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Head of RAF Points to ‘Kessler Effect’ Danger of Russian ASAT Tests

Head of RAF Points to ‘Kessler Effect’ Danger of Russian ASAT Tests
Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, head of the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF Photo)

The head of the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) said that Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) tests this year by the "nesting doll" Cosmos 2542 and 2543 satellites could pose a significant danger to low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. On Jan. 30, Michael Thompson, a respected space tracker, noted that the space surveillance/inspection bird, Cosmos 2542, launched on Nov. 25, had synchronized its orbit with USA 245--launched in 2013 and one of four multi-billion dollar, classified Lockheed Martin [LMT] KH-11 electro-optical spy satellites…

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