Secret Russian satellite for nuclear arms likely defunct
Russia’s secretive Cosmos 2553 satellite, suspected to be part of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program, is likely non-functional, based on Doppler radar data from space-tracking firm LeoLabs, Reuters reported on April 25.
Throughout 2024, the satellite displayed repeated uncontrolled tumbling, with LeoLabs confirming in December 2024 a “high confidence” assessment of its erratic behavior, according to Senior Technical Fellow Darren McKnight.
“This observation strongly suggests the satellite is no longer operational,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies stated.
Launched weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Cosmos 2553 was orbiting at approximately 2,000 kilometers in a high-radiation zone typically avoided by communications and observation satellites.
In 2024, the United States accused Russia of pursuing space-based nuclear weapons for years, a claim Moscow denies, insisting the satellite is for research purposes, although it could reportedly disable satellite networks like SpaceX’s Starlink.
On April 12, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte voiced concerns about Russia’s potential to deploy nuclear weapons in space, noting Moscow is exploring such capabilities.
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