A new era of great power competition is unfolding—not on the ground or at sea, but above Earth itself. The United States is now confronting a space race unlike anything seen in the Cold War, and China is no longer a distant competitor. It is an immediate threat. In recent weeks, U.S. Space Force officials confirmed that Chinese satellites conducted synchronized orbital maneuvers resembling combat exercises—what experts have called “dogfighting in space.”
General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations, disclosed the maneuvers involved five Chinese satellites conducting “tactics, techniques, and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.” This level of orbital coordination isn’t just about testing tech—it’s about preparing for war in space. These are not reconnaissance missions or commercial communications experiments. This is strategic positioning.
China’s space program has undergone a transformation in just a few years. Backed by massive state investment and military integration, Beijing has constructed its own space station, landed probes on the moon’s far side, and is preparing to establish a permanent manned base on the lunar surface. Simultaneously, it is building a communications satellite constellation to rival SpaceX’s Starlink—and it is designing space weapons to disable or destroy critical U.S. satellites.
These developments are deeply troubling for U.S. defense planners, because space is no longer a passive domain—it’s an operational warfighting environment. Satellites are the backbone of American life and defense: they power GPS, global banking, precision munitions, internet infrastructure, early warning systems, and real-time intelligence. A single targeted strike or jamming operation could disrupt everything from fighter jet missions to food supply chains.
Russia has tested satellite “kill vehicles” and projectiles in orbit, but U.S. officials increasingly see China as the more formidable adversary. “The number of different categories of space weapons that [China has] created and the speed with which they’re doing it is very threatening,” said General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations. The fact that China is now rehearsing satellite combat in Earth’s orbit is a signal that their strategy has entered an operational phase—not a theoretical one.
To understand what this means for the future of warfare, look to the sky. A hostile actor that controls space can blind missile defense systems, sever battlefield communications, and paralyze command and control before the first tank moves or aircraft takes off. China is actively building the capabilities to do just that—and doing it faster than most U.S. leaders anticipated.
What’s more, Beijing’s ambitions extend beyond Earth’s immediate orbit. China is targeting cislunar space—the critical region between Earth and the Moon—where they aim to establish infrastructure and potentially militarize transit routes. This would allow China to control deep space logistics, delay American missions, or position strike platforms far from detection. Whoever holds the high ground in cislunar space will define access to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
This shift demands a complete rethinking of defense strategy. Traditional air, land, and sea dominance will no longer guarantee victory. Orbital dominance must now be central to national defense policy. That includes resilient satellite constellations, space-based deterrence, rapid-launch countermeasures, AI-driven orbital surveillance, and hardened systems capable of surviving a first-strike in space.
The Trump administration, which created the U.S. Space Force in 2019, has signaled its intent to prioritize space dominance moving forward. Under this leadership, initiatives like the “Golden Dome” missile shield and renewed investments in launch platforms, satellite defense systems, and space-based surveillance are being reactivated.
China’s foreign ministry insists it is committed to the peaceful use of space and opposes its militarization. But its actions tell a different story. Quiet orbital combat drills, satellite swarms, lunar base plans, and anti-satellite technologies reveal a long-term strategy to seize orbital advantage—and ultimately rewrite the global balance of power.
