Experts warn of possible space conflict within five years

Summary

• Dr Julia Balm, co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute at the university, said the growing number of satellites and advances in their capabilities could increase the risk of conflict in orbit.
• “If we’re looking at the number of satellites proliferating in orbit and the capabilities that are growing in both scale, but also in their technical capacity […], we are looking at conflict emerging not only in the domain, but in the next five years,” Balm said.
• Commercial space companies are also expanding into defence-related work as governments focus more on security in orbit.

AI Generated Summary

A conflict in space could emerge by 2031 as countries develop capabilities to threaten satellites and other orbital infrastructure, an expert at King’s College London has warned.

Dr Julia Balm, co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute at the university, said the growing number of satellites and advances in their capabilities could increase the risk of conflict in orbit.

“If we’re looking at the number of satellites proliferating in orbit and the capabilities that are growing in both scale, but also in their technical capacity […], we are looking at conflict emerging not only in the domain, but in the next five years,” Balm said.