China Outpaces US In Rapid Satellite Launch And Replacement, Threatening Space Dominance: Report

China has likely surpassed the U.S. in its ability to rapidly launch and replace satellites, particularly in the aftermath of a conflict or accident, South China Morning Post reports.

What’s the Issue: The report, published by the Centre for Security and Emerging Technology at Georgetown University, highlights China’s development of small, mobile, solid-fuel rockets that can launch from mobile platforms.

This advancement in tactically responsive space launch (TRSL) over the past decade puts China ahead of the U.S., which has conducted only one TRSL demonstration to date.

“The United States has the most advanced space industry in the world, but it has not demonstrated a commensurate ability to launch rockets on short notice,” said Sam Bresnick, the report's co-author.

See Also: Elon Musk Says Most People On Earth Have No Idea About Tesla FSD, Cars Can Drive Themselves

Why It Matters: The ability to quickly replace damaged or destroyed satellites is a key component of space resilience. While the U.S. remains ahead in most measures, it lags behind in quick launch capability, a critical factor if satellites were under attack.

Read Next: Big Short Investor Sees No Recession Evidence, Market Will Continue To Melt Up

Space Satellite Photo by Andrei Armiagov on Shutterstock