Good News! India And France To Militerize The Heavens

After the Chinese conducted their anti-satellite test, the world has debated about whether or not nations should develop the final frontier with weapons included or for purely scientific/economic reasons.

Even though India has previously expressed its desire that space be developed peacefully, it looks as if they, along with France (hat tip: Space Pragmatism) are seriously considered on militerizing the heavens above us.

(Financial Times) Paris, which today takes over the EU presidency, says Europe must counter threats from conventional military powers as well as terrorism. To do so it needs to add a "political and security dimension" to European space policy, according to documents sent to EU governments ahead of a meeting later this month in French Guiana, home to the European launch pad.

"In Europe, space policy has always been motivated by scientific and technical reasons. The US, Russia, China and so on are motivated by politics. Even so, Europe is the second- or third-biggest space power in the world. Using political drive as well, it would be even more powerful," said a European diplomat familiar with the plans.

(MSN India News) New Delhi: India needs to "optimise" the use of space for military applications to counter China's rapid strides in the sphere, Indian Army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor said on Monday. "We need to optimise the use of space for military applications," Gen. Kapoor said at a seminar here on 'Indian Military and Space'.

"China's space programme is expanding at a exponentially rapid pace, both in its offensive and military content," Kapoor added.

While conquer the final frontier in the name of science, business and "all that good stuff" sounds noble, the reality is that every country heading into space is going to have to ship their fleets as well (or at least defend their "aerial turf"), something both India and France have now realized.



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