What Are ASAT Weapons?
Anti-satellite weapons are designed to damage or destroy satellites in orbit. The most common type is a direct-ascent kinetic kill vehicle — essentially a missile launched from the ground or sea that collides with a satellite at high speed. Other approaches include co-orbital interceptors, directed energy weapons, electronic jamming, and cyber attacks.
Major Destructive ASAT Tests
| Year | Country | Target | Trackable Debris | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | United States | Solwind P78-1 | ~285 | All decayed |
| 2007 | China | Fengyun-1C | ~3,500+ | Most still in orbit (~860 km) |
| 2019 | India | Microsat-R | ~400 | Most decayed (low altitude) |
| 2021 | Russia | Kosmos 1408 | ~1,500+ | Debris spreading, long-lived |
Debris Impact
The 2007 Chinese test alone increased the tracked catalogue population by approximately 25% and remains the single largest source of catalogued debris. Combined with the 2021 Russian test, these two events account for thousands of long-lived debris fragments that will persist for decades and pose ongoing collision risk to active spacecraft, including the ISS.
International Response
In April 2022, the United States declared a unilateral moratorium on destructive direct-ascent ASAT testing and called on other nations to follow. As of early 2026, over 35 nations have pledged to observe the moratorium. However, it is not a binding treaty, and no formal international ban exists. The UN General Assembly has passed multiple resolutions encouraging restraint.