China could deploy a laser weapon in space by the late 2020s that could disable enemy satellites. It could blind a satellite's cameras or damage equipment. China already has some similar systems on Earth.
China could deploy a laser weapon in space by the late 2020s that could disable enemy satellites. It could blind a satellite's cameras or damage equipment. China already has some similar systems on Earth.
This is reported by Ars Technica, citing a new report from the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
According to US intelligence estimates, the Chinese military sees directed energy weapons as one of the most promising ways to combat satellites. These are systems that concentrate energy on a target, for example, using a powerful laser beam. So they can disrupt spacecraft without even destroying them. The DIA claims that China already has several ground-based laser systems of varying power.
China is also testing technologies that allow it to approach, service, and even capture other satellites. For example, in 2025, China demonstrated space refueling technology: one satellite could fly up to another and refuel it in orbit without returning to Earth.
The test took place at an altitude of about 36,000 km, where satellites orbit the Earth in about a day. According to the DIA, no country has previously demonstrated refueling satellites at such an altitude.
Chinese engineers have also been testing a robotic arm that could potentially grab spacecraft.
It is not yet known exactly why they did this. However, experts suggest that China may be practicing maneuvers to approach and capture satellites.
The device itself is so classified that even its official name is unknown. However, it did not manage to hide from American satellites, because in 2024, the company Maxar photographed the Chinese spacecraft in orbit. The most detailed version of the image was only recently released in a DIA report.
Previously, dev.ua wrote that Chinese defense scientists revealed details of the development of a super-powerful microwave weapon that could potentially disable Starlink satellites.
