Golden Dome Is a Chance for Superpowers to Make Space Safer

It’s hardly surprising that some of the loudest objections to the Pentagon’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield have come from Russia and China, who warn the system will spur a new nuclear arms race. Instead of minimizing such concerns, the US should leverage them to forge rules that will make space safer for everyone.

Talks about establishing norms of behavior in space have been stalled for years at the United Nations, as Russia and China have pushed instead for a legally binding treaty banning the deployment of weapons in orbit. Golden Dome helps explain why. Traditionally, space-based missile defense has been considered destabilizing because it encourages adversaries to build up their arsenals in response, and because a truly successful shield could encourage the US to launch a nuclear first strike, confident it could deflect any counterattack.