Russian satellite spins out of control - but has links to country's nuclear programme

According to Reuters, the satellite, Kosmos 2553, which the U.S. military links to Russia’s nuclear anti-satellite program, has started spinning uncontrollably, likely signaling it’s no longer working. Russia launched the satellite a few weeks before invading Ukraine in 2022. It had already shown signs of uncontrolled rotation earlier in 2024.

Kosmos 2553 is believed to have carried out radar reconnaissance and radiation testing. While the satellite itself isn’t a weapon, the United States military says experiments conducted on it are helping Russia develop nuclear anti-satellite capabilities.

The satellite orbits about 2,000km above Earth in a relatively isolated area. Most communication and surveillance satellites avoid this altitude because of strong cosmic radiation "hot spots."

In November 2024, LeoLabs, a satellite tracking company using ground-based radar, detected the satellite making random movements. By December, after analyzing more radar data and images from another space firm, LeoLabs raised its assessment to “high confidence” that the satellite was out of control.

“This observation strongly suggests that the satellite is no longer operational,” said the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a think-tank based in Washington.