US not to conduct anti-satellite missile tests to reduce space debris

US Vice president Kamala Harris has announced that the country will not execute anti-satellite (ASAT) missile tests anymore so as to cut down on space debris. 

“These tests are dangerous, and we will not conduct them,” said Harris in a speech at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. 

Harris is encouraging other countries to join in the commitment and “establish this as a new international norm for responsible behaviour in space.” 

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“The destruction of space objects through direct-ascent ASAT missile testing is reckless and irresponsible. The long-lived debris created by these tests now threaten satellites and other space objects that are vital to all nations’ security, economic, and scientific interests, and increases the risk to astronauts in space. Overall, these tests jeopardize the long-term sustainability of outer space and imperil the exploration and use of space by all nations,” she mentioned in a statement. 

She further said that “developing a shared understanding of what constitutes safe and responsible space activities contributes to a more stable space environment by reducing the risk of miscommunication and miscalculation.” 

“This is especially important as there is an ever-increasing number of states and non-governmental entities that rely on space services and space assets which are vulnerable to debris,” she said. 

According to Harris, such an action will help convey how space activities can be “conducted in a responsible, peaceful, and sustainable manner.” 

In 2019, India conducted an ASAT missile test (after the United States, Russia and China).