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By Matt Berman,
Published by Popular Mechanics, 20 March 2025
One of DARPA’s concerns is that Russia has allegedly developed a nuclear space-based, anti-satellite weapon that may be capable of blinding hundreds of satellites.
DARPA, the U.S. military’s advanced research agency, is funding space laser projects amid simmering concerns that America’s strategic adversaries are already developing this satellite-disabling technology. Space Force General B. Chance Saltzman announced at the Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium earlier this month that he wants to strengthen U.S. national security satellites. With China and Russia already developing more anti-satellite weapons, it’s time for the U.S. to build up its own defensive options, Gen. Saltzman said at the symposium, according to Ars Technica. Yet, the real-world viability of laser-equipped satellites is questionable in the near term.
While the phrase “space laser” may conjure images of futuristic weaponry, the reality is more complex. The most prominent applications currently being explored focus on communications enhancement. However, space-based military-grade laser weapon systems under development could shape the battlefield anew. They would harness the fastest possible communications—via the light-speed of directed energy lasers—to quickly thwart an enemy’s attack, and they could disable an adversary’s communications satellites. Multiple countries have satellites, which are stationed between about 310 and 22,000 miles above Earth. They support military and commercial communications for a variety of applications, from navigation to missile warning. Taking one out would derail critical functions.
Among DARPA’s concerns is that Russia has allegedly developed a nuclear space-based, anti-satellite weapon that may be capable of blinding hundreds of satellites, according to The Center for Strategic and International Studies. And China now has more than 1,000 working satellites, with at least one-third of them purely meant for military-related functions, such as intelligence and surveillance. Saltzman called the Chinese “space-enabled targeting architecture” impressive, Ars Technica reports. To build up American communications and defensive capabilities, one of the defense department’s most significant initiatives involves establishing inter-satellite laser communications. This program, which began soliciting bids in 2022, has drawn in major players such as SpaceX, Kuiper (Amazon’s satellite division), Telesat, and Viasat. These companies are supporting the creation of a network of satellites that can exchange data at the speed of light, improving connectivity, for military and civilian applications alike.
Satellites typically use slower radio frequencies, but these wavelengths are subject to interference and congestion due to widespread use. Laser communications provide a more secure, high-bandwidth method for transmitting information, and so could lead to advancements in global broadband, military coordination, and even deep-space exploration. While military funding supports the project, the potential for commercial applications means space lasers are likely to become a fixture of orbital infrastructure, not just a warfighting tool.
Alongside improving communications, DARPA is also designing high-energy laser systems for defense applications. Two key projects aim to integrate directed-energy weapons into U.S. military strategy: The High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System is meant to adapt laser weapons onto mobile platforms such as aircraft and ground vehicles in order to shoot down enemy weapons, like rockets and artillery. The Modular Efficient Laser Technology program focuses on improving laser efficiency and power output through a compact, scalable system.
The potential appeal of laser weapons is clear: they travel at light speed—roughly 186,000 miles per second, far surpassing traditional kinetic weapons like missiles in speed and precision. Additionally, lasers don’t require physical ammunition, making them a cost-effective solution for sustained operations. And laser weapons could fully disable a target in space without generating more space debris, a growing concern as space junk— from rocket stages, fragments from collisions, and yes, defunct satellites, already can interfere with the 7,560 working satellites currently in orbit.
However, laser weapons struggle with atmospheric interference, energy demands, and the fact that drones and close-range threats increasingly dominate modern battlefields—issues that lasers in space aren’t well-equipped to handle. With Intercontinental Ballistic Missile threats relatively low among technologically advanced nations, and existing missile defense systems already proving effective, space-based laser defenses may not yet be as practical as other, more conventional deterrents.
The idea of laser warfare in space may be enticing. However, DARPA’s current focus on laser communications actually suggests a shift away from immediate military applications and toward long-term infrastructure improvements.
This is probably a good thing. Given the sheer speed and potential destructive power of the proposed laser weapons, their eventual deployment would fundamentally reshape modern warfare in ways we can’t yet fully predict.
For now, it seems that DARPA’s space laser programs are being developed with an eye toward efficiency and connectivity rather than large-scale military conflict. The day may come when directed-energy weapons become commonplace, but for now, they are finding a more peaceful home in the advancement of satellite technology.
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