Outer space is of great interest in the context of the development of the armed forces. Spacecraft of different classes can solve a wide range of tasks and ensure the defense capability of countries. Despite the presence of certain limitations, the development of military space systems continues and leads to certain positive results.
Mastered technologies
Due to the overall complexity of projects and due to known limitations, space technology is mainly used for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes. Spacecraft for other purposes are also used, and all satellites as a whole form fairly large constellations. So, the Russian Ministry of Defense has about a hundred spacecraft for various purposes. Several dozen more spacecraft from other departments can be involved in work in the interests of the army.
Currently, satellites are used in several main areas. Satellite navigation systems, communication complexes of a number of types, as well as many reconnaissance and detection systems are being built and are operating. Developed countries have missile warning satellites.
The existing systems are maintained in the required state due to the timely replacement of outdated spacecraft. New satellite systems are also being deployed. So, in recent years, Russia has completed the construction of the GLONASS navigation system, as well as modernized several communication systems and deployed new reconnaissance assets.
Obviously, further progress in the space industry will allow different countries to improve the existing orbital constellations, and there will be no abandonment of existing types of systems. However, the existing spacecraft will be replaced with more advanced ones, as well as gradually introduce new technology.
Observers in orbit
In the context of the military use of spacecraft, the so-called. satellite inspectors. These are special vehicles capable of changing orbits and approaching other objects to observe or perform any work. According to various sources, in recent years, Russia alone has launched several inspection satellites, and they regularly become grounds for accusations.
Back in 2013, foreign media reported on the Kosmos-2491 maneuvering vehicle. Moving in near-earth space, he approached various objects. As a result, there were assumptions about the possible military use of the apparatus - for reconnaissance or even destruction of foreign spacecraft with a ram.
Subsequently, spacecraft of the Kosmos series with numbers 2499, 2501, 2520 and 2521 showed similar capabilities. In the case of the last inspectors, their size and weight became an additional cause for concern. They are larger and heavier than their predecessors, which may indicate the presence of some kind of reconnaissance equipment. It is quite possible that now the Russian military can not only track other people's spacecraft, but also carry out surveillance from a minimum distance, intercept radio signals, etc.
In July of this year, the French military leadership made interesting statements about the Russian spacecraft. It was claimed that one of the survey satellites over the past few months has been monitoring spacecraft from different countries. Eight of them suffered in one way or another from his actions. Such events became one of the reasons for the formation of the General Space Command of France, which will take over all military tasks in near-earth space.
Battle companions
It is obvious and expected that spacecraft can be used not only for observation, but also for the purpose of hitting designated targets - primarily orbital ones. The worries about survey satellites are mainly related to the alleged existence of such functions. A maneuverable spacecraft can be a weapon carrier or a destructive element.
The defeat of an orbital target can be carried out by direct collision with it. Fears of this kind were expressed a few years ago, after the first reports and the activities of Russian inspector satellites. Spacecraft of limited size and mass cannot carry sophisticated equipment, but at the same time, in theory, they are capable of attacking other satellites. However, while Russian or foreign spacecraft did not carry out an attack on someone else's equipment.
Larger vehicles can be carriers of various equipment or weapons that meet existing restrictions. In the past, in our country and abroad, the issues of equipping spacecraft with small arms, laser or other weapons were worked out, but things did not go beyond some experiments. Influence the enemy's spacecraft, incl. with complete incapacitation, it is also possible with the help of radio technical means. The satellite can carry an electronic warfare system or an electromagnetic weapon.
The issue of creating combat satellites with weapons may again become relevant. So, the French leadership, in the context of the creation of its space forces, mentioned the intention to create new types of satellites. In the distant future, armed spacecraft with various combat systems may appear. However, in the coming years, the main task of the Main Space Command will be to update the existing grouping of reconnaissance and communications vehicles.
Earth-space
For several decades, work has continued on the topic of ground-based anti-satellite weapons. In recent years, this topic has become relevant again and attracts attention. To date, three countries of the world have demonstrated their ability to shoot down spacecraft in low orbits. The anti-satellite potential of another country is still in question - there is some information, but the launches and destruction of targets are unknown.
Interest in the topic of anti-satellite systems increased in 2007, when China destroyed a faulty FY-1C satellite using a missile of its own design. Later it became known that the missile used had been tested earlier. New reports about promising Chinese developments are still appearing in foreign media, but the PRC does not confirm or refute them.
In February 2008, the United States carried out a similar operation. The SM-3 missile defense missile was launched from a surface ship and a few minutes later destroyed the USA-193 reconnaissance spacecraft. New operations of this kind, as far as is known, have not been carried out.
In March 2019, India announced the successful test of its anti-satellite missile. This weapon was able to hit a small target at an altitude of 300 km; the whole operation took several minutes. The Indian military intends to improve the existing missile and bring it into service.
According to foreign reports, Russia is also developing anti-satellite weapons. Now work is underway to create the Nudol missile defense system, which, according to various estimates, will be able to hit not only the warheads of ballistic missiles, but also orbital targets. Nothing is known about launching missiles at such targets. There is also a version about the development of an air-launched anti-satellite missile. Details on this project are also lacking.
The future begins
The military of the leading countries continue to develop space systems of the main classes, which allows them to maintain the required defense capability. In parallel, the development and implementation of fundamentally new complexes for other purposes is being carried out. At the same time, several main trends can be traced. Thus, the main focus is still on communications, navigation and reconnaissance systems.
Combat systems also attract attention and are present in the plans, but the pace of work in this direction is not too high. They are affected both by the complexity and high cost of projects and by economic, political and other constraints. It also raises doubts about the advisability of deploying certain types of weapons in space. At the moment, it is the support spacecraft that can bring the greatest benefit to the armies, while the real potential of the combat systems remains in question.
In general, orbital groupings have long become the most important part of the developed armed forces, and the attitude towards them is purely utilitarian. Measures are being taken to develop and improve them, as well as to obtain new opportunities. For the time being, fundamental breakthroughs should be attributed to the distant future. However, both the current state and the possibilities of space groupings once seemed an unattainable future.
