A Russian satellite, Cosmos 2533, orbits far beyond Earth with the potential to carry a nuclear weapon capable of disabling many satellites. Meanwhile, China is heavily investing in advanced space technologies, including weapons designed to destroy satellites.
These anti-satellite weapons (ASATs) pose a significant threat to modern life by endangering vital systems such as GPS, weather forecasting, and geospatial intelligence. The rapidly growing space economy, which depends on unrestricted access to space, is also at risk.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which promotes free, open, and peaceful space, has been ratified by major space powers, including the U.S., Russia, and China. The U.S. attempted to expand on this treaty with the Artemis Accords in 2020, which numerous nations have joined. However, Russia and China’s refusal to participate, along with the **veto** of a U.N. Security Council resolution against placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit, clearly indicates the need for a new strategy.
Therefore, the U.S. should take the lead in forming a new military alliance, the Artemis Alliance or Allied Space Forces.
China’s space ambitions are expansive and seemingly without limit. President Xi Jinping has stated that developing the space industry and establishing China as a leading space power is a long-term goal. The Pentagon reports that Beijing has invested “billions” in its space program, including counter-space weapons.
Russia, despite repurposing parts of its space program for missiles, maintains its interest in space. Its actions, including a 2021 space weapon test that created debris endangering the International Space Station, the 2022 launch of Cosmos 2553, and a 2024 attack-capable **satellite** aimed at a U.S. government satellite, suggest a shift towards a strategy of denying space access to all if it cannot control it.
The Artemis Alliance should complement, not replace, the Outer Space Treaty. It would be a coalition of like-minded nations committed to the peaceful use of space. Ultimately, the alliance would strengthen the existing norms and principles of the 1967 treaty by providing a means of enforcement.
The Alliance would aim to deter and counter offensive space capabilities, publicly condemn attempts to make space unusable, and impose penalties for violations, ranging from export controls to military intervention.
Its members would include the U.S. and its allies with existing reciprocal defense treaties, such as Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the U.K. The long-term objective is to include emerging spacefaring nations like India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, even if they lack such treaties with the U.S.
Such an alliance would support the 2020 **Space Policy Directive-5** issued by the Trump Administration, which committed the U.S. to strengthening deterrence and reassuring allies about the safety, stability, security, and sustainability of space activities. An alliance is the most effective way for the U.S. to shape and enforce norms, even more so than treaties.
Some nations may hesitate to combine civilian space activities with a military alliance, as space is often associated with scientific research and exploration, not warfare. Concerns may arise that joining such an alliance could contradict the spirit of the Outer Space Treaty.
However, the U.S. Navy **already coordinates** its efforts to protect free trade under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Therefore, an Artemis Alliance is a justifiable enforcement mechanism. Moreover, the U.S. Senate has ratified the Outer Space Treaty, making it legally binding in the U.S., unlike UNCLOS.
The current threats are physical and offensive, not just ideological. According to **the Defense Intelligence Agency**, China is rapidly developing counter-space weapons, including direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles, lasers, and jammers, and in 2024 unveiled a novel microwave weapon capable of targeting satellites. Russia has declared military satellites as legitimate targets and has already used electronic weapons in 2025 to disrupt flights and GPS accuracy. Ignoring these threats and relying solely on existing norms is not a sufficient defense.
The U.S. and its allies need more than just words. They need the capability to escalate defensively on Earth before adversaries can launch devastating attacks in space.
Space is essential, not a luxury. The Artemis Alliance is the logical next step toward ensuring a secure, open, free, and safe space environment.