By David N. Harding, Staff Writer
While America’s media obsesses over TikTok drama and gender pronouns, our enemies are looking skyward. Not to marvel at the stars—but to dominate them. Space, once the realm of science fiction, is fast becoming the most contested military domain of the 21st century. And while China and Russia race to weaponize the final frontier, the United States is still bickering over whether the U.S. Space Force should even exist.
The truth is blunt and urgent: space warfare is no longer hypothetical, and America's unpreparedness is not just a weakness—it's an invitation. What happens in orbit won't stay in orbit. The next major war could begin in the dark vacuum above our heads, and it may end in a blackout back here on Earth.
The Threat Above: A War Already in Motion
Most Americans are unaware that the global arms race has already extended into space. In 2007, the Chinese Communist Party shocked the international community by using a direct-ascent missile to destroy one of its own satellites. This reckless test created over 3,000 pieces of orbital debris, threatening other spacecraft and revealing China’s emerging anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities (New York Times).
In 2021, China again demonstrated technological supremacy with a hypersonic orbital glide vehicle that circled the planet before descending toward its target. The Pentagon was reportedly stunned, calling the test a “Sputnik moment” that suggested the U.S. was being outpaced in strategic innovation (Financial Times).
Not to be outdone, Russia conducted its own dangerous ASAT test in November 2021, blowing up one of its satellites and sending debris toward the International Space Station. NASA officials condemned the move as “reckless and irresponsible,” and the U.S. military warned that these demonstrations were clear signs of hostile intent in space (Reuters).
China and Russia aren’t just testing missiles. They’re also developing co-orbital weapons—satellites that can stealthily approach and disable American systems—and investing heavily in electronic warfare and cyberattacks targeting satellite infrastructure. The intent is clear: blind, confuse, and cripple the United States before we even know we’re at war.
Why Space Dominance Isn’t Optional
Our modern way of life depends almost entirely on space-based infrastructure. From military operations to civilian services, satellites are the silent sentinels keeping our society functional.
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The U.S. military uses satellites for GPS, missile detection, real-time battlefield communication, drone strikes, and secure nuclear command-and-control.
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Everyday civilians rely on satellites for internet access, weather forecasts, aviation systems, financial transactions, even the time on your smartphone.
Take out those satellites, and you don’t just lose Google Maps—you lose your economy, your military coordination, and your national security. According to the Department of Defense, space is now a fully recognized warfighting domain, and failing to defend it leaves us exposed in ways the average citizen cannot imagine (Defense.gov).
The Space Force: From Political Punchline to Strategic Lifeline
When President Donald Trump announced the creation of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, media outlets erupted in laughter. Late-night comedians mocked it as a "Star Trek cosplay program." The Washington Post ran headlines dripping with sarcasm. Critics on the Left framed it as an ego-driven stunt meant to distract from domestic politics.
But the jokes haven’t aged well.
The need for a unified, specialized military branch to protect America’s interests in space had been identified years earlier, under both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. Military leaders had warned that America’s space capabilities were scattered across bureaucratic silos and lacked central command. Trump’s bold move simply turned these concerns into action.
In truth, the Space Force consolidated these operations into a coherent chain of command, enabling quicker responses to emerging threats and streamlining defense technology development. Its mission is simple but essential: to organize, train, and equip forces to protect U.S. and allied interests in space (U.S. Space Force).
And yet, instead of support, it received ridicule. This mockery is not just disrespectful—it’s dangerously shortsighted.
Complacency Is the Real Existential Threat
While our adversaries aggressively test space weapons and build orbital battlegrounds, Congress delays funding for satellite hardening, while defense bureaucrats prioritize climate change and DEI training over readiness. It’s a crisis of focus—and a betrayal of America’s security.
According to a report by the Secure World Foundation, China is now outpacing the U.S. in satellite launches, deploying both military and civilian assets at a scale never before seen. Many of these satellites have dual-use potential, meaning they can be quickly adapted for offensive purposes in the event of conflict (SWF Global Counterspace Capabilities Report).
If those assets are used to disable U.S. satellites during a preemptive strike, the consequences would be devastating:
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The military would lose communication and targeting systems.
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Air travel and civilian communications could grind to a halt.
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The financial system, which relies on time-stamped transactions, could descend into chaos.
This isn’t speculation—it’s the scenario laid out in numerous war-gaming simulations conducted by the Department of Defense. And if we’re not prepared, we may not get a second chance to respond.
A Conservative Call to Action: Peace Through Strength, in Space
As conservatives, we believe in national sovereignty, strategic deterrence, and peace through strength—principles that must now extend beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Just as President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative was ridiculed in its time but later validated, Space Force is a visionary investment whose value will only grow with time.
We must:
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Harden our satellite constellations against jamming and cyberattacks.
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Develop rapid-launch replacements to maintain orbital capabilities in the event of destruction.
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Expand military R&D into satellite weapon defense systems and kinetic countermeasures.
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Train new generations of warfighters in space-focused doctrine and surveillance.
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And stop apologizing for defending the homeland, whether on land, sea, air—or in orbit.
Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call from the Stars
The question is not whether space will become a battlefield—it already is. The only question is whether the United States will be ready when the first strike comes. It might not begin with missiles in the Pacific or tanks in Eastern Europe, but with a sudden silence from the skies—a loss of signal, of vision, of coordination.
That’s how real wars start in the 21st century. Quietly. Strategically. Devastatingly.
The time for hesitation is over. Space is not science fiction—it is national security reality. If we do not secure it now, we may never get the chance again.
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