US officials: Russian rocket launch last week likely deployed space weapon

Enlarge / A Russian Soyuz rocket climb far Since THE Plesetsk Cosmodrome on Can 16.

THE launch of A classified Russian military Satellite last week deployed A payload that WE government civil servants say East likely A space weapon.

In A series of declarations, WE civil servants said THE new military Satellite, appointed Cosmos 2576, appears has be similar has two previous "inspector" spatialship spear by Russia In 2019 And 2022.

"Just last week, on Can 16, Russia spear A Satellite In Low land orbit that THE United States evaluate East likely A counterspace armed probably able of tackle other satellites In Low land orbit," said Robert Drink, THE assistant WE ambassador has THE United Nations. "Russia deployed This new counterspace armed In THE even orbit as A WE government satellite."

Cosmos 2576 East flying In THE even orbital plane as A National Acknowledgement Desk (NRO) to spy Satellite, meaning he can regularly approach THE Top secret WE acknowledgement platform. THE launch of Cosmos 2576 Since Russia Plesetsk Cosmodrome on A Soyuz rocket was precisely stopwatch has arrive When THE Earth rotation brought THE launch site below THE orbital path of THE NRO to spy Satellite, officially designated UNITED STATES 314.

THE Soyuz the rocket Frigate superior scene released Cosmos 2576 In A orbit roughly 275 kilometers (445 kilometers) above Earth has A inclination of 97.25 degrees has THE equator.

Conventional but concerning

SO far, Cosmos 2576 East nowhere close UNITED STATES 314, A bus size spatialship believed has to carry A powerful Facing the Earth telescope has capture high resolution pictures For to use by WE intelligence agencies. This type of spatialship East publicly known as A KH-11, Or Keyhole class, Satellite, but It is design And abilities are top-secret.

It is No surprise that THE Russian military wanna has get A close look In hope of learning more about THE WE Governments most closely detained secrets about What he do In orbit. Russian satellites to have Also stolen close Western communications satellites In geostationary orbit, likely In A attempt has listen at the doors on radio transmissions.

Russia assistant stranger minister, Sergei Ryabkov, rejected THE WE Governments assessment about THE aim of Cosmos 2576 as "fake news." However, In THE last little years, Russia has directed satellites In orbits secant with THE paths of WE to spy platforms, And demonstrated he can take out A enemy Satellite using A range of methods.

THE current orbit of Cosmos 2576 will only occasionally bring he In A little hundred kilometers of THE UNITED STATES 314, according to has Jonathan McDowell, A astrophysicist And expert tracker of space flight events. However, analysts to wait for additional maneuvers has increase THE altitude Cosmos 2576 And put he In position For closer pass. This East What arrived with A pair of Russian satellites spear In 2019 And 2022.

These two previous Russian satellites – Kosmos 2542 And Cosmos 2558— continually stole In A little dozen kilometers of two other NRO satellites – United States 245 And UNITED STATES 326—in Low land orbit. In A job on THE social media platform X, McDowell wrote that THE Russian military craftsmanship "shadow WE satellites has A big distance but to have not interfered with them."

Because of This, McDowell wrote that he East "very skeptical" that Cosmos 2576 East A anti-satellite weapon.

But A of these Russian satellites, Cosmos 2542, released A smaller sub-satellite, designated Cosmos 2543, which do It is own pass close THE UNITED STATES 245 spatialship, A KH-11 imagery Satellite similar has UNITED STATES 314. HAS A indicate, Satellite trackers REMARK UNITED STATES 245 do A light change has orbit. It is Russian pursuer later do A similar orbit adjustment has keep upwards.

In 2020, Cosmos 2543 supported disabled Since UNITED STATES 245. Once GOOD far Since THE NRO Satellite, Cosmos 2543 ejected a mysterious projectile In space has A speed fast enough has Shame any of them target In It is tourist sites.

HAS THE time, WE Space Order called THE event A "non-destructive test of A space based anti-satellite armed." THE projectile licensed Since Cosmos 2543 to A relative speed of a few 400 mph (700 kilometers by hour), according to has McDowell's analysis of publicly available satellite....