US Buzzes China’s Military Satellites in Unfolding Space Rivalry

An American military satellite was reportedly “buzzing” its Chinese counterparts as China rapidly advances in a new space race to challenge U.S. leadership in this domain.

Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Space Force and the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

The U.S. Space Force was established in 2019 during the first administration of President Donald Trump, who said American superiority in space was “absolutely vital.” One of the missions of the new service branch is to protect and defend U.S. interests in space, including satellites.

China, which has several ambitious space programs, including a space station and a manned mission to the moon, was spotted using its satellites to conduct “dogfighting” maneuvers, the U.S. Space Force reported in March, practicing orbit operations from one satellite to another.

What To Know

COMSPOC, which is a commercial provider of space situational awareness software in Pennsylvania, said USA 324, a U.S. Space Force Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellite, was “checking out” two Chinese satellites recently.

The American satellite was tracked making two close passes to China’s TJS-16 and TJS-17 satellites on April 26 and 29, with a distance of 10.5 miles and 7.4 miles, respectively. It was not immediately clear why the U.S. Space Force’s satellite maneuvered around the targets.

USA 324, which was launched in January 2022, and other GSSAP satellites can track and observe objects in geosynchronous orbit more than 22,000 miles above the equator, NASA said.

The U.S. Space Force said the GSSAP satellites support its space surveillance operations by conducting “Rendezvous and Proximity Operations,” in which the satellites maneuver near a space object, enabling characterization for anomaly resolution and enhanced surveillance.

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