Outer space

The Stellar Dance: US, Russia Satellites Make Potentially Risky Close Approaches

SPACE SYMPOSIUM: As space grows more contested, the US, Russia and China have been conducting close-approach missions using self-declared “inspection” satellites, leading to mutual finger pointing about risky behavior.

The United States and Russia, in particular, have recently conducted a number of Remote Proximity Operations (RPO), maneuvering very close to each other’s satellites in Geosynchronous (GEO) orbit, says Brian Weeden, technical advisor for Secure World Foundation (SWF).

Weeden said the RPO activities of Russia’s Luch/Olymp satellite (which US Intelligence Community officials have labeled “suspicious”) and those of the US Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) “neighborhood watch” satellites over the past five years were “very similar.” While China hasn’t conducted any RPO missions close to other’s satellites, it has demonstrated that capability in GEO with its SC-17 satellite, he said at a breakfast meeting here today.