Moscow (AFP) - Russia has uncovered a group of spy satellites, the head of its space command said in a film broadcast Sunday, which warned of "enemy" satellites that could masquerade as space junk. "Very recently, specialists of the department of space intelligence centre uncovered a newly created group of space satellites... made for radio-technical reconnaissance of equipment on Russian territory," said the commander of Russian Space Command, Oleg Maidanovich. http://news.yahoo.com/russia-busts-satellite-spy-ring-space-commander-003614044.html So here is my question . How does anyone tell the difference between a spy satellite and a regular science one. You would need to know what's inside the thing to really tell what it MIGHT BE because any one could be used for anything. So how can they see inside and know what is a spy and what's not? THEY CAN"T!!!! So why would they say such nonsense?
Well, it's pretty obvious that this, like many other pronouncements by Russian officials, is for domestic consumption only. Let's assume for a moment, Russia's claims are true. And that is a big assumption. Why would Russia tell the world she discovered "enemy" spy satellites thus alerting said "enemy" to the discovery? If Russian officials were smart, they wouldn't. But then no one has ever accused Putin's regime of being smart. This is just more mindless nationalism on Russia's part. We have already seen a lot of it and in the coming months and years we are going to hear much more of it. Putin needs to keep his people drunk and angry at foreigners in order to save his sorry ass. Putin needs scapegoats lest Russians should wake from their drunken stupor and realize the instigator of their sorrows sits in the Kremlin and his name is Putin.
FOV of spacecrafts and frequency of their "surveying" can be easily figured out from study of all of the current space objects. Furthermore there are active sensors some of these "surveying" "peaceful" "not military at all" "totally harmless as USA says bullshit" satellite have, and just like U-2 will be found out.
What? No one can tell what any satellite is up to because so many are dealing with things associated with watching things and taking data from land areas. Which takes data from land areas and uses it to show where "enemy targets" are located couldn't ever be known unless you know what the satellite is built for and what its objectives are and no one knows that except those who make them. Even if you knew the frequency that a satellite was broadcasting on that same satellite could have a duel frequency couldn't it? Then again you could alternate frequencies every hour or two so that no one could ever figure out what frequency is being used . Bullshit news from bullshit media again, I'd wish they would stop publishing because they publish nothing but lies most of the time and fiction the rest of the time.
A satellite's orbital characteristics might be an indicator. Photographic reconaissance satellites are often maneuverable and will be steered into orbits giving them FOV (field of view) over areas of interest to those operating them. Even if these alleged 'ferret' (SIGINT) satellites haven't been maneuvering, they may have been launched into orbits seemingly designed to give them maximum exposure to Russian territory.
Then again, it just might be space junk and a propaganda ploy. If Russia has busted a spy ring, where is the ring?
