Does Russia have a space weapon in orbit ?

[UM-Bot]

Speculation is rife over the purpose of a secretive Russian spacecraft currently orbiting the planet.

The object has been gaining the attention of both space agencies and amateur satellite-watchers due to its unorthodox movements and because to date nobody has been able to explain what it is.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/274883/does-russia-have-a-space-weapon-in-orbit

[Patient Zero]

Interesting.

Though i get the feeling after having read the article that it's benign, it still wouldn't be a shocker to me if we discovered that it is a weapon.

Power hungry nations will do whatever they deem necessary to retain and/or seize more power.

Sad, but that's the way the world works, i guess.

[seeder]

Dont know what all the fuss is about really. the US had their secret space plane up there for nearly two years

[Patient Zero]

Dont know what all the fuss is about really. the US had their secret space plane up there for nearly two years

That's the USA!

They're kinda like a sleazy buddy you've had for years, the kind that can almost convince you that it's some how a good idea that he sleeps with your wife.

BTW, i am a US citizen, i just have a distorted sense of humor.

[Mikenator]

I don't think it's a weapon I think people have been watching too many science fiction movies and shows also a weapon floating in space seems like something that the USA would have already done already considering that so many parts of the world hate America also I don't think a space weapon would be as small as a satellite a real space weapon would require a lot of energy to fire the blast meaning that it would have to be much bigger to have the power sources available most likely its a new prototype satellite to replace all the older model satellites like a upgrade much like the same way when they come out with a new iPhone that has more technology installed in it and is supposedly better than the older model I'm pretty sure there's nothing to worry about everyone just blowing it out of proportion like always

[paperdyer]

I don't think it's a weapon I think people have been watching too many science fiction movies and shows also a weapon floating in space seems like something that the USA would have already done already considering that so many parts of the world hate America also I don't think a space weapon would be as small as a satellite a real space weapon would require a lot of energy to fire the blast meaning that it would have to be much bigger to have the power sources available most likely its a new prototype satellite to replace all the older model satellites like a upgrade much like the same way when they come out with a new iPhone that has more technology installed in it and is supposedly better than the older model I'm pretty sure there's nothing to worry about everyone just blowing it out of proportion like always

OK, if there's nothing to worry about, why did Russia hide the deployment? Why such a funky orbit?

We may watch too much SciFi, but how much SciFi have turned into SciReal.

[toast]

The satellite is listed at NASA: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/pdfs/ODQNv18i3.pdf

And with a perigee of 1477km and an apogee of 1509km we can ingnore all stories that claim

that the object is "circling around the ISS".

[Mikenator]

They probuly hid the deployment because thats what every country does the truth is humanity just doesn't trust each other anymore America has area 51 just like every country has their own secret base that nobody knows what's happening inside it except for the people that go inside the secret bases but they're kept silent

[alfonso]

well hasn't America just landed a manless spacecraft after how many years that was secretive in its purpose? these days who knows exactly whats up there

[Merc14]

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/194442-russia-now-has-an-inspector-satellite-that-could-chase-down-or-destroy-other-orbiting-spacecraft

[seeder]

well hasn't America just landed a manless spacecraft after how many years that was secretive in its purpose? these days who knows exactly whats up there

It was Europe actually..

.

[+OverSword]

Dont know what all the fuss is about really. the US had their secret space plane up there for nearly two years

The US announced it before launch.

[+OverSword]

I don't think it's a weapon I think people have been watching too many science fiction movies and shows also a weapon floating in space seems like something that the USA would have already done already considering that so many parts of the world hate America also I don't think a space weapon would be as small as a satellite a real space weapon would require a lot of energy to fire the blast meaning that it would have to be much bigger to have the power sources available most likely its a new prototype satellite to replace all the older model satellites like a upgrade much like the same way when they come out with a new iPhone that has more technology installed in it and is supposedly better than the older model I'm pretty sure there's nothing to worry about everyone just blowing it out of proportion like always

That's sci-fi. All an anti-satellite weapon has to do is get in the path of it's target and explode. The debris does the rest.

[bison]

The object appears to have a polar orbit. This would allow it to be directly over any point on Earth, every few days. This is an orbit typical of surveillance satellites, which might explain the secrecy.

It is more difficult to launch a satellite into polar orbit than a West to East orbit. The latter allows the launcher to pick up several hundred miles per hour of speed from the Earth's rotation. A polar orbit would not be used without there being a good reason for doing so.

Edited November 18, 2014 by bison

[Grandpa Greenman]

I have given up worrying about this stuff. We got them, China's got them, Russa's got them, who knows who else. Anybody who can put a satellite in space can put up space weapons. Eventually somebody is going to start using them and start taking out our communication satellites, then we won't have to worry about punctuation.

[bison]

There are sound arguments against the killer-satellite scenario, as the article, linked below, explains. The main one is that Russia, and China, too, are technologically ill-equipped to compete with the United States in this sort of 'satellite war'.

Russia currently has only two early warning satellites operating, in a system that calls for eight for full coverage. They would be wiser to use their space launch capabilities to fill in these deficiencies. That may be just what they are trying to do, with the object being discussed here.

http://www.csmonitor...atellite-killer

Edited November 18, 2014 by bison

[Just Dave]

Here is the test run of this supposed weapon.

Edited November 18, 2014 by SurgeTechnologies

[seeder]

There are sound arguments against the killer-satellite scenario, as the article, linked below, explains. The main one is that Russia, and China, too, are technologically ill-equipped to compete with the United States in this sort of 'satellite war'.

Russia currently has only two early warning satellites operating, in a system that calls for eight for full coverage. They would be wiser to use their space launch capabilities to fill in these deficiencies. That may be just what they are trying to do, with the object being discussed here.

http://www.csmonitor...atellite-killer

China demonstrated perfectly it can shoot satellites from the ground

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6289519.stm

I think all this talk of Russia being 'behind' - somehow...is is a bit of propaganda tbh.

[toast]

Here is the test run of this supposed weapon.

More details please. If available.

[Gumball]

I have given up worrying about this stuff. We got them, China's got them, Russa's got them, who knows who else. Anybody who can put a satellite in space can put up space weapons. Eventually somebody is going to start using them and start taking out our communication satellites, then we won't have to worry about punctuation.

You mean no exclamation marks after KABOOM!!!?

[Atuke]

It's been well known that the former USSR and now Russia cannot be trusted in outer space.

And remember what they did to that dog?

[bison]

China demonstrated perfectly it can shoot satellites from the ground

http://news.bbc.co.u...fic/6289519.stm

I think all this talk of Russia being 'behind' - somehow...is is a bit of propaganda tbh.

A one-off destruction of one of its own weather satellites, nearly eight years ago, doesn't amount to a readiness, or willingness to conduct a 'satellite war'. I doubt that the appraisal of Russia, as not being willing or able to conduct an anti-satellite campaign, amounts to propaganda. The source of this evaluation, given in the article I linked, is Alexander Golts, A Russian citizen, and military expert, who writes regularly for The Moscow Times.

Edited November 19, 2014 by bison

[alfonso]

It was Europe actually..

.

really? the top secret X-37B USAF is American

[seeder]

really? the top secret X-37B USAF is American

Ah Ok, the way you said it - 'just landed' - made me think of Rosetta, the space plane landed in mid October I believe.. hence the confusion

.

Edited November 19, 2014 by seeder

[DONTEATUS]

12 seconds of Flashing in the Sky ? Maybe It was a pre-show for U-2s new Gig in Europe ?