NATO intelligence agencies suspect that Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to attack Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation with clouds of debris, in a bid to limit the advantage the technology gives its defence forces.
NATO intelligence agencies suspect that Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to attack Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation with clouds of debris, in a bid to limit the advantage the technology gives its defence forces.
Intelligence from two NATO countries believes that the so-called «area effect» weapon would fill the orbits where Starlink satellites fly with hundreds of thousands of high-density balls, potentially disabling multiple satellites at once but also risking catastrophic collateral damage to other orbital systems, the AP reports .
Experts doubt that such weapons could operate selectively without causing uncontrollable chaos in space for companies and countries, including Russia itself and China, that rely on thousands of orbiting satellites for communications, defense and other vital needs. Such consequences could force the Russians to abandon the deployment or use of such weapons.
«I don’t believe it. I actually don’t believe it. I would be very surprised, to be honest, if they did something like that,» said Victoria Samson, a space security specialist at the Secure World Foundation.
However, NATO militaries do not rule out that Russia may eventually decide to take such a step. «We can report that in recent years Russia has increased irresponsible, dangerous and even hostile actions in space,» said an anonymous French military officer.
It is noted that the Russian Federation views Starlink as a serious threat, as it believes that thousands of satellites in low orbit play a key role in Ukraine’s survival in the face of a full-scale Russian invasion. Satellite internet is used by the Defense Forces for battlefield communications, weapon guidance and other purposes, as well as by civilians and government officials in areas where Russian strikes have affected communications.
The occupiers are also trying to use smuggled Starlink terminals for military purposes. In particular, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that Russia had adapted a Molniya aircraft-type FPV drone for aerial reconnaissance — they installed Starlink and a camera with three-axis stabilization.
Recall that recently, Elon Musk’s SpaceX company reported a loss of control over the Starlink satellite, which began falling to Earth from an altitude of more than 400 km after «experiencing an anomaly.»
