Defense Chief OKs Anti-Satellite Test

Defense Secretary William S. Cohen gave the go-ahead for the Army to fire a laser beam at an Air Force satellite, a first-of-its-kind test that critics see as a step toward a new arms race. The purpose of the test, Cohen said in a statement, is to develop ways to protect U.S. satellites against lasers. The U.S. military has long wanted the capability to disable or degrade satellites in space. Critics argue that once the U.S. develops or even tests the capability, a dangerous new arms race will ensue as other nations do the same.