The Danger of Weaponizing Outer Space

The statements made here represent the speakers' own thoughts. Neither the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, nor any organization providing support for this effort necessarily endorses the views and statements included here.

Mike Moore, Research Fellow, Independent Institute

Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Length: 1 hour, 24 minutes
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Mike Moore, a research fellow with the Independent Institute, discussed the current state of space weapon technology and warned that the U.S. is drifting toward a policy of space control that will lead to a new arms race. Acknowledging that space-based weapons are, at this point in time, technologically impossible, Moore focused on anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and the threat that an arsenal of such weapons would pose due to their ability to disrupt communication and information systems.

Moore asserted that future worldwide problems that must be tackled, such as climate change, require a cooperation that will be completely undermined by a new space-focused arms race. Therefore, the opportunity cost of this new arms race will harm the U.S. and the world in general.

Moore called for discussions to begin for creating a new space arms treaty, an idea that has been suggested by countries like China and Russia.

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