression.
"The U.S. is the main driver in turning outer space into a weapon and a battlefield," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Tuesday.
Complicating matters over the years is the greater ability for countries and private actors to send satellites into space. When just a few years ago, there were roughly 1,500 satellites in space. Raymond said that number is now closer to 5,000, with Elon Musk's SpaceX operating more than 2,000 itself.
Mary Louise Kelly, an interviewer from NPR, likened the situation to cyber warfare, in that the rules are being written as things are happening due to the novelty of the situation. Raymond agreed.
"It's not a new domain. But the domain has changed," he said. "And so, you know, what are rules of engagement, what is hostile intent? All the things that we have had years and years and years to think about in other domains, this is a new domain in that sense."
As important as he believes such "rules of the road" are, Raymond acknowledged that they would be difficult to enforce. Nevertheless, he believes they would be of value in identifying what types of actions would be considered improper.
"If we had a set of rules, and you run through the red light, we can say you ran through the red light," he said, adding that "it helps identify bad behavior."
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Another topic that came up was the role that space plays, or could play, in warfare, and why a space force is so necessary. Raymond warned that future wars could take place in space, as countries may try to jam an adversary's communications or destroy their satellites. One question from the audience dealt with the idea of "lasers from space." Notably, Raymond did not discount those as a threat.
"In that spectrum of conflict or threats, everything from reversible jamming to kinetic destruction, there would be directed energy threats that we'd be concerned about as well," he said.
