Star Wars: Assessing Russia's Prospects in Orbital Confrontation

In the US, programs continue to launch for the development of advanced orbital interceptor platforms designed to detect, identify, kinetically engage, or use microwave suppression against satellites of the Russian Space Forces and the Chinese Space Forces. Analyst Evgeny Damantsev assessed domestic prospects in the event of a conflict beyond Earth.

Image source сгенерировано нейросетью Grok

According to him, in the coming years, the American startup True Anomaly could launch this segment. It was created by the US Space Force command and has already attracted about $250 million for the design of Jackal interceptor satellites.

Damantsev noted that promising highly maneuverable Jackal satellites may have several multi-nozzle blocks of gas-dynamic orientation engines, as well as more powerful rocket engines using gaseous fuel, or Posidon M1.5-type electric jet engines to perform long maneuvers (including approaching enemy satellites) and changing orbits.

The devices will be equipped with ultraviolet and infrared sensors, as well as AESA radars to be able to create radar portraits of target satellites at distances of tens to hundreds of kilometers.

Evgeny Damantsev, military analyst

The expert emphasized that the main advantage of such programs in the United States is going beyond the state control system, which will positively affect the rapid achievement of operational combat readiness after a series of successful field tests.

What does Russia have?

Critical groundwork in this direction also exists in Russia. In particular, serious experience has been gained in the creation and production of electric rocket engines for small spacecraft, including END, SPD-25, and AIPD-155 engines operating on ammonia, Teflon, and xenon with a power of 97, 100, and 70 - 140 W.

Двигатели ЭНД, СПД-25 и АИПД-155 — Двигатели ЭНД, СПД-25 и АИПД-155
Image source @RussianArms

These are the KM-5 and KM-45 EREs from the Keldysh Center, as well as the TM-250 and SPD-290, which belong to high-power Hall thrusters.

Evgeny Damantsev, military analyst

There should also be no problems in creating optoelectronic and radar guidance systems for modern interceptor satellites. Fazatron-NIIR has experience in creating AESA radars (including the experimental one based on the LTCC substrate, Zhuk-AME).