Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Is Russia's Anti-Satellite Weapons Program Back In Business?

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) takes part in a video link with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu onboard the Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine warfare ship in Novorossiysk, Russia. Mikhail Klimentyev / Reuters/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

Object 2014-28E – Space Junk Or Russian Satellite Killer? -- Financial Times

It is a tale that could have come from the cold war. A mysterious object launched by the Russian military is being tracked by western space agencies, stoking fears over the revival of a defunct Kremlin project to destroy satellites.

For the past few weeks, amateur astronomers and satellite-trackers in Russia and the west have followed the unusual manoeuvres of Object 2014-28E, watching it guide itself towards other Russian space objects. The pattern appeared to culminate last weekend in a rendezvous with the remains of the rocket stage that launched it.

The object had originally been classed as space debris, propelled into orbit as part of a Russian rocket launch in May to add three Rodnik communications satellites to an existing military constellation. The US military is now tracking it under the Norad designation 39765.

Read more ....

My Comment: The Russians are not the only ones who are pursuing an active anti-satellite weapons program .... China conducted two anti-satellite tests: Voice of Russia (Want China Times).

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I always disliked the strident protest against anti-satellite weapons, neutron bombs deployment of medium range nukes when the USSR had the same.

The protesters found nothing incongruous with protesting the U.s. and staying mum about the USSR or China.

James said...

Aizino,
A whole lot of those Euro protesting outfits were KGB supported and inspired.

Unknown said...

I know.

And our current Secretary of Stater walked with the Nuclear Freeze / Sane crowd.

Problem is to convince 50% or more of Americans of this or to get them to remember.

James said...

Aizino,
The current Secretary of State of the United States is a very very sore subject of very very long standing with me.

Unknown said...

As with me.

Scott Adams may be getting some competition. I can't draw, but neither could he.