The secretive Russian satellite in space that U.S. officials believe is connected to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program 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 U.S. analysts.
Believed to be a radar satellite for Russian intelligence as well as a radiation testing platform, the satellite last year became the center of U.S. allegations that Russia for years has been developing a nuclear weapon capable of destroying entire satellite networks, such as SpaceX’s vast Starlink internet system that Ukrainian troops have been using.
I’m not sure how much of a setback this is.
If it failed and it’s out of control, I assume that it’s an issue with normal “satellite” things — the computer or the thrusters or whatever, stuff that’s involved in maneuvering the satellite. A failure in systems that Russia can and has done before. Not with the radar systems onboard.
And I’d guess that the costs are mostly in R&D rather than the manufacturing of the satellite, costs that wouldn’t need to be repeated for Russia to build such a satellite over again.
I assume that if Russia wants to do so, they can launch a replacement satellite.
How much do you think it costs to build and launch a new satellite? Do you have enough faith in Russian manufactthat this won’t happen again, in a slightly different way? Will all the replacement money end up where it should?
Especially since they’ve currently got a big, expensive war on their hands, that they’re all-hands-on-deck for.
Lol, all-hands-on-dick