The Russians despatched a doable missile-detection satellite to space Wednesday (Nov. 2) because the nation ramps up its rhetoric about attacking U.S. satellites over Ukraine.
A Soyuz-2.1b medium-class rocket launched with the satellite, whose objective shouldn’t be formally disclosed, at 1:48 a.m. EDT (0648 GMT or 9:48 a.m. Moscow time), according to Reuters (opens in new tab), who cited Russian information experiences pointing to a ministry assertion. The launch came about from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.
“Fight crews of the space forces … launched the Soyuz-2.1b medium-class service rocket with a spacecraft, within the pursuits of the Russian Protection Ministry,” learn a Russian-language report (opens in new tab) from FederalPress.ru, one among a number of information sources with related info from the ministry. (Translation offered by Google.)
The satellite’s orbit suggests it’s both a GLONASS navigation satellite or, given a supply on a web site discussion board prompt the subsequent of that sequence is beneath building, a Kupol missile-tracking satellite, RussiaSpaceWeb’s Anatoly Zak said in a launch report (opens in new tab). Whereas its objective is unclear, the satellite is the newest in a sequence of military-focused launches within the final month.
Associated: Russian Soyuz rocket launches 2 classified military satellites
A couple of days in the past, the White Home pledged a response if Russia follows by means of on threats to assault U.S. satellites getting used to help Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February. The dispute has ruptured most Russian space partnerships all over the world.
Russian officers have mentioned for months that industrial U.S. satellites can be “authentic targets” throughout armed battle. A Russia delegation to the United Nations’ open-ended working group (OEWG) on decreasing space threats reiterated this on Oct. 27, according to Reuters (opens in new tab).
The Pentagon additionally held a categorised briefing in September in regards to the threats Russian and Chinese language space weapons pose to U.S. satellites.
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of “Why Am I Taller (opens in new tab)?” (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a ebook about space drugs. Observe her on Twitter @howellspace (opens in new tab). Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Facebook (opens in new tab).
