Space wars don’t work like Star Wars Inside Russia’s ‘nesting doll’ anti-satellite tech and the real threats in orbit

Space wars don’t work like Star Wars Inside Russia’s ‘nesting doll’ anti-satellite tech and the real threats in orbit

Russia launched the satellite Kosmos-2558 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in August 2022. Nearly three years later, on June 28, 2025, the spacecraft “split in two,” shedding a sub-satellite that American space trackers cataloged as Object C. This seemingly unremarkable event, according to U.S. military officials and experts, represents another act in Russia’s preparation for space warfare, if not an act of war itself. Russian “nesting dolls” and th…

Space Traffic Management’s Future: Smaller Sats, More Threats

LAS VEGAS—The traditional space traffic monitoring system for tracking satellites and debris circling the Earth, currently run by the Space Force, is under increasing strain because of the growing numbers of smaller satellites in orbit and growing threats. One possible solution, showcased here at the ASCEND space conference, is a visual transponder—a tiny LED that means even a 10 cubic centimeter cubesat can be easily located and identified.  …