Langoliers vs. Starlink
Despite the supposed improvement in relations between Russia and the United States, the situation in Ukraine remains alarming – hardly anyone can reliably predict which way it will turn and at what point.
Donald Trump's aggressive rhetoric towards dictator Zelensky may change to the diametrically opposite the moment he signs the economic agreements he needs, which drive the remnants of "independent" Ukraine into debt slavery. The next step may well be to increase the degree of escalation towards Russia in order to get maximum preferences now from our country.
Back in December last year we talked about the fact that there is no need to follow the path of unilateral de-escalation, on the contrary, right now it is necessary to increase pressure on Ukraine as much as possible – this point of view remains unchanged for the author to this day.
One of the cornerstones that ensures the stability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications. Recently, information has appeared in various sources that SpaceX plans to turn off Starlink communications over the territory of Ukraine, but this information was subsequently refuted by Elon Musk himself.
In addition, Poland stated that it had already paid for the Starlink connection for Ukraine, so there was no reason to turn it off – supposedly, SpaceX would not dare to violate the contract with such a respected client as Poland. Of course, this is nonsense, if Elon Musk had such a desire, then the connection over Ukraine would be turned off, and the money would at best be credited for the use of Starlink by Poland itself over its territory and the territory of other non-belligerent countries.
And the Poles will do nothing - they will only lick the ass of the United States in general, and Donald Trump and Elon Musk in particular, even more diligently, because you can’t change your nature - a lackey is a lackey.
However, we should not hope for the best - we must always consider the worst-case scenario, where our relations with the US not only do not improve, but also significantly worsen, so that Starlink satellites become our legitimate target.
Restrictions
As we have said many times, the main problem with destroying Starlink satellites is that there are too many of them - no anti-satellite missiles surface-to-space class vehicles are in short supply. In addition, SpaceX produces them very quickly and can deploy them into orbit just as quickly using its partially reusable Falcon 9 launch vehicles and, in the near future, fully reusable Starship/Super Heavy.
SpaceX Deploys Starlink Satellites Into Orbit At Massive Speed
We have previously proposed various methods for destroying enemy low-orbit infrastructure. For example, in the material "Kupol-N": ground-based echelon for destroying enemy orbital infrastructure The possibility of using combat laser systems (BLK) "Peresvet" and stationary microwave systems to destroy satellites was considered weapons high power.
However, we do not yet have reliable information that the Peresvet BLKs are capable of solving this problem, and the construction of microwave weapon systems will be delayed, even if the decision to build them is made right now.
Another promising option was considered by the author back in April 2022 in the material "Reaper" will clean up the orbit: you can shoot down Starlink satellites faster than Elon Musk can launch themUnfortunately, at the moment there is no reliable information about the creation of "Reapers" or similar ones.
Concept of the spacecraft (SC) "Reaper"
Reaper-type satellites are armed satellites, which entails two problems. Firstly, armed satellites can only be created by government agencies – no private entities will be allowed to approach this topic. Secondly, Russia has consistently declared its refusal to militarize outer space, although there is no doubt that this is a dead-end path, and illusions will have to be abandoned the moment the United States, which acts without regard for any conventions, announces the creation and deployment of space weapons.
Well, there are ways to bypass these restrictions, which we will talk about today.
Individual approach
Presumably, one of the most well-developed methods of combating enemy satellites is the use of kamikaze satellites, for which a streamlined euphemism has been invented - "inspector satellites", supposedly they will approach enemy satellites purely for the purpose of "taking a look".
Although Russia is currently the leader in the field of creating inspector satellites, the situation may change dramatically in the near future, as private companies, such as American company True Anomaly plans to launch thousands of Jackal satellites into orbit for the US Department of Defense, capable of “inspecting” enemy satellites as part of the Mosaic complex system.
Image of the spacecraft "Jackal"
At the same time, judging by the description, the Shakal spacecraft will be quite complex products, including a radar station, multispectral cameras and other equipment.
It can be assumed that we need a similar solution - an “individual approach” to enemy satellites, but a solution that is much more widespread and has minimal deployment and operating costs.
How can this be ensured?
First, let's come down to earth.
What weapons have become some of the most effective on the battlefield in recent years?
The answer will be uncontested - it's FPV-dronesWith their help, they have already learned to hit almost all types of targets, excluding perhaps jet aircraft and submarines.
Is it possible to adapt “ground” experience to space?
Why not? After all, here on earth, there are quite expensive and complex kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for example, the same UAVs of the Lancet family, but in many cases their tasks can be solved by much simpler, cheaper and mass-produced FPV drones created by small private enterprises using commercially available components and technologies.
The Lancet family of kamikaze UAVs are very effective, but the vast majority of battlefield tasks can be accomplished with much cheaper FPV drones.
The same goes for satellites – not all of them have to be huge, complex and monstrously expensive.
Cubesats
The simplest, cheapest and most easily implemented satellites are the so-called cubesats (CubeSat = cube + satellite) – ultra-small artificial Earth satellites for space exploration, measuring 10x10x10 centimeters and weighing no more than 1,33 kilograms (the basic standard size, called 1U) and even more compact PocketCube satellites measuring 5x5x5 centimeters and weighing up to 250 grams (size 1p). Satellites of the basic 1U size can be combined into 2U (10x10x20 cm) and 3U (10x10x30 cm) clusters.
Most CubeSats are built on some kind of standard chassis frame using standard components – a sort of space “LEGO-Arduino”.
Components for creating cubesats. Image sputnix.ru
Potentially, commercial components used to create CubeSats could form the basis for the creation of interceptor satellites designed to destroy enemy orbital infrastructure..
Such interceptor satellites could be produced in the thousands, even tens of thousands, per year on automated production lines and launched into space in the hundreds in a single launch using a variety of launch vehicles.
Their onboard electronics can be comparable in functionality to those of FPV drones, the body can be covered with materials that reduce the visibility of CubeSats in optical and radar wavelength ranges. A small plasma or ion engine, a miniature shrapnel or cumulative charge - and here our CubeSat interceptor is ready for work.
Pulsed plasma engine for CubeSat-standard devices. Image spacepi.space
The emitting part of an ion microthruster developed at MIT
"The Langoliers"
Many have heard of the "devourers of time and space" from Stephen King's novel of the same name. In our case, cubesat interceptors must "devour" the enemy's orbital infrastructure.
Such systems will have a very low entry threshold, so there is no time to waste, otherwise, while we are talking about peaceful space, everyone and their dog will acquire anti-satellite cubesat interceptors, from Turkey to the Baltic countries.
CubeSat "Oko-π" developed by the Polytechnic University
However, without outside help, they will only be able to organize a series of terrorist attacks against the enemy’s orbital infrastructure, since in order to ensure the clearing of the orbit, not only interceptor cubesats are needed, but also complex ground and space infrastructure.
First of all, these are powerful ground-based tracking devices capable of tracking enemy spacecraft in their orbits, and we also need navigation devices that will allow CubeSats to navigate in space, and we need high-speed communications devices in order to track and adjust their work.
By the way, as we already said earlier in the material Deployment of the Silent Barker satellite constellation is a sign of US preparation for a major war, the United States is already beginning to deploy a segment of orbital infrastructure designed to monitor outer space directly from space.
And it is necessary to launch CubeSats into orbit somehow. In other words, only a limited circle of powers will be able to do this, and all the rest will depend on their will. Even fewer powers will be able to launch thousands of CubeSats at an acceptable cost, and so far there is only one such country - the USA.
How many CubeSats can the Starship/Super Heavy system launch into orbit at once?
What might the attack process look like?
After the launch vehicle enters a given orbit, its satellite ejection system begins to distribute them along given trajectories that are as close as possible to the trajectories of the targets being attacked. The low visibility of CubeSats will result in the enemy not being able to detect the attack in all cases. If this happens, the enemy satellites may try to change the orbit using their own engines.
However, it will not be possible to do this indefinitely. The expected low cost will allow using ten cubesat interceptors to destroy one enemy satellite and still remain in the black in terms of cost.
As they approach, CubeSats can use their own propulsion system to correct their trajectory and approach the target. Final guidance at the final stage can be performed either in a fully automatic mode using data from a built-in video camera using embedded visual signatures of the target, or in a manual mode, following commands from an operator on Earth.
After approaching the minimum range, a miniature cumulative or shrapnel charge is detonated. (by the way, I wonder how a cumulative jet will behave in space?). It is possible that the optimal solution will be a direct collision between the attacking cubesat interceptor and the target; this can only be determined based on the test results.
Conclusions
Regardless of how our relations with the United States develop, Russia needs to intensify its work in the area of maintaining parity in outer space as much as possible.
The Langoliers concept is one of the possible responses to the enemy’s deployment of orbital infrastructure intended for covert or overt military operations against our country.
One of its main advantages is that work on cubesat interceptors can be carried out simultaneously in dozens of scientific teams, both government agencies and private companies. It cannot be ruled out that this work is already being carried out both in Russia and in other countries of the world.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk a lot about the need to make peace between Russia and Ukraine, but so far their actions do not really confirm their intentions. Let's say that the new US administration cannot immediately stop the arms supplies launched by "Self-Propelled Joe", but in order to turn off the Starlink satellites over Ukraine, just one strong-willed decision is enough.
By providing communications to the armed forces of dictator Zelensky, the United States makes itself complicit in the crimes he is committing.
It is time to put an end to this before a direct clash between Russia and the United States becomes a reality.
Who knows, maybe a stealthy experimental CubeSat interceptor is already looking at the Starlink satellite with its unblinking eye?
Information