A group of Russian satellites Launched earlier this year, it caught the attention of space observers around the world. Satellites – Kosmos 2581, 2582 and 2583 – were sent to orbit in early February of Plessetsk Cosmodrome. They were placed in an almost polar orbit, about 585 kilometers above the earth. So far, the Russian authorities have not confirmed what these satellites really should do. But what really is an interest is the release of an unknown object of one of them. This new development, stained in mid -March, took a new scrutiny of space monitoring teams worldwide.
What we know so far
According to the tracking data US Space force And other monitoring groups, the mysterious object appeared on March 18. He was quickly cataloged and, at first, linked to Kosmos 2581. Later, however, some signs suggested that he could be linked to Kosmos 2583. What is clear is that the object was released while satellites were still active – and so far, Russia has not said a word about it.
Interestingly, before the object appeared, satellites were seen by performing what is known as “proximity operations” – basically maneuvering near other objects in orbit, which is not something that routine satellites normally do.
Specialized insight and possible explanations
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center Astrophysics he spoke For Space.com about the situation. He stressed that the satellites were making short -range deliberate movements, which led many to believe that this is not just a routine activity.
As for the object itself, there are some possibilities. It can be part of a satellite test program or a tool for training. There is also a chance to be linked to some kind of military experiment. Although a technical malfunction has not been discarded, experts note that accidents like this usually leave behind several pieces of debris – and this does not seem to be the case here.
Putting in context
The label “Kosmos” has been used by Russia for decades, which dates back to 1962. It covers a wide range of secret military and scientific missions. Trigems like this group are not uncommon to China either and the US also used similar formations, usually for surveillance or intelligence collection purposes.
Still, the exact objective of Kosmos 2581, 2582, 2583 – and now this newly launched object – remains a mystery. Until more information is disclosed (if it is), analysts will continue to look closely at the ground.