Ukraine’s new frontier: how space has become critical to balance of the war
Summary
The war in Ukraine is increasingly affecting space systems, including satellite communications, surveillance and rocket production. Ukraine has struck Russian space-related facilities and launched a test satellite with Denmark, while Russia is expanding its Rassvet satellite network and using missiles that travel through near space.Key Facts
- Ukraine struck the Progress Rocket and Space Centre in Samara on 15 August with two Flamingo missiles, damaging buildings used in Soyuz rocket production.
- Russia is deploying its Rassvet satellite network as an alternative to Starlink, which Russia lost access to earlier this year.
- Ukraine has also attacked other sites linked to Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, including a complex near Moscow and a radio telescope in Crimea.
- Russia has used Oreshnik ballistic missiles at least three times; the missiles travel into near space before releasing multiple independently targetable warheads.
- Ukraine and Denmark’s GomSpace said they launched Obria Nano, a test satellite for a planned independent Ukrainian communications network.
- The planned Ukrainian network reportedly envisions about 245 satellites.
- A Russian satellite, Kosmos 2612, was observed manoeuvring near a Finnish Iceye radar satellite that provides terrain imaging to Ukraine’s military.
- The article reports that countries are developing military space capabilities amid concerns that international space rules are outdated and difficult to enforce.
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