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Space

Beijing, China: China has urged the United States to stop expanding its military capabilities in outer space and “preparing for war” after Washington publicly confirmed that the US Space Force has deployed operational weapons in orbit. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on 15 September, 2026 that Beijing opposes the weaponisation of space, turning it into a battlefield and starting an arms race. “We urge the US side to stop expanding its military buildup in outer space and safeguard global strategic stability with concrete actions,” Guo said. China has also reiterated that it supports the peaceful use of outer space and opposes efforts to turn it into a war zone. The warning followed US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink’s disclosure on 14 September, 2026 at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, that the Space Force now has “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.” Meink said the wording of the announcement was deliberate and important for deterrence. “It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space,” he said. The US has not disclosed what the weapon is, what satellite or spacecraft carries it, how many systems are in orbit, or whether the capability is kinetic or non-kinetic. Meink declined to say whether the system had been tested and said that revealing operational details would undermine its deterrent purpose. “We’re not going to talk about the specifics of what we’re doing, whether we’ve tested, not tested, or anything else,” he said. A US official cited by The Washington Post said “space control” could include taking out an adversary’s satellite if it were being used to target US troops or another American satellite. However, that does not establish that the newly acknowledged weapon is an anti-satellite interceptor. The exact capability remains classified. The disclosure comes as Washington and Beijing expand preparations for possible conflict in space. An investigation found that Chinese military-linked institutions are developing technologies including satellites capable of pursuing or potentially capturing other spacecraft. In June, a secretive Chinese spaceplane released a small satellite that reportedly manoeuvred around another Chinese satellite before returning towards the spaceplane. The US and its allies are also developing increasingly advanced orbital capabilities. Reuters reported that the US and Britain had conducted a joint military operation involving a suspected Chinese surveillance satellite, while American and Chinese forces are developing maneuverable spacecraft, satellite-jamming capabilities and other counter-space technologies. US officials have described China’s growing space capabilities as a significant threat to American satellites. Washington is separately developing the Space-Based Interceptor under the Golden Dome missile-defence architecture. Meink said the programme had moved from an initial contract to flight-ready hardware in less than a year, with an initial capability potentially targeted for 2028. The US is also beginning deployment of a Space-Based Air Moving Target Indication constellation, but these programmes are distinct from the already deployed “on-orbit space control weapons” Meink disclosed on 14 September, 2026. The latest exchange marks a significant escalation in the public discussion around military activity in orbit, Washington has acknowledged an operational orbital weapons capability without identifying the system, while Beijing is warning that such deployments risk turning outer space into a battlefield and triggering a new arms race.

China Urges US To Halt Space Military Buildup Following Orbital Weapons Disclosure

Aviation Today News Desk September 15, 2026

Beijing, China: China has urged the United States to stop expanding its military capabilities in outer space and “preparing for war”

Parliamentary Panel Flags Undervalued Transfer Of ISRO Technologies To Private Firms SEO DES: The panel flagged some ISRO tech transfers were free, highlighted underutilised budgets and noted 2,383 staff vacancies across the department SOCIAL: A Parliamentary panel flagged that the Indian Space Research Organisation has transferred several technologies to private firms at very low prices, with nearly 70 out of ~100 deals under ₹10 lakh($10,650 USD) and some as low as ₹6,000($64 USD) or free. The committee cited the lack of a proper pricing framework and urged market-linked valuation and stronger oversight. It also showcased underutilised budgets and 2,383 staff vacancies, warning that India risks undervaluing taxpayer-funded space technologies while expanding private sector participation. New Delhi, India: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has raised concerns over the pricing of technologies developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), stating that several transfers to private companies have been executed at rates that do not reflect their true commercial value, potentially limiting returns on publicly funded innovation. The observations were made in the 410th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, tabled in Parliament on March 25, 2026. The panel examined the functioning, financial management, and commercialisation practices of the Department of Space. The committee noted that ISRO has signed around 100 technology transfer agreements with private entities in recent years. However, a significant portion of these deals were executed at relatively low prices. According to data reviewed by the panel, nearly 70 technologies were transferred for less than ₹10 lakh($10,650 USD), with some agreements reportedly priced as low as ₹6,000($64 USD) or offered free of cost. The panel flagged that such pricing structures raise concerns about whether the government is adequately monetising high-value research and development outputs. Highlighting systemic gaps, the committee observed that there is currently no standardised valuation framework or market-linked pricing mechanism governing these transfers. This lack of structured pricing has resulted in inconsistencies across agreements and increases the risk of undervaluation. The panel cautioned that private firms could potentially generate significant commercial gains using these technologies, while public institutions receive only limited financial returns. The report recommended the introduction of a market-driven pricing model, along with transparent valuation guidelines and independent auditing mechanisms to ensure fairness and accountability. It also called for stronger post-transfer monitoring systems to assess how transferred technologies are utilised and whether they deliver broader public benefit. Beyond technology transfer concerns, the committee highlighted issues related to budget allocation and utilisation within the Department of Space. For the financial year 2026–27, the department projected an outlay of ₹15,604.80 crore($1.66 billion USD), of which the government approved ₹13,705.63 crore($1.46 billion USD), or 87.82% of the proposed amount. The panel noted that budgetary allocations have been impacted by underutilisation in previous years. As of January 2026, the Department of Space had utilised ₹9,739.72 crore($1.04 billion USD) out of the allocated funds for the ongoing financial year 2025–26, indicating slower expenditure progress. Several institutions under the department reportedly failed to utilise even 75% of their allocated budgets, prompting the committee to call for stricter financial oversight and periodic expenditure reviews. The report also pointed to a persistent shortage of human resources within the department. Vacancies have been accumulating since 2020–21, and the government has set a target to fill 2,383 vacant positions by December 2026. The panel emphasised that addressing staffing gaps is essential for sustaining mission timelines and operational efficiency. While acknowledging India’s push to expand private participation in the space sector, the committee stressed the need to strike a balance between ecosystem development and safeguarding the value of taxpayer-funded innovations. It noted that ISRO’s technologies play a critical role in national infrastructure, communications, and strategic capabilities, making their fair valuation and controlled commercialisation a matter of national importance. The findings come at a time when India is actively opening its space sector to private players through institutional mechanisms such as NewSpace India Limited and IN-SPACe, aimed at promoting industry participation and accelerating growth. The committee concluded that without reforms in pricing, monitoring, and financial management, India risks undervaluing critical space technologies even as it seeks to build a globally competitive private space ecosystem.

Parliamentary Panel Flags Undervalued Transfer Of ISRO Technologies To Private Firms

Aviation Today News Desk March 30, 2026

New Delhi, India: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has raised concerns over the pricing of technologies developed by the Indian Space Research

Texas: On January 16, SpaceX conducted its seventh test flight of the Starship rocket, which ended in the spacecraft's destruction during re-entry. The mission launched from Boca Chica, Texas, at 5:38 pm EST, with the Starship carrying ten dummy satellites intended for deployment | Aviation Today

SpaceX Starship Breaks Apart During 7th Test; Caused Temporary Flight Diversions

Aviation Today News Desk January 17, 2025

Image source: X Texas: On January 16, SpaceX conducted its seventh test flight of the Starship rocket, which ended in the

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