China’s military has warned that a plan by the US Space Force to deploy “orbital carriers” will accelerate an arms race in space .
In a commentary published on Thursday by the PLA Daily, an expert from the People’s Liberation Army Space Engineering University pointed to a recent US$60 million contract awarded by the US Space Force to develop an orbital transport craft. The article said the project would “boost US war-fighting strength, yet intensify the two nations’ military rivalry and threaten space security”.
The article, published under the name Wang Tiantian, appeared to refer to a contract granted to the Seattle-based space infrastructure company Gravitics.
The firm announced in March that it was creating a “ game-changer ” system that it expected to have launched for demonstration as early as 2026. The carrier could deploy “multiple manoeuvrable space vehicles” within hours – instead of days or weeks – using conventional launchers to counter possible threats, the company said.
At a defence conference in March, Michael Guetlein, US Space Force vice-chief of space operations, said the service was shifting towards “a warfighting force”.
Guetlein listed escalating threats, including China’s 2024 low-orbit manoeuvres involving five synchronised satellites conducting “ dogfighting ” drills, and Russia’s use of jamming and laser systems, alongside concerns that Moscow may be arming satellites with nuclear warheads.