Latest news on the debate over the weaponization of outer space from Spacedebate.org. http://www.spacedebate.org/news.xml contact@spacedebate.org (Greg Schnippel) The U.S. Army's desire to deploy swarms of tiny satellites for various tactical missions is one of the reasons it began development two years ago of what would be the United States' smallest orbital launch vehicle, designed to put payloads of about 20 kilograms into space, government and industry officials said. (Space News -- August 12, 2010) Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:45:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/army-nanomissile-small-satellites-launches-100809.html http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/army-nanomissile-small-satellites-launches-100809.html China launched its sixth satellite this year, a spy satellite with a synthetic aperture radar system designed to observe locations all weather and lighting conditions. (Space.com -- August 11, 2010) Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:00:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/china-launches-new-spy-satellite-100810.html http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/china-launches-new-spy-satellite-100810.html New research shows how solar sails could be used on satellites to levitate them above the existing Geostationary orbit, creating a whole new swath of orbital real-estate and potentially relieving existing overcrowding and international tensions. (Space.com -- August 11, 2010) Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:45:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/solar-sails-levitating-satellites-orbits-100811.html http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/solar-sails-levitating-satellites-orbits-100811.html The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization is working on a range of directed energy weapons, from laser dazzlers to control rioting crowds to high-powered lasers to destroy incoming missiles. (Times of India -- August 3, 2010) Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:45:00 -0700 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/DRDOs-next-Star-Wars-like-weapons/articleshow/6248942.cms http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/DRDOs-next-Star-Wars-like-weapons/articleshow/6248942.cms New research on changes in the Earth's upper atmosphere suggests space debris could remain in orbit for longer than expected. (Space.com -- August 3, 2010) Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:45:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/news/space-junk-clean-up-gets-trickier-100803.html http://www.space.com/news/space-junk-clean-up-gets-trickier-100803.html Iran plans to launch its first astronauts into space by 2019, according to Reuters. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced his country's intention to prepare a manned spaceflight last February, after its Kavoshgar 3 rocket carried several small animals into orbit. (Global Security Newswire -- July 26, 2010) Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0700 http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100726_2631.php http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100726_2631.php A pair of experimental U.S. missile defense satellites has passed a series of vital tests in space, spotting three missile launches and successfully relaying data about their trajectories to observers on Earth. (Space.com -- July 26, 2010) Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:15:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/missile-defense-satellites-pass-tests-100726.html http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/missile-defense-satellites-pass-tests-100726.html Dealing with space debris presents a thorny political issue that must be addressed, according to an international foundation's brief to the United Nations. Yet tensions between countries about the best way to deal with space junk could make a solution difficult, experts say. (Space.com -- July 23, 2010) Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:15:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/news/space-debris-political-issues-100706.html http://www.space.com/news/space-debris-political-issues-100706.html The U.S. government on July 13 told the United Nations that the new U.S. space policy represents "a departure" from the previous doctrine insofar as the United States will now at least consider proposals to prevent an arms race in space (Space.com -- July 14, 2010) Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:00:00 -0700 http://www.space.com/news/us-limiting-space-weapons-sn-100714.html http://www.space.com/news/us-limiting-space-weapons-sn-100714.html Shortcomings in existing proposals appear likely to delay establishment of a pact to curb the deployment of weapons in space, according to U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Frank Rose (Global Security Newswire -- July 14, 2010) Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:15:00 -0700 http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100714_9737.php http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100714_9737.php