Satellite Technology in Military and Defense: A Global Overview
The U.S. operates about 120–130 dedicated military satellites, while Russia and China maintain 70–80 and 60–70, respectively. India demonstrated an ASAT capability in 2019, and North Korea launched Malligyong-1 in 2023, claiming imagery of U.S. bases. Major debris events include Russia’s 2021 and China’s 2007 ASAT tests. Ukraine used Starlink for communications after Russia’s 2022 cyberattack on Viasat.