4. Space Race 2.0

Satellite technology is driving a new space race, benefiting commerce, communications - and warfare. Space X has given the US the huge advantage - but China is keen to catch-up.

If you get yourself a telescope you might notice that the night sky it’s a lot busier than it was even 5 years ago such is the rapid expansion of satellites. They're increasingly important to our daily lives, providing internet coverage in hard to reach places which in turn enables real time banking, the tracking of ships and planes, and the ability to monitor hurricanes, wildfires and flooding.

Misha Glenny explains how US is leading this race in terms of sheer numbers. Elon Musk's Starlink system is responsible for two-thirds of the current active satellites in lower earth orbit, but China has grand ambitions of its own.

Satellites are also crucially important in helping navigate next generation weapons like Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICMB's), which travel through space very quickly and can carry nuclear payloads.

GUESTS:

Namrata Goswami, Professor of Space Security at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland

Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

Selam Gebrekidan, reporter for The New York Times

Presenter: Misha Glenny
Producer: Ben Carter
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith
Studio mix: James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

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