The Russians despatched a attainable 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 function will not 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 studies 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, certainly one of a number of information sources with comparable 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 advised the subsequent of that sequence is below development, a Kupol missile-tracking satellite, RussiaSpaceWeb’s Anatoly Zak said in a launch report (opens in new tab). Whereas its function is unclear, the satellite is the most recent in a sequence of military-focused launches within the final month.
Associated: Russian Soyuz rocket launches 2 classified military satellites
Just a few 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 world wide.
Russian officers have mentioned for months that industrial U.S. satellites could be “respectable 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 labeled 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 e-book about space drugs. Comply with her on Twitter @howellspace (opens in new tab). Comply with us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or Facebook (opens in new tab).
