What they are saying about On-orbit Space Control Weapons

Posted: 18th September 2026

Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, on the SecAF admission of on-orbit space-control weapons: “So let’s be real clear about what’s happening today. The United States isn’t starting an arms race in space. We’re responding to one that’s already been underway.” – The Hill 16 Sep 2026

Correction:

The first space war attack was when the U.S. tried several times to shoot down the 1957 successful Sputnik space satellite launched by the Soviet Union. This only failed due to the lack of weapons that could reach that orbit.  Later Ronald Reagan’s SDI program developed in secret a ground based laser weapon to down Soviet satellites, but this too was underpowered, at the time. Now powerful lasers and cyber weapons can destroy satellites on orbit.  Bob

Lt. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, Commander, U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, on the SecAF disclosure the U.S. has on-orbit space-control weapons: “I will not give the specifics of space-based capabilities that are on orbit for space control, because as much as you want to know, Beijing wants to know that.” – National Defense Magazine 16 Sep 2026

Lt. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, Commander, U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, when asked what U.S. policy is with respect to a kinetic orbital weapon: “You have to ask policy. We have capabilities in the military because we are preparing to defend the nation. The reason we have capabilities is to help create deterrence. OK, when you go to war, you break things.” – National Defense Magazine 16 Sep 2026

Lt. Gen. Gregory J. Gagnon, Commander, U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, on space control: “What is space control? Space control is the ability to use space at the time and place of our choosing. The Navy has a concept called sea control. It’s how they gain advantage over other navies on the high seas to be able to ensure freedom of maneuver and freedom of access for naval and U.S. interests. The same concept applies in space. So, when one seeks to achieve space control, you would use all capabilities and bring all capabilities to bear. Those capabilities would be Space Force capabilities. They’d also maybe be Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps — the entire Joint Force — to bring capabilities to bear. The Space Force capabilities on orbit, which are space control, complement those terrestrial capabilities, because collectively they are used to seize the advantage in outer space, so that military operations on Earth can be most successful.” – National Defense Magazine 16 Sep 2026

Brian Todd of CNN said on programming Wednesday evening, “It is also not known exactly when these American weapons were deployed into space. CNN has reached out to the Space Force for comment on this. China and Russia have been challenging America’s dominance in space in recent years. The U.S. military has repeatedly warned that China and Russia are testing new offensive space capability, like Russian satellite constellation training missions, as U.S. officials phrased it.” John Moberly, Chief Growth Officer & GM at Ibeos, wrote on LinkedIn this week, “It does need a full PR campaign now, not for us of course, but for general population that doesn’t understand why or the adversary threat against our space systems.”