The High-Altitude Deterrence Crisis: Rebuilding Space Security Architecture
In late October 2021, a hypersonic glide vehicle attached to a fractional orbital bombardment platform circled the globe at high altitude before striking near its intended target. The test did not merely signal a leap in atmospheric maneuverability; it shattered a foundational premise of strategic deterrence that had held firm since the height of the Cold War. For decades, major nuclear powers operated under the tacit understanding that space remained a sanctuary from stationing permanent strike capabilities, governed by international treaties designed for an era of predictable ballistic trajectories. Today, that sanctuary is rapidly dissolving. As major global powers deploy dual-capable space systems, direct-ascent anti-satellite weapons, and maneuvering co-orbital satellites capable of grappling or disabling critical surveillance hardware, the traditional boundary between conventional defense and strategic nuclear stabili...