Verification of the Outer Space Treaty with Cosmic Protons

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to verify compliance with the Outer Space Treaty by detecting neutrons induced by cosmic protons, demonstrating a feasible CubeSat-based approach for nuclear weapon detection in space.

Contribution

It introduces a new verification concept using neutron detection from cosmic protons, filling a gap in OST verification methodologies.

Findings

A 9U CubeSat can detect thermonuclear weapons from 4 km within a week.

The proposed method leverages neutron spallation induced by GeV protons in the Van Allen belts.

The study provides a feasibility analysis for space-based OST verification techniques.

Abstract

The Outer Space Treaty (OST) was opened to signatures in 1967, and since then 117 countries, including China, the United States, Russia, have become part of it. Among other stipulations the treaty bans the placement of nuclear weapons in outer space. Recently the US government has raised worries that Russia is testing nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) components, with the possibility that it will place a nuclear weapon in space. Such a device, if detonated, would destroy most of the satellites in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This danger is compounded by the lack of a verification mechanism for the OST. No methodologies of verification have been proposed in the open peer reviewed literature. This study presents a concept and a feasibility study for verifying a satellite's compliance to the OST by observing the neutrons induced by spallation from the $\sim$GeV protons in the inner Van Allen radiation belts. The calculations show that a 9U CubeSat sized detection platform can identify a thermonuclear weapon from the distance of 4 km in approximately one week of observation. This conceptual study will stimulate and inform future research and development of verification platforms for OST.