In the coming weeks, George W. Bush, US president, is expected to issue a national security directive on accessing space for various purposes, which is likely to open the door for deployment of space weapons. While the US views - and characterises - these weapons as defensive, to China and to many other countries the construction of such a system looks more like the development of the Death Star spaceship in the Star Wars film series.
There is much evidence to suggest the US move toward space weaponisation is gaining momentum. A number of US military planning documents issued in recent years point to the intention to control space by military means. Last year, the US Air Force publicised its vision of how "counterspace operations" could help achieve and maintain space superiority - the "freedom to attack as well as the freedom from attack" in space.
