Something strange is happening above our heads, and it's not UFOs (for that matter, they weren't either). other times). Russian satellites are dancing a disturbing ballet in Earth's orbit, releasing mysterious objects and performing unusual maneuvers.
The facts, in a nutshell? Cosmos 2581, 2582 e 2583: three code names for three Russian satellites launched last February. On March 18, one of them “gave birth” to an unidentified object. The authorities in Moscow maintain an eerie silence, while Western analysts are divided between those who cry out that a space conflict is being prepared and those who urge caution. One thing is certain: space, once the frontier of knowledge, is rapidly becoming a new theater of geopolitical confrontation.
A Suspicious Trio in Orbit
The three Russian satellites were launched on February 2 aboard a Soyuz rocket. Moscow has not stated the purpose of these orbiting devices, fueling suspicions about their military nature.
What makes me smile (bitterly) is how these objects are launched without much explanation, as if space were the backyard of one's own house where one can do anything. Last month, the Space Force U.S. space agency has cataloged a new object nearby, likely released by the Kosmos 2583 satellite on March 18, according to what reported da Jonathan McDowell, astrophysicist of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center that tracks objects in orbit.
It's unclear what the mysterious object is doing in space, but U.S. officials are concerned it's Russia than China are conducting secret military training missions in low Earth orbit.
“Attack and defend” tactics?
A U.S. defense official told CNN that the Russian satellites were practicing “attack and defense tactics,” working together to “surround and isolate another satellite positioned in low Earth orbit, demonstrating how they could potentially target enemy spacecraft in a future conflict.”
Yet, the same McDowell he rejected these claims; according to him, describing the Kosmos activities in this way is “an exaggeration”. He added that the three satellites carried out proximity operations between February 25 and March 14, with two of them rapidly overtaking satellite 2583 on March 7. However, this could just be a “coincidence of the fact that they are in similar orbits, no evidence of targeting”.
Russian Satellites, a Disturbing Precedent
Russia is no stranger to ambiguous operations in space; in August 2022, has launched another mysterious satellite, Kosmos 2558, in the same orbital plane as a U.S. military satellite. At the time, it was believed that the Russian satellite had been sent into space to spy on its American counterpart.
The trio of satellites currently in orbit could carry out several missions: surveillance or test maneuvers for future spacecraft.
Space is increasingly becoming a new battlefield, with ever more sophisticated technologies and war strategies. The militarization of Earth's orbit is a growing reality, and these episodes are tangible proof of it.
Meanwhile, it Space Force of the United States will surely keep an eye on these satellites to monitor their behavior. The question remains: are we facing simple technological tests or the dawn of a new type of conflict, fought silently above our heads?
And why doesn't the American Space Force itself, in addition to "getting anxious" about other people's maneuvers, provide more clarity about its own as well?
