For Russia, SpaceX success is ‘wakeup call’

June 4, 2020 — SpaceDaily.com reports: “Russia has lost its long-held monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station following the flawless manned launch by US company SpaceX.

The Russian space agency congratulated the United States and Elon Musk’s SpaceX on the first crewed flight ever by a private company, but experts said the launch should be a wakeup call for Roscosmos.

‘The success of the mission will provide us with additional opportunities that will benefit the whole international programme,’ cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, said in a brief video address.

Saturday’s launch was the first of American astronauts from US soil since the mothballing of the US shuttle programme in 2011 that left Russia’s more basic and reliable Soyuz spacecraft solely responsible for transporting crews…”  (Jesus said: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;  Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh– “ Luke 21:25 – 28.   See the next three reports.)

Washington seeks to turn space into combat zone, Russian Ambassador to US says

June 2, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “On 18 May, the US Space Force issued a $2.375 billion contract to defence company Northrop Grumman to build two missile early detection satellites by the end of December 2025. Dubbed Next Gen OPIR, the satellites are the first of an anticipated five-sat constellation expected to be in place by 2029.

On Friday, the Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said that Washington seeks to turn space into a combat zone, adding that there is no need to exacerbate the situation.

‘We see that the Americans, with the support of their NATO allies, are trying to turn space into a combat zone and battleground for possible clashes between our nations’, he said in an interview with Zvezda TV Channel. ‘We are doing everything possible to prevent this.’

Antonov went on to say that Moscow has so far failed to convince Washington of the need to work together to prevent an arms race in outer space…”

China’s Defense Ministry Urges US, Japan to refrain from arms race in space

June 2, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “China is calling upon countries that have created space military units to prevent space from becoming a new international battleground, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said on Friday.

‘Separate countries have created space military forces, under the pretext of a threat coming from other countries, but in reality in pursuit of military superiority in space’, Ren said at a briefing.

‘We call upon these countries to adhere to a reasonable and responsible approach, prevent space from becoming a new battleground, and to jointly protect sustainable peace in space’.

According to the spokesman, the intensification of military activity in space risks ‘to trigger an arms race in space and in the future negatively affect global strategic stability’. China is closely monitoring any such actions, as stated by the spokesman.

Ren reiterated that China has consistently insisted on the peaceful use of space and strongly opposed any attempts to militarize it…”

U.S. vows to curb China and Russia in space

June 18, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “The United States wants to prevent China and Russia from taking control of space and will look to allies for help, according to a new ‘Defense Space Strategy’ unveiled by the Pentagon on Wednesday.

The strategy document was the first since President Donald Trump announced the creation of the new Space Force military arm in December.

‘China and Russia present the greatest strategic threat due to their development, testing and deployment of counterspace capabilities,’ it said.

‘China and Russia each have weaponized space as a means to reduce US and allied military effectiveness and challenge our freedom of operation in space.’

The strategy stressed that the US would strive to maintain superiority in space, in particular protecting GPS satellites on which the military as well as the emergency services, transport and even financial services depend…”