avaruushyökkäyksiä

Avaruushyökkäykset, or space attacks, refer to military or hostile actions carried out against or using objects and systems in outer space. These attacks can target satellites, space stations, or other space‑borne infrastructure and may also involve the use of space to deliver conventional or unconventional weapons to Earth.

Theories of space attacks are generally grouped into kinetic, non‑kinetic and cyber categories. Kinetic attacks involve missiles or projectiles launched from Earth or from orbit to destroy or cripple space‑borne assets. Non‑kinetic attacks include directed‑energy weapons such as high‑power lasers or particle beams aimed at satellites, while cyber attacks target the control software and communication links of spacecraft and ground stations. Additionally, disruptions to the ionosphere, through ionizing weapons or manipulation of charged particles, may interfere with satellite operations.

Historical demonstrations of space attack capabilities began in the 1950s with the first anti‑satellite (ASAT) test by the Soviet Union, followed by the United States’ 1976 test of a missile against an abandoned Soviet satellite. The 2007 Chinese anti‑satellite test destroyed an inactive Fengyun‑1C weather satellite, demonstrating the viability of kinetic ASAT weapons. In 2019 several countries, including Russia, the United States, China, and India, conducted missile strikes against adversary satellites or missile platforms, showing that active targeting is now possible. North Korea’s 2020 rocket launches and 2021 underground Iranian test of an ASAT system have added to the global perception of rising space‑based threats.

Risk assessments indicate that a successful space attack could cause cascading failures in global communications, navigation, weather forecasting, and military command and control. The increasing density of operational satellites further magnifies the potential damage. Consequently, many space‑faring nations are developing mitigation measures, such as satellite hardening, collision avoidance protocols, redundancy in ground control, early warning radars for space debris, and treaties to limit the weaponization of space.