2013 Asia’s year in space

2013 is the year Asia’s economic powerhouses made their way into space: South Korea placed its first satellite in orbit, Japan launched a new three-stage rocket and India sent a probe to Mars. China led the pack, carrying out a manned trip as a prelude to assembling a space station by 2020. Analysts say these feats reflect the financial clout of these countries’ economies, but they also warn about a potential intra-Asian space rivalry. The biggest worry: militarization of space. US expert John Logsdon said the United States is concerned about China’s military space capabilities because “they could threaten the ability of the United States to operate its national security space systems free from threat of interference.” Other analysts also noted the US and Russia are starting to perceive China as a potential threat.

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