Secret Russian ‘nuclear’ satellite is out of control and orbiting Earth

If a nuclear weapon were to detonate at an altitude of 2,000 kilometers, the effects would be “indiscriminate and indiscriminate,” rendering low-Earth orbit unusable for at least a year, US officials have said.

A secret Russian satellite believed to be part of Moscow’s nuclear weapons program is out of control and orbiting Earth, analysts say.

The Kosmos 2553 satellite, which was launched from the Plesetsk space base three weeks before the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, is reportedly no longer operational after encountering problems in orbit.

Data from Doppler radar and space tracking company LeoLabs show that the satellite has been orbiting since mid-November 2024.

According to a space threat assessment report released by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank on April 25, the satellite is likely carrying a “dummy warhead.”