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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Space has become one of the key domains of modern warfare, since satellites provide the military with communications, intelligence, and navigation. After disruptions to Starlink service and Russia’s use of Oreshnik rockets, Ukraine has stepped up work on its own space systems.
This is reported in an article by The Guardian.
Why is space becoming a theater of confrontation?
Russia’s war against Ukraine is increasingly extending beyond the Earth’s surface. Satellite communications, intelligence, and navigation have become important components of military operations, and space infrastructure has turned into a strategic target.
One example of this confrontation was the Ukrainian attack on the Progress Rocket and Space Center in Samara, Russia 15 in August. According to the outlet, two Flamingo rockets hit two buildings of the enterprise, including room 106A, where motherboards for Soyuz launch systems were assembled. The center also manufactures launch vehicles that Russia uses to place satellites into orbit.
The attack also mattered for Russia’s satellite program Rassvet, which Moscow is deploying as an alternative to Starlink. In addition, this year Ukraine attacked other facilities linked to Roscosmos, including the complex in Korolyov north of Moscow and a Ukrainian-made radio telescope in occupied Crimea.
At the same time, Russia is using space technologies not only for communications and intelligence. Moscow has used Oreshnik ballistic missiles at least three times; these travel into near space during flight and then deploy multiple warheads. This forces Ukraine to seek ways to counter such threats.
Kyiv is also aiming to reduce its dependence on the American Starlink system. After disruptions to satellite communications, Ukraine accelerated development of its own network. Last month Ukraine and Danish company GomSpace announced the successful launch of the Obria Nano satellite — the first test unit for a future independent communications system. The project could involve deployment of around 245 satellites.
Experts emphasize that the militarization of space is rapidly intensifying and that international treaties are not keeping up with technological developments. In particular, Russia uses electronic warfare tools to jam signals, laser systems to blind satellites, and so-called inspector satellites that approach foreign space objects.
One such incident involved the Cosmos-2612 satellite, which, according to the outlet, maneuvered toward a commercial radar satellite operated by Finnish company Iceye. That company provides Ukrainian forces with radar imagery of terrain. Experts characterized the Russian satellite’s maneuvers as deliberate pursuit.
Dr. Olena Grossfeld of the Swedish Defence University stressed that space warfare has already ceased to be only a future scenario.
[Space warfare] is talked about as the future. But we are already in that future.
– the expert said.
She noted that Russia views operations in space as part of a broader confrontation, because modern warfare increasingly depends on satellite intelligence and targeting. At the same time, the approach of Russian satellites toward other countries’ spacecraft can force them to change orbit, burn fuel, and shorten their operational lifetimes.
Victoria Samson, head of the Space Security and Stability program at the Safe World Foundation, drew attention to the risks of dependence on commercial space companies. She said that Starlink outages and the cessation of satellite intelligence sharing with Ukraine demonstrated how vulnerable military systems can be to decisions by private companies or foreign governments.
Like the Russians with the Rassvet network, now everyone wants to have their own versions of Starlink, including Europeans,
– Samson said.
What space capabilities is Ukraine developing?
Fedir Venislavsky, chair of the parliamentary defense committee’s subcommittee on state security, said Ukraine must ensure its own sovereign presence in space. He said disruptions to satellite communications have already created risks for troop command and control.
Since the start of the war the space domain has been decisive for the Ukrainian armed forces, and recent events — whether initiated by the US government or by SpaceX — showed us interruptions in communications that jeopardized the command and control systems of our forces,
– Venislavsky said.
He also stressed the need to develop means to counter Russian Oreshnik missiles, which pose a threat from near space.
Ukraine has already conducted at least three tests of exoatmospheric strike systems intended to intercept targets in near space. Work is underway on the possibility of moving such developments into production, but financing remains one of the main challenges.
This is a priority. We have already demonstrated launches of exoatmospheric systems and are working to see whether we can put this into production,
– Venislavsky said.
Recall that launching your own satellite can cost from several tens of thousands to tens of millions of dollars. The final sum is affected by the size of the spacecraft, the cost of getting it into orbit, and maintenance expenses.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Україна переносить протистояння з Росією у космос, – The Guardian". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.
