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| Mystery Russian satellite's behaviour raises alarm in US | Mystery Russian satellite's behaviour raises alarm in US |
| (1 day later) | |
| A mysterious Russian satellite displaying "very abnormal behaviour" has raised alarm in the US, according to a State Department official. | A mysterious Russian satellite displaying "very abnormal behaviour" has raised alarm in the US, according to a State Department official. |
| "We don't know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it," said assistant secretary Yleem Poblete at a conference in Switzerland on 14 August. | "We don't know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it," said assistant secretary Yleem Poblete at a conference in Switzerland on 14 August. |
| She voiced fears that it was impossible to say if the object may be a weapon. | She voiced fears that it was impossible to say if the object may be a weapon. |
| Russia has dismissed the comments as "unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions". | Russia has dismissed the comments as "unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions". |
| The satellite in question was launched in October last year. | The satellite in question was launched in October last year. |
| "[The satellite's] behaviour on-orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before from on-orbit inspection or space situational awareness capabilities, including other Russian inspection satellite activities," Ms Poblete told the conference on disarmament in Switzerland. | "[The satellite's] behaviour on-orbit was inconsistent with anything seen before from on-orbit inspection or space situational awareness capabilities, including other Russian inspection satellite activities," Ms Poblete told the conference on disarmament in Switzerland. |
| "Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," she added, citing recent comments made by the commander of Russia's Space Forces, who said adopting "new prototypes of weapons" was a key objective for the force. | "Russian intentions with respect to this satellite are unclear and are obviously a very troubling development," she added, citing recent comments made by the commander of Russia's Space Forces, who said adopting "new prototypes of weapons" was a key objective for the force. |
| Ms Poblete said that the US had "serious concerns" that Russia was developing anti-satellite weapons. | Ms Poblete said that the US had "serious concerns" that Russia was developing anti-satellite weapons. |
| Alexander Deyneko, a senior Russian diplomat, told the Reuters news agency that the comments were "the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on". | Alexander Deyneko, a senior Russian diplomat, told the Reuters news agency that the comments were "the same unfounded, slanderous accusations based on suspicions, on suppositions and so on". |
| He called on the US to contribute to a Russian-Chinese treaty that seeks to prevent an arms race in space. | He called on the US to contribute to a Russian-Chinese treaty that seeks to prevent an arms race in space. |
| 'Lasers or microwaves' | 'Lasers or microwaves' |
| Space weapons may be designed to cause damage in more subtle ways than traditional weapons like guns, which could cause a lot of debris in orbit, explained Alexandra Stickings, a space security expert at the Royal United Services Institute. | |
| "[Such weapons may include] lasers or microwave frequencies that could just stop [a satellite] working for a time, either disable it permanently without destroying it or disrupt it via jamming," she said. | "[Such weapons may include] lasers or microwave frequencies that could just stop [a satellite] working for a time, either disable it permanently without destroying it or disrupt it via jamming," she said. |
| But it was difficult to know what technology is available because so much information on space-based capabilities is classified, she added. | But it was difficult to know what technology is available because so much information on space-based capabilities is classified, she added. |
| She also said it would be very difficult to prove that any event causing interference in space was an intentional, hostile action by a specific nation state. | She also said it would be very difficult to prove that any event causing interference in space was an intentional, hostile action by a specific nation state. |
| Ms Poblete's comments were particularly interesting in light of President Donald Trump's decision to launch a sixth branch of the US armed forces named Space Force, added Ms Stickings. | Ms Poblete's comments were particularly interesting in light of President Donald Trump's decision to launch a sixth branch of the US armed forces named Space Force, added Ms Stickings. |
| "The narrative coming from the US is, 'space was really peaceful, now look at what the Russians and Chinese are doing' - ignoring the fact that the US has developed its own capabilities." | "The narrative coming from the US is, 'space was really peaceful, now look at what the Russians and Chinese are doing' - ignoring the fact that the US has developed its own capabilities." |
| A spokesman for the UK's Ministry of Defence said he could neither confirm nor deny any tracking of Russian satellites. | A spokesman for the UK's Ministry of Defence said he could neither confirm nor deny any tracking of Russian satellites. |
| "There are a range of threats and hazards to all space capabilities in what is an increasingly contested domain," he said. | "There are a range of threats and hazards to all space capabilities in what is an increasingly contested domain," he said. |
| "These include the development of counter-space weapons by a number of nations. | "These include the development of counter-space weapons by a number of nations. |
| "The UK is working closely with international allies, including the US, to re-enforce responsible and safe behaviours in space and to build knowledge, understanding and resilience." | "The UK is working closely with international allies, including the US, to re-enforce responsible and safe behaviours in space and to build knowledge, understanding and resilience." |