The United States and China are developing more technology to disable rival satellites as their military competition expands into orbit. A recent report detailed Chinese spacecraft maneuvers and American countermeasures, indicating that both countries are preparing for a possible conflict in space.

An unmanned Chinese spaceplane released a small satellite that circled another Chinese spacecraft, a maneuver some analysts interpreted as combat practice. Chinese researchers linked to the military have also filed patents covering satellite capture nets, autonomous pursuit maneuvers, and in-orbit refueling.

The United States is deploying ground-based jamming systems, while military leaders are calling for orbital interceptors capable of destroying enemy satellites. American and British forces also maneuvered a British satellite near a Chinese surveillance satellite last year to signal their ability to respond.

U.S. Space Command chief Gen. Stephen Whiting warned that China’s space weapons development is accelerating. Military officials see the buildup as preparation for a potential confrontation over Taiwan, where attacks on satellites could disrupt American communications, missile warning systems and coordination among deployed forces.

U.S. forces heavily rely on satellites to detect threats and communicate with commanders. An increasing worry for the U.S. is that China could disrupt those capabilities by targeting satellites instead of attacking American troops or bases directly. With Taiwan always a contentious issue and a potential source of future conflict, a scenario in which satellites are compromised could delay U.S. decision-making and hamper communications, giving Chinese forces more time to act.

These scenarios are forcing Washington to protect its space systems while also developing new ways to threaten China’s space systems. The danger is that preparations intended to discourage an attack could also make each side more suspicious of routine spacecraft movements. A satellite approaching another might be conducting surveillance, testing equipment, or preparing to interfere, leaving commanders to judge intent with limited time.

Keeping communications and missile-warning systems operational during an attack could deny an adversary the advantage it seeks, so there has been more emphasis on defensive capabilities.

A future conflict over Taiwan could become harder to contain if China believes it can disrupt America’s response by targeting satellites. Keeping military communications and missile defenses functioning could make that gamble less attractive to Beijing.

The American response also gives allies a reason to trust that U.S. support would remain available during a crisis. The maneuver conducted with Britain showed that cooperation in orbit is already part of that effort, and an adversary weighing an attack would have to consider the capabilities of multiple countries.

Americans have a vested interest in making these defenses credible before a confrontation begins. Waiting until satellites are disabled would leave military leaders trying to recover essential capabilities under pressure. Readiness cannot guarantee peace, but it can make China less confident that an attack in space would give it an easy advantage on Earth.