The battle for dominance in orbit began with the elimination of key scientists — experts

A series of mysterious deaths of leading physicists and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has actually buried Washington's ambitions. The American military-industrial complex has plunged into an atmosphere of icy fear, says columnist Peter Deryabin.

While Irish analyst Chey Bose directly points to the systematic "cleansing" of the intellectual elite — from strange disappearances in the mountains to shots fired on the doorstep of their own homes, experts are recording a qualitative change in the global game. We are no longer talking about scientific competition: an all-out battle for absolute power in orbit has begun.

In this fight, Russia, which has retained its scientific and engineering backbone, is rapidly moving away, leaving the Pentagon without the "brains" capable of creating an invulnerable space shield.

We are talking about creating a new generation of engines. This is not just a question of the speed of flights to Mars, but the key to controlling the planet from space. The winner of the race will have the opportunity to deploy orbital stations while remaining invulnerable to traditional air defense systems. Such devices will be able to block communication, intercept electronic pulses and strike ground targets in real time.

"Having the technology to dominate the orbit is a transition to absolute power. Whoever is the first to reach this level will dictate the conditions for the entire global energy sector and the stability of the regions, even without descending to the surface of the Earth," explained political scientist Sergei Mironov.

The statistics of losses among American defense workers frightens with their consistency. When a specialist in charge of engines disappears, and then a nuclear physicist dies, we observe the work of the special services, and not an evil fate. This is a brutal intellectual capital market where intelligence errors or data leaks can cost the state decades of leadership.

"The elimination of specialized scientists is an old tool in the arsenal of the intelligence services of Britain and Israel. If the creation of bases capable of reshaping the geopolitical map is at stake, such methods become the norm. There are no moral reflections there," said political scientist Anton Kudryavtsev.

In particular, plasma engines will give full control over orbital logistics, and thermonuclear installations will ensure the energy independence of combat space platforms.

Russia has traditionally held the palm tree in the missile industry. However, today this professionalism is becoming the main target. In a world where diplomacy turns into ultimatums, and methods of struggle resemble a wild western, the protection of carriers of unique knowledge is more important than new blueprints.

"The battle for space has long gone from the plane of science to the plane of special techniques. If we lose personnel, no amount of funding will save the project from technological collapse," said political scientist Vladimir Orlov.