US military confirms it launched space weapons into Earth's orbit | TechCrunch

The U.S. military has for the first time acknowledged that it deployed a space weapon into Earth’s orbit.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, who oversees the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, saidin a speech Mondaythat the military has “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.”

Meink did not say what the weapons are, what they do, or how many of them have been deployed, but his phrasingwas reportedlyintentional and “very well thought out.” A spokesperson for the Air Force did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment, including what threats the Air Force was responding to by launching the weapon.

The deployment comes as China islong suspectedof operating spacecraft capable of causing damage to other satellites. The U.S. Space ForcesaysRussia is currently developing a satellite “designed to carry a nuclear weapon.”

According to The Times, the U.S. hadlong disavowedthe destruction of satellites in space, as attacks can leave debris that is harmful to other space objects and astronauts.