US officials are warning people that Russia could be testing out a space weapon after the country launched something suspicious into orbit.
Earlier this year, Russia launched three satellites into orbit aboard the Russian Soyuz rocket and the country has refused to reveal what they are for.
Now the Pentagon is closely monitoring Russia after another mysterious object has been released.
Russia first launched the three satellites, known as Kosmos 2581, 2582, and 2583, back in February.
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Suspicions have since been raised that the country could be testing military capabilities in space due to a refusal to explain the purpose behind the launch.
The satellites’ unusual activity has sparked fears that Russia could even be preparing itself for some kind of space warfare.
To make matters worse, the US Space Force noticed a new object nearby which they believe could have been released by one of the Russian satellites.
Jonathan McDowell, who is an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center and tracks objects in orbit, took to X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Space Force have cataloged a new object associated with the Kosmos-2581/2582/2583 launch. It may have separated from Kosmos-2583 on Mar 18.”
According to a report by CNN, US officials have voiced concerns that both Russia and China are carrying out secretive missions to perform military training in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Speaking to CNN, one official said that the Russian satellites were practicing ‘attack and defend tactics’ as well as working together ‘to surround and isolate another satellite that was positioned in low-Earth orbit, demonstrating how they could potentially target enemy spacecraft in a future conflict’.
The official went on to say: “Russia wants to take away our advantages in space and they don’t care about collateral damage.”
They added: “[The] US needs to be ready to do more than protect and defend in outer space. Stories about playing defense are stories about losing.”
However, it might not be time to start panicking just yet as McDowell has dismissed these claims made by the official.
Taking to X in a separate post, he wrote: “This seems a big stretch to describe what Kosmos-2581-82-83 are up to.”
Instead, he said that it could just be a ‘coincidence of the fact they are in similar orbits, no evidence of targeting’.
Still, the US is remaining on high alert and the US Space Force intends to continue its close monitoring of the satellites and their behavior in space.