New US Space Force spy agency points to earthly rivalries being played out in orbit
- Space Delta 18 is tasked with providing ‘critical intelligence on threat systems, foreign intentions and activities in the space domain’
- The US has expressed concern about Chinese and Russian activities in space, including the grappling potential of Chinese ‘scavenger’ satellites
The unit, called Space Delta 18 or the National Space Intelligence Centre (NSIC), was officially launched late last month with a mission to “deliver unparalleled technical expertise and game-changing intelligence … to outwit, outreach and win in the space domain”.
The new unit is tasked with monitoring and identifying threats to US space assets in orbit, those either causing physical damage or operational disruption, after the US military defined outer space as an “operational frontier” while becoming increasingly alert to any development of anti-satellite capabilities by China and Russia.
“America is always watching the whole world. But it will not affect China’s development of anti-satellite capabilities,” Beijing-based military expert Zhou Chenming said.
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The name Space Delta 18 reflects the Space Force’s place as the 18th member of the US intelligence community.