US Vice President announces ban on anti-satellite weapons tests

During a visit to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US Vice President Kamala Harris announced the decision to ban US anti-satellite weapons tests.

She spoke about the amount of damage even small debris may cause to satellites in space, and condemned the testing of such weapons.

"A piece of space debris the size of a basketball, which travels at thousands of miles per hour, would destroy a satellite. Even a piece of debris as small as a grain of sand could cause serious damage. We have consistently condemned these tests," she said.

She further added that the US commits not to conduct destructive "direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing."

The ban was sparked in part by Russia's successful test of anti-satellite weapon system in November 2021, when it destroyed its old Celina-D satellite.

Moscow said that the test conducted at the time was carried out in accordance with international law, including the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, and was not directed at anyone.