# U.S. military confirms on-orbit space-control weapons

_Published Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM EDT · Policy, Infrastructure · Latest · Tier 1 — Major_

![U.S. military confirms on-orbit space-control weapons — Primary](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/space-classified-weapon-2229121882.jpg?w=1024)

The U.S. military has acknowledged deploying space-control weapons into Earth orbit, according to remarks by Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on Monday.

Meink said the weapons can defend the Joint Force against hostile adversary action. He did not identify the systems, describe their capabilities, say how many were deployed or specify the threat they address. The disclosure comes as the U.S. Space Force says Russia is developing a satellite designed to carry a nuclear weapon, while China has long been suspected of operating spacecraft capable of damaging satellites.

## Sources

- [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/15/us-military-confirms-it-launched-space-weapons-into-earths-orbit/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/lgrLmyE6A0JPjw24AD9zf9
Published: 2026-09-15T20:07:14.441Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-15T17:09:06.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-15T22:00:36.716Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)