Issue 123

In the 8 Jun edition of the Flash we took a look back at Russia’s Cosmos 2519 on-orbit anti-satellite test from July 2017-June 2018. The follow up test occurred the following year with the launch of Cosmos 2542 in November 2019. Cosmos 2542 would eventually launch a sub-satellite, Cosmos 2543, which then maneuvered to place itself in a position to observe a high-value American satellite USA 245. Below is another excerpt from the most excellent Secure World Foundation (SWF) 2024 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report describing the activities of Cosmos 2542 and its sub-satellites, Cosmos 2543 & Object E from Dec 2019 – Aug 2020.

– On November 25, 2019, Russia conducted another launch of a Soyuz-2-1v from Plesetsk with an announced military payload on board. The satellite was catalogued by the US military as Cosmos 2542 (2019-079A, 44797) in a 97.9° inclination and 370 by 860 km orbit.

– The mission of the satellite as announced by Russia was to conduct space surveillance as well as Earth remote sensing. Outside experts have indicated it (was) likely the second satellite in the Nivelir 14F150 series.

– On December 6, Cosmos 2542 released a small subsatellite that was catalogued by the US military as Cosmos 2543 (2019-079D, 44835) and publicly announced by Russia.

– Cosmos 2543 remained within 2 km of Cosmos 2542 for three days before it conducted a series of maneuvers to raise its apogee to 590 km by December 16.

– Subsequent analysis by amateur observers strongly suggests that the purpose of these maneuvers was to place Cosmos 2543 in an orbit where it (could) observe a classified US intelligence satellite, USA 245 (2013-043A, 39232).

• USA 245 was launched in 2013 and believed to be the latest generation of electro-optical imagery satellite operated by the National Reconnaissance Office.

– The orbits of Cosmos 2543 and USA 245 (were) synchronized such that Cosmos 2543 came within 20 km of USA 245 several times in January 2020.

– After January 2020 Cosmos 2543 periodically came within 150 to 300 km of USA 245 while the latter (was) illuminated by the Sun (enabling Cosmos 2543 to) observe both sides of USA 245 continuously for up to a week at a time.

– The close proximity of Cosmos 2543 to USA 245 sparked concerns from the US military. General John Raymond, then Chief of Space Operations for the USSF and Commander of USSPACECOM, stated, “We view this behavior as unusual and disturbing,” and compared it to the 2017 separation of Cosmos 2523 that the US military considers to be a weapons test.

– In a response published by RIA Novosti, the Russian Foreign Ministry denied those accusations, claimed that they were part of a propaganda campaign against Moscow, and stated that Cosmos 2543 did not pose a threat to USA 245 and did not violate any norms or principles of international law.

– A few weeks later, it appears both countries made changes in their satellites’ orbits to increase the separation of the two objects.

• On March 11, 2020, hobbyist tracking showed USA 245 conducted a small maneuver to increase its distance from Cosmos 2542.
• In late April, Cosmos 2542 lowered its perigee to increase the separation and create a gradual separation in planes between the two satellites.

– Cosmos 2542 was decommissioned in May 2023 and re-entered the atmosphere on October 24, 2023.

– In June 2020, Cosmos 2543 made a series of maneuvers to place it into RPO with Cosmos 2535, including close approaches within 60 kilometers.

– A month later, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a press report stating that the two satellites had conducted a close-up study of a domestic satellite with the help of specialized equipment on a small satellite.

– On July 15, a small piece of orbital debris was spotted in the vicinity of the two satellites that appeared to have separated from Cosmos 2543 at a relative velocity of between 140 and 186

meters per second (313 to 415 miles per hour).

– The US military catalogued the released object (Object E, 2019-079E, 45915) on July 16 in a 783 x 504 km orbit, with Cosmos 2543 still in a 617 x 603 km orbit. Jonathan McDowell noted

that the release occurred while the objects passed over Plesetsk.

– The event was similar in nature to the release of Cosmos 2523 in October 2017, and eventually, two more pieces of small debris were catalogued in proximity to the satellites.

– In a press release, USSPACECOM characterized the event as a space-based satellite weapons test and stated that the Russian satellites “displayed characteristics of a space-based weapon.”

– The head of the United Kingdom’s Space Directorate, Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth, also released a public statement on Twitter expressing concerns and calling on Russia to avoid further

testing.

– The following day, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs again denied those claims, stating that this was part of a campaign to discredit Russia’s activities in space and that Russia was committed to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space by all states.

– Cosmos 2535 and Cosmos 2543 remained in close proximity through August 2020, and by August 13, they were joined by Cosmos 2536.

– In late September 2020, Cosmos 2535 and Cosmos 2536 were close enough that they are presumed to have docked.

– In mid-October, Cosmos 2536 separated away from Cosmos 2535 to a distance of 20 kilometers.

– Cosmos 2543 re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere August 26, 2024.