antisatellite

American  

[an-tee-sat-l-ahyt, an-tahy-] / ˌæn tiˈsæt lˌaɪt, ˈæn taɪ- /

Also ASAT

adjective

1. (of a weapon or weapon system) designed to destroy an enemy's orbiting satellite.

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Etymology

Origin of antisatellite

First recorded in 1960–65; anti- + satellite

Example Sentences

Kinetic antisatellite weapons — the kind that blow things up — make clouds that last decades.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 30, 2025

From there, others reported that the “orbital” “Russian” “space” “weapon” could be nuclear in nature—more specifically, “a space-based antisatellite nuclear weapon”—although it is still under development.

From Slate • Feb. 14, 2024

China has been seeking mastery of the space domain since its 2007 test of an antisatellite weapon.

From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2023

When China held an antisatellite test in 2007, firing a missile to shatter its own weather satellite and alarming Washington, the ministry took 12 days to confirm the news.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 2023

It also came after Russia's Ministry of Defense in November tested an antisatellite weapon by destroying a defunct satellite, creating a debris field near the ISS that forced astronauts into shelter, the sources said.

From Reuters • Aug. 4, 2022