Latest news with #Cosmos2553
New York Post
29-04-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Russian satellite linked to nuclear weapons program is spinning out of control
A secret Russian satellite that US officials believe is linked to Russia's nuclear weapons program appears to be spinning uncontrollably in space, in a major blow for Moscow, according to American analysts. The Cosmos 2553 satellite, which was launched by Russia weeks before invading Ukraine in 2022, has been tumbling in space for the past year, suggesting it may no longer be functioning, according to Doppler radar data from space-tracking firm LeoLabs and optical data from Slingshot Aerospace. The Cosmos was at the center of allegations from the US that Russia was developing a nuclear weapon capable of destroying entire satellite networks in space, including SpaceX's Starlink system that Ukrainian troops have relied on to fight Moscow's invasion. Advertisement The US has accused Russia of launching secret satellites aimed at building a nuclear weapon capable of eliminating entire satellite systems in space. REUTERS LeoLabs, which detected errant movements from the satellite last year, now has 'high confidence' that the Cosmos is spinning out of control, Darren McKnight, a senior technical fellow at the company, told Reuters. The satellite was notably flying in a relatively isolated orbit some 1,200 miles above the Earth in a known hotspot of cosmic radiation that normal satellites typically avoid. Advertisement The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, said the findings from LeoLabs show clear evidence that the Russian satellite 'is no longer operational.' Slingshot, however, said that the Cosmos appears to have recently stabilized after the company first detected the tumbling pattern last May. Satellites have become key to Russia, America and China's space programs for military and intelligence operations. dimazel – Russia's Ministry of Defense, which denied allegations that Cosmos was linked to its nuclear weapons program, has yet to comment on the findings from the American analysts. Advertisement US Space Command, which condemned the launch of Russia's military satellites, has also remained silent on the findings. Although not a weapon itself, Cosmos 2553 was believed to aid Russia's development of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. The Cosmos is one of dozens of Russia's military satellites, with Moscow investing billions in strengthening its space capabilities for military and intelligence purposes as the war with Ukraine continues. Advertisement Washington and Beijing have also followed suit to bolster their own secretive satellite programs, raising concerns about a future where space conflicts and satellite attacks become the norm. The Biden administration warned last year that the Cosmos was just the start of Moscow's ambitions, with Russia allegedly 'considering the incorporation of nuclear weapons into its counterspace programs.' With Post wires
TimesLIVE
29-04-2025
- Science
- TimesLIVE
Russian satellite linked to nuclear weapon programme ‘out of control': US
The secretive Russian satellite in space that US officials believe is connected to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon programme has appeared to be spinning uncontrollably, suggesting it may no longer be functioning, in what could be a setback for Moscow's space weapon efforts, according to US analysts. The Cosmos 2553 satellite, launched by Russia weeks before invading Ukraine in 2022, has had bouts of what appears to be errant spinning over the past year, according to Doppler radar data from space-tracking firm LeoLabs and optical data from Slingshot Aerospace shared with Reuters. Believed to be a radar satellite for Russian intelligence and a radiation testing platform, the satellite last year became the centre of US allegations that Russia for years has been developing a nuclear weapon capable of destroying entire satellite networks, such as SpaceX's Starlink internet system that Ukrainian troops have been using. US officials assess Cosmos 2553's purpose, though not itself a weapon, is to aid Russia's development of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Russia has denied it is developing such a weapon and said Cosmos 2553 is for research purposes. Russia, which launched the first man in space in 1961, has for decades been locked in a security race in space with the US that, in recent years, has intensified and seeped into public view as Earth's orbit becomes a hotspot for private sector competition and military technologies aiding ground forces. The Cosmos 2553 satellite has been in a relatively isolated orbit 2,000km above Earth, parked in a hotspot of cosmic radiation that communications and Earth-observing satellites typically avoid.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Russian Nuclear Military Satellite Spinning Out of Control
A top-secret Russian satellite, which US officials have linked to the country's nuclear anti-satellite weapons program, is spinning out of control. As Reuters reports, the spacecraft — called Cosmos 2553 — appears to no longer be in service, indicating a major setback for the country's efforts to develop space weapons. The satellite has been orbiting around 1,242 miles above the planet, inside a radiation-heavy band that other spacecraft tend to avoid. Satellite tracker LeoLabs told the outlet that Doppler radar measurements indicated Cosmos 2553 was moving erratically and possibly tumbling. "This observation strongly suggests the satellite is no longer operational," the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in an assessment last week. Last year, Russia denied US officials' claims that Cosmos 2553 was part of a greater effort to develop a nuclear weapon capable of destroying entire satellite constellations. Cosmos 2553's exact purpose remains murky at best. A spokesperson for the US Space Command told Reuters that Russia's stated goal of testing instruments in a high-radiation environment was inconsistent "with its characteristics." "This inconsistency, paired with a demonstrated willingness to target US and Allied on-orbit objects, increases the risk of misperception and escalation," the spokesperson added. While we still don't know what exactly Russia's mysterious satellite is doing over a thousand miles above the Earth's surface, its erratic movements could indicate yet another black eye for Russia's troubled space program, as well as a strange inflection point in efforts to militarize space. Our planet's orbit is becoming an increasingly congested domain for supremacy, with several superpowers, including Russia and China, working on anti-satellite weapons that could give them the ability to plunge adversaries into darkness. Case in point, Russia conducted an unexpected anti-satellite (ASAT) test in 2021, drawing the ire of US officials. At the time, a missile smashed into a derelict Russian satellite, creating a massive debris field that threatened the lives of its own cosmonauts on board the International Space Station. More on anti-satellite tech: US Military Alarmed by Russian Nuclear Weapon Platform in Orbit
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Did Russia Lose Top Secret Space Nuke Satellite? What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A satellite launched by Russia, which the U.S. has said is linked to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program, is no longer functioning correctly, it has been reported. The Cosmos 2553 satellite appears to have been spinning out of control over the past year, according to Reuters, citing Doppler radar data from space-tracking firm LeoLabs and optical data from Slingshot Aerospace. The satellite has been at the center of U.S. allegations that Russia has been developing a nuclear weapon that can destroy satellite networks. However, Moscow has denied that such a program exists. It was launched on February 5, 2022, by the Russian Aerospace Forces, a branch of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell told Newsweek that it could be just a research and development satellite, which probably completed its mission around a month after launch, and "tiny" changes in its orbit had been detected. Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment. Why It Matters House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, who warned in June 2024 about Russia's nuclear anti-satellite weapons program, is among U.S. officials who have raised the alarm about Cosmos 2553. Reports that the satellite is spinning uncontrollably add to intrigue about Moscow's alleged space weapon efforts. What To Know On February 5, 2022, 20 days before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Cosmos 2553 was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia's northern Arkhangelsk region and was delivered into orbit by a Soyuz-2.1a rocket. Russia's armed forces announced that the purpose of the mission was to test how the satellite's instruments and systems handled radiation and heavy charged particles. But U.S. officials linked it to a program aimed at developing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon (ASAT), which could destroy satellite networks. While Moscow views SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation as a legitimate military target because of their battlefield use by Ukraine, Russia has denied it is developing such a weapon. It says the satellite is for research purposes. In April 2024, Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution aimed at strengthening the 1967 Outer Space Treaty barring nuclear weapons in space. Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia during the launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite on April 25, 2018. It was also the launch site of the Cosmos 2553 satellite, Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia during the launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite on April 25, 2018. It was also the launch site of the Cosmos 2553 satellite,Errant Movements The Cosmos 2553 has been in orbit some 1,100 miles above Earth, in a hotspot of cosmic radiation that communications satellites typically avoid, Reuters said. The satellite is potentially carrying a "dummy warhead" and, in testing new technologies, Moscow may have placed it in a remote orbit to avoid monitoring, according to the annual Threat Assessment by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). However, LeoLabs detected in November what it said looked like errant movements by the satellite. Slingshot, whose telescope network has been tracking the satellite since its launch, also detected movements in May 2024 that showed the object's brightness had become variable, indicating a potential tumble. The CSIS said observations indicated that the satellite was no longer operational, although Slingshot said recent observations showed the object had stabilized. U.S. Space Command is also aware of a change in Cosmos 2553's altitude, according to Reuters, although it did not comment further. McDowell, from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, posted on X, formerly Twitter, about how the orbit height of Kosmos-2553 had changed over time by less than one kilometer for the satellite. Here's the orbit height of Kosmos-2553 vs time, showing some tiny (less than 1 km) altitude changes. — Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) April 25, 2025 He told Newsweek he did not have access to optical variation data, which could confirm or refute whether Moscow had lost control of the object, but said there had been "tiny" changes to its orbit. He said it was likely a research and development satellite that had completed its mission within a month or so of launch. Even if it were linked to a weapons program, having the satellite die would not be a big deal for Russia, he added. What People Are Saying CSIS Space Threat Assessment: "Based upon persistent radar monitoring by LeoLabs of Cosmos-2553, there is high confidence it has been tumbling since mid-November 2024 This observation strongly suggests the satellite is no longer operational." The global telescope network Slingshot noted that "the object's brightness became variable, indicating a potential tumble." Jonathan McDowell, astrophysicist and editor of Jonathan's Space Report, told Newsweek: "It has made only tiny changes to its orbit. I suspect this is just a research and development satellite, which probably completed its mission within a month or so of launch. "Even if it is related to a weapons program, I don't think having the satellite die now would be a big deal for them." What Happens Next Russia, China and the U.S. continue to invest in military space capabilities as concerns grow about how technologies could have hostile military uses. The CSIS report said that Chinese and Russian satellites in both low and geostationary Earth orbits are developing more advanced maneuvering capabilities, which can be used for space warfighting and may alarm the U.S. and its allies.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Secretive Russian satellite appears to be spinning out of control
A secretive Russian satellite, believed to be part of Moscow's nuclear weapon program, is spinning out of control around the Earth, according to analysts. The Cosmos 2553 satellite, which launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome three weeks before Russia 's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is reportedly no longer operational after encountering problems while in orbit. Data from Doppler radar and space-tracking firm LeoLabs suggests that it has been tumbling since mid-November 2024. Analysts suggest the satellite may actually be a test for future orbital nuclear weapons, with the Russian ministry of defence describing Cosmos 2553 as a 'technological spacecraft... equipped with newly developed onboard instruments and systems for testing them under the influence of radiation and heavy charged particles'. The satellite is potentially carrying a 'dummy warhead', according to the Space Threat Assessment report, published by the Washington-based thinktank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on 25 April. 'If the satellite is testing new technologies, it may have been placed in such a remote orbit because there would be less risk of affecting other satellites and it would be difficult to monitor,' the CSIS report stated. US officials have noted that if a nuclear weapon was detonated at a 2,000km altitude, the effects would be 'indiscriminate' and render low-Earth orbit unusable for at least a year. One potential target could be SpaceX's Starlink internet network, which is used by Ukraine's military to communicate and coordinate operations. Mallory Stewart, who served as the US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability under former president Joe Biden, said last year that Russia is already testing a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon in orbit. 'Based on information deemed credible, Russia may be considering the incorporation of nuclear weapons into its counterspace programs,' she said at an event hosted by the CSIS in May. 'The orbit [of Cosmos 2553] is in a region not used by any other spacecraft – that in itself was somewhat unusual. And the orbit is in a region of higher radiation than normal lower Earth orbits, but not high enough of a radiation environment to allow accelerated testing of electronics as Russia has described the purpose to be.' In April 2024, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution aimed at solidifying the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that barred the use of nuclear weapons in space. Moscow claimed the veto was because the resolution did not include other weapons from being deployed.
