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Space

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

Frank Wolfe

Tuesday, November 17th, 2020

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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…

Budget

Hegseth Pushes For Reconciliation With At Least $350 Billion For Defense ‘Regardless’ Of Midterms Outcome

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday the Trump administration plans to continue its push for at least $350 billion in defense funds via the reconciliation process “regardless of what happens […]

Congress

Bipartisan Push in Senate to Hasten Export of 155 mm, GMLRS, HIMARS for Ukraine

A small, bipartisan group of senators is backing the Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine’s Defense Act, S. 5175, to hasten the export of allied buys of U.S. munitions for […]

Congress

Rep. Himes Signals Increased Contractor Oversight, if Democrats Win House

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, plans to increase the committee’s contractor oversight if the Democrats win control of the House […]

Congress

CBO Estimates Loss of One-Half to Two-Thirds of U.S. Missile Interceptors Since June Last Year

A new Congressional Budget Office report estimates the cost of the Iran war through Aug. 1 as $38 billion and says that the U.S. has likely depleted between one-half and […]