The US military just moved a satellite to inspect a UK spacecraft 22,000 miles above Earth

In a first-of-its kind operation, the United States repositioned one of its spacecraft to inspect an ally's satellite.

U.S. Space Command maneuvered one of its spacecraft in order to examine the Skynet 5A military communications satellite operated by the United Kingdom and assure the U.K. that it was operating in orbit as intended. The maneuver took place between Sept. 4 and Sept. 12 at an altitude of 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) in geostationary orbit, where satellites remain above a fixed spot on Earth. Both spacecraft were traveling 6,835 mph (11,000 km/h) during the operation, according to a statement from the Royal Air Force (RAF).

While the operation was peaceful in nature and conducted between allies of Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender (a space security coalition including the U.S., Canada, the U.K, France, Germany, New Zealand and Australia), it also demonstrates that the U.S. military is capable of maneuvering close to other nations' satellites if need be.

The operation was what is known as a rendezvous proximity operation, or RPO, in which one spacecraft maneuvers into the same orbit close to another spacecraft in order to inspect, repair or dock with it.

"This operation was a first of its kind for U.K. Space Command and represents a significant increase in operational capability," said Major General Paul Tedman, commander of U.K. Space Command, in the RAF's statement.

"Expertly executed with U.S. Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies in Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender. We are now, with our allies, conducting advanced orbital operations to protect and defend our shared national and military interests in space."

The commander of both U.S. Space Command and Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender, Gen. Steven Whiting, said the operation shows off the "warfighting advantage" this space security coalition offers, including a "shared pledge to fight and win shoulder-to-shoulder, if necessary," according to a U.S. Space Command statement.

While this was a peaceful RPO, it no doubt sends a message to potential adversaries that the U.S. and its allies are capable of getting up close and personal with other nations' satellites if need be. According to U.S. Space Command's statement, the RPO demonstrated the alliance's "readiness to conduct dynamic, responsible, and integrated space operations at a time and place of our choosing."

But while neither U.S. Space Command nor the RAF explicitly stated that this same capability could be used to get close to non-allied spacecraft in their recent statements about this RPO, Whiting has previously stated that this is indeed the case.

Earlier this year, Whiting told attendees of the Space Foundation's 40th annual Space Symposium that the United States and France recently conducted their first-ever bilateral RPO to "demonstrate combined capabilities in space in the vicinity of a strategic competitor spacecraft."

At the same event, Whiting also stressed the need for "orbital interceptors" that can project U.S. military power in space. "And what do we call these?" Whiting said. "We call these weapons, and we need them to deter a space conflict and to be successful if we end up in such a fight."

The U.S. Space Force has been developing and refining how it conducts orbital warfare throughout its five years of existence as a military service. The capability to maneuver up close to a potential adversary's spacecraft is no doubt a part of that playbook — one the U.S. just showed off.