3. Russian spacecraft tailing U.S. spy satellite, top Space Force official says

The Hill ^ | February 10, 2020 | Zack Budryk

[Twotone]

The commander of the newly-established U.S. Space Force said Monday that two Russian satellites appear to be shadowing a U.S. spy satellite, often coming within 100 miles of the multibillion-dollar craft.

“We view this behavior as unusual and disturbing,” Gen. John “Jay” Raymond said of the activity in an interview with TIME. “It has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space.”

Raymond said U.S. analysts first noticed something amiss when the Russian spacecraft appeared to split into two smaller ones shortly after it was launched Nov. 26 mounted on a Soyuz rocket.

“The way I picture it, in my mind, is like Russian nesting dolls,” Raymond told TIME. “The second satellite came out of the first satellite.”

It marks the first incident of a standoff between a U.S. satellite and that of an adversarial nation, but is reminiscent of encounters between Russian and U.S. warships and fighter jets, as well as Cold War-era tensions that led to costly arms races.

“The initial costs of setting up the Space Force are likely a small down payment on an undertaking that could cost tens of billions of dollars in the years to come,” William D. Hartung, director of the arms and security project at the Center for International Policy, told TIME.

[libertylover]

So what?

[2banana]

It’s a free space.

The real question is...what are you gonna do about it?

[Red Badger]

It could cause global warming!....................

[1Old Pro]

Probably trying to tap into the signals.

[762X51]

Isn’t this nearly straight out of a James Bond movie?

[HighSierra5]

They ought to call the new Space Force members Space Cowboys.

[rrrod]

So..shoot it.

[1Old Pro]

So..shoot it.

the multibillion-dollar craft surely has defensive weapons?

[mylife]

One never knows what those nesting dolls have hidden in their babushka.

[Wizdum]

For those of you who don't really think this is something to worry about, consider the GPS system, Cell phone service, satellite internet, not to mention tv and radio broadcasts all go over satellite at some point.
The military especially uses space for intelligence gathering and communications.
Take that out or impede it, and a whole lot of this country and others are back to dixie cups and string.

[Rapscallion]

Earlier it was two satellites trailing ours. Is it now three?

[rrrod]

Good points. But don’t expect the Putin puffers here to agree. They stand with Putin over the USA on every issue. Wait and see.

[NorseViking]

Freedom of navigation! :)

[puppypusher]

Time to arm the Photon Torpedoes Mr.Sulu.

Really we need to start arming these platforms with lasers to defend them selves.

[Colo9250]

Sounds like an old James Bond movie.

[Magnum44]

Trump is the first POTUS in decades to recognize that our advantage in holding the high ground (space) has been and is being challenged by competitors that previous administration were sticking their heads in the sand about.

Obama:

[Spktyr]

Nope. We don’t send up armed satellites. The Russians have put up armed orbiters years gone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaz

[Spktyr]

That’s not how a laser small enough to mount on such a satellite would work.

[Ezekiel]

https://jamesbond.fandom.com/wiki/Bird_1