US Space Command: Russia is now operationalizing co-orbital ASAT weapons
5 hours ago
- #Anti-Satellite Weapons
- #US-Russia Relations
- #Space Security
- Russia is deploying operational anti-satellite weapons targeting US government satellites, according to Gen. Stephen Whiting of US Space Command.
- The system, likely Nivelir, has launched four satellites to shadow US spy satellites, releasing smaller ships that performed maneuvers and potentially fired a projectile in 2020.
- Nivelir satellites are compared to Russian nesting dolls, with outer shells concealing smaller components, and the latest launch in May 2023 was precisely timed to align with a US spy satellite's orbital plane.
- Russia began testing Nivelir in 2013, with stalking of US satellites starting in 2019, and US officials now believe the system is operational and a provocation.