Russian inspector satellite now approaching its eleventh communications satellite
A Russian inspector satellite dubbed Luch-2 and launched in March 2023 is now maneuvering to make a close approach and surveillance of an eleventh commercial communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
The company is forecasting that Luch 2’s next object of interest is the Intelsat 1002 communications satellite. “Luch 2 is expected to perform an additional maneuver to stop its drift near Intelsat 1002 on June 28 if it continues its past pattern of behavior,” Slingshot said. This behavior mirrors that of its predecessor, Luch Olymp-K-1, which has been known for similar intelligence-gathering activities.
The close approaches have ranged from 12 miles to 142 miles, with most getting inside 100 miles distance.
It is unlikely Russia is testing robotic maneuvering technology, as it has had this capability since the 1970s. More likely it is testing the ability to intercept communications from such satellites, though it is unknown whether Luch-2 has done so. Visiting multiple satellites would also permit it to test against a wide variety of technology.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
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A Russian inspector satellite dubbed Luch-2 and launched in March 2023 is now maneuvering to make a close approach and surveillance of an eleventh commercial communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
The company is forecasting that Luch 2’s next object of interest is the Intelsat 1002 communications satellite. “Luch 2 is expected to perform an additional maneuver to stop its drift near Intelsat 1002 on June 28 if it continues its past pattern of behavior,” Slingshot said. This behavior mirrors that of its predecessor, Luch Olymp-K-1, which has been known for similar intelligence-gathering activities.
The close approaches have ranged from 12 miles to 142 miles, with most getting inside 100 miles distance.
It is unlikely Russia is testing robotic maneuvering technology, as it has had this capability since the 1970s. More likely it is testing the ability to intercept communications from such satellites, though it is unknown whether Luch-2 has done so. Visiting multiple satellites would also permit it to test against a wide variety of technology.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
More than intercepting comms, it’s also an implied threat that the satellite can be taken out. Most ASAT weapons we’ve heard about can target lower orbits. This may be more of “we see you and you aren’t safe in geostationary”. Presumably, the US has tried to make its reconnaissance satellites hard to observe, makes you wonder what kind of cloak and dagger stuff is going on with them.
“Cloak and dagger stuff”, like waiting for sensor sweeps dead spot and launch a listening probe to attach itself to the satellite. Also capable of interrupting, jamming or destroying hardened systems.
All our modern capabilities depend on those satellites.
Is 100 miles close? It doesn’t sound close, despite being American (“In America, 100 years is a long time; in Europe, 100 miles is a long way.”).
Even 12 miles doesn’t seem very close. Compared to the vastness of orbital space, it’s tiny, but as a traversable distance, it’s doesn’t seem a useful. Maybe it’s the metric? That is, “12 miles” is not a useful data point. 12 miles at what relative velocity?
Even if they drop something off, it won’t stay there without maneuvering. If the satellite, itself, is wandering about from orbit to orbit, that must take fuel/thruster gas. How much could any sub-satellite (sub-munition?) manage? I suppose there is no hurry, so it could be aimed to intercept several orbits later.
launch a listening probe to attach itself to the satellite.
While possible, this just doesn’t seem likely to me. If someone who understands orbital mechanics wants to dispute that, I’d love to hear/read it.
Even for shooting it to break it, 12 miles seems a long way. Just shooting at it doesn’t seem practical with both objects in curved/multi-axis motion relative to each other. Is 12 miles close enough at geosynch that the orbital curve is straight, for practical purposes? I’d think that whatever the “bullet” is would need to be able to maneuver – and be at least semi-autonomous. Ground controlled intercepts with a half-second latency wouldn’t be fun.
All that said, if they can get within 12 miles, they can probably get as close as they want – unless that was an accident and they were aiming for the 100 mile mark.