[Clips] Russia Left with No Satellite Surveillance

[R.A. Hettinga]

--- begin forwarded text


  Delivered-To: rah at shipwright.com
  Delivered-To: clips at philodox.com
  Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 17:53:31 -0400
  To: Philodox Clips List <clips at philodox.com>
  From: "R.A. Hettinga" <rah at shipwright.com>
  Subject: [Clips] Russia Left with No Satellite Surveillance
  Reply-To: rah at philodox.com
  Sender: clips-bounces at philodox.com

  <http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=670903>


  Kommersant:


  May 03, 2006


  Russia Left with No Satellite Surveillance

  The RF Defense Ministry has been left with no spy satellite in orbit. The
  last anchor of Russia's surveillance, US-PU satellite of electronic
  intelligence, moved down from the orbit at night from Friday to Saturday,
  as the service life of that satellite, which took off from Baikonur May
  2004, came to a natural end.

  A source with the General Naval Staff confirmed Tuesday that US-PU
  satellite of the Legend system of space reconnaissance and target
  indication won't be used up to its operating designation any longer. The
  source declined to comment on the further destiny of the facility,
  spokesmen of the Space Forces gave no comments either.

  US-PU has recently left the working orbit, said Fillip Clark, a British
  expert in the space military program of Russia. The satellite moved to the
  lower orbit to come down to atmosphere and burn away.

  US-PU was Russia's sole spy satellite in orbit and its withdrawal signals
  Defense Ministry of the country has not a single facility of the kind
  in-space. The things are no better here below. The military have just three
  spy satellites left in reserve, said Space Forces Deputy Commander,
  Lieutenant-General Oleg Gromov.

  To secure continuous orbit presence of strategic reconnaissance satellites,
  it is necessary to complete the upgrade of Cobalt-M facility this year and
  to launch a satellite each year. Besides, the development of new Persona
  satellite should gain momentum so that its test flights could start in 2007.

  "In the recent years, Russia has been losing its standing when it comes to
  maintaining a proper level of the orbit group," Defense Minister Sergey
  Ivanov acknowledged far back in February 2002 during his visit to Plesetsk
  launch site. Ivanov vowed then Moscow "will be intensifying efforts in this
  field" in 2003 to 2005. Still, the Space Forces haven't received more than
  17 billion rubles from the budget in the past five years, while the amount
  to be funneled this year is estimated at 20 billion rubles.

  The reserve US-PU of Defense Ministry is expected to be launched from
  Baikonur spaceport June 22, and Don satellite of photographic
  reconnaissance is scheduled to take off before the end of this year.

  >From time to time, Russia actually delivers spy satellites to orbit, all of
  them belong to other countries though. The satellites of Great Britain,
  China, Iran and Israel have been launched in the recent months and the
  launch of Terra-SAR and SAR-Lupe satellites for Germany is being prepared
  now.
  --
  -----------------
  R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
  The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
  44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
  "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
  [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
  experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
  _______________________________________________
  Clips mailing list
  Clips at philodox.com
  http://www.philodox.com/mailman/listinfo/clips

--- end forwarded text


-- 
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'