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Blake, Wm. Night Startled by the Lark. 1816.

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China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities in space, aiming to enhance its ability to monitor and target forces on Earth, as noted by the head of the U.S. Space Command. 

The country’s satellite fleet has more than tripled since 2018, reaching 359 systems, some of which may serve as weapons to disrupt U.S. satellite orbits.

China is also increasing its pace of space missions, aiming to become the world's second-most active launcher with a planned 100 missions in 2024, including a crewed moon mission before 2030.

General Stephen Whiting, head of the U.S. Space Command: “China is growing its military space and counter-space capabilities at breathtaking pace to deny American and allied space capabilities when they so choose. Most concerning about China’s accelerated emphasis on space weapons is the way China has clinically studied us and our dependency on space and is rapidly building programs to threaten the US satellite architecture.”