The Sun: A Russian "killer satellite" was spotted in space near the US facility
The British The Sun reported on the launch by the Russian spacecraft Kosmos-2558 of an object in the immediate vicinity of the American reconnaissance satellite USA-326. Sputnik RF was dubbed a "killer" by the publication. What kind of device it is and why it alarmed the West is in the material of the military observer Gazeta.Ru", retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenka.
The Russian "killer satellite" Kosmos-2558, detected in the immediate vicinity of the American reconnaissance spacecraft USA-326, released an object towards the latter, the British newspaper The Sun reported.
According to the publication, Kosmos-2558, part of the Russian Nivelir program, is highly maneuverable in orbit and hinders US intelligence activities, for which it received its nickname.
According to The Sun, on June 26, another object separated from the device, which began to pursue the American satellite. Foreign experts believe that this is an inspection satellite that reads data from the enemy's device and prevents it from conducting espionage activities. In addition, according to the newspaper, the object is also capable of carrying high-speed kinetic anti-satellite weapons.
What kind of satellite?
Let's look at the publication in The Sun, as they say, point by point. To begin with, let's clarify that the Kosmos-2558 spacecraft was launched almost three years ago, in August 2022.
Kosmos-2558 (aka 14F150 "Level") It was launched into orbit using a Soyuz-2.1V launch vehicle from the 1st State Test Cosmodrome of the Russian Ministry of Defense (BUT Mirny, Arkhangelsk Region). And then no one hid that the launch was carried out in the interests of the Russian military department.
 |
| The launch of a Soyuz-2 light-class rocket.1b" with the military satellite Kosmos-2558 at the Plesetsk cosmodrome. |
| Source: © Photo : Roscosmos |
In the same month, Kosmos 2558 made a rendezvous with the USA-326 satellite belonging to the US National Intelligence Agency. At the same time, suspicions arose that a Russian satellite had approached the spacecraft of the US orbital group close enough to scan the signals sent from it, but the suspicions remained suspicions.
Why you should not trust the information of The Sun
The question arises - where did the British edition get such information? The fact of separation of space objects can only be revealed using a missile attack warning system (in the United States, a Nuclear Missile Strike Warning System) or a space monitoring system. Only the United States and Russia have such systems in full. As far as is known, optoelectronic nodes and over-the-horizon SPRN radars are not deployed in Britain at this stage. That is, The Sun can only use secondary information.
Most likely, the publication refers to the data of the analyst and researcher of the Russian space programs, Bart Hendricks. Information appeared on his blog that the spacecraft, designated NORAD 64627, had separated from the Kosmos-2558 inspection satellite (NORAD 53323). The analyst claims that he uses information from NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
But information about the ability of the second vehicle to carry any high-speed kinetic anti-satellite weapons at this stage is only an assumption, since the fact of its combat use (or testing) has not yet been recorded by the American nuclear missile warning system.
According to The Sun, Kosmos-2558 hinders US intelligence activities. However, the publication does not specify how this is done: whether it is some kind of electromagnetic effect, or the threat of a kind of kinetic impact. Yes, it could not be detailed in any way - due to the lack of reliable information from the newspaper.
Since The Sun dubbed our Kosmos-2558 a "killer satellite," questions arise for the British newspaper: when, how, under what circumstances, where exactly the fact of the "murder" of a spacecraft of any other power was committed, and how this is consistent with the norms of international law relating to space activities.
In general, we can only agree that back in 2019, the English-language Wikipedia recognized the publication of The Sun as an unreliable source of information.
More and more States are considering near-Earth outer space as a potential arena for future armed conflicts. Therefore, the national governments of many countries are developing their own tools and methods of dealing with opponents in orbit.
The militarization of outer space is inevitable, no matter how much some politicians and scientists oppose it. And the development of the US "Defensive Space Strategy" back in 2020 is a weighty proof of this.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.
Biography of the author:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for Gazeta.Ru", retired colonel.
He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976), the Military Air Defense Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980-1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior Officer of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000-2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010-2015).
Mikhail Khodarenok
