The Consequences of Space Militarization: Deterrence, Escalation, and Damage
Abstract
What are the consequences of space militarization? This review article analyzes and synthesizes the literature surrounding the issue of space militarization. This project identifies three broad impacts that academics and researchers have identified: alterations in deterrence calculations, possibilities of escalation and arms races, as well as widespread physical damage through Kessler Syndrome. It finishes by indicating future avenues for research.
Downloads
Published
Data Availability Statement
This research report is a literature review, and for that reason there is no data associated with it. All of the information can be found in the report/article itself.
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).