The first satellite was launched into geostationary orbit in 1964. And now, less than half a century later, this orbit has already been completely divided between countries, like a parking lot in front of a very successful shopping center. Indeed, the main money revolves in geostationary orbit, that is, at a distance of 35,786 kilometers from the Earth. The thing is that it is in this orbit that the satellite revolves around the planet with an angular velocity equal to the angular velocity of the Earth's rotation around the axis - that is, it hangs motionless in the sky.
Illustration by RIA Novosti. Science Picture: Geostationary Orbit with Precise Positioning of Objects
It is convenient to use for satellite communications: once oriented antenna will always be directed to the selected satellite. There it will soar until the onboard fuel supply comes to an end, and then - according to the rules - it must be taken away from the geostationary and "buried" a little higher. Each country has its own geostationary site that can be sold or leased. Therefore, one should not be surprised that, for example, a French satellite may appear in the Zambian sector. ITU - International Telecommunication Union is responsible for the international allocation of the orbital-frequency resource. For each geostationary satellite system, a small portion of the geostationary arc is allocated. Now in orbit there are 503 operating satellites and 1500 objects that fit the definition of "space debris".
Different zones of the orbital communal apartment are populated in different ways.
Illustration by RIA Novosti. Distribution of sections of the geostationary orbit by country
There are areas with a high density of "satellite population", for example, a segment of the space superpower called Luxembourg - a country that successfully lives in the space business. Naturally, as it happens in places where the interests of many countries intersect, specially developed international rules operate at the geostationary.
Illustration by RIA Novosti. A. Polyanina. Geostationary Orbit: Distribution by Country
There are excellent-student countries that always use frequencies according to the rules and dispose of disabled satellites, and there are countries that live only according to their "space concepts." So, there is a special cohort of geostationary satellites that do not comply with the recommendations of the International Telecommunication Union. As explained to RIA Nauka by a source participating in the project on search observations of outer space: this is how American military satellites behave - inspectors or radio intelligence satellites. These satellites can approach any other in order to gain an understanding of the true purpose of finding a particular vehicle in orbit.
A source participating in the Outer Space Exploration Observations Project explains:
Promotional video:
Among the American geostationary spies, the source claims, there are at least two who are engaged in direct eavesdropping. They are trying to fit between the Earth and the transmitting station in order to catch the radio channel directed to the Earth. Despite the fact that information is usually encrypted, even a study of the activity of this traffic (at which frequencies there are more signals, at which ones - fewer) allows us to draw certain conclusions.
As for the protection of their own group, the Americans are already almost openly talking about the fact that next to their satellites they can place security satellites, which, when an enemy space object approaches, can take some active action, for example, blow up someone else's spacecraft.
Although, in order to disable a satellite in space, it is possible not to explode anything at all, but simply to "throw" a metal ball, which, if hit accurately, will disable all systems. In addition, you can release a plasma cloud or some kind of shot. However, this is all fantasy! The only use of weapons in space was hidden by the Soviet authorities. Only after the collapse of the USSR did Russian sources acknowledge the fact of the shooting in orbit. They took place on January 24, 1974 aboard the Salyut-3 space station shortly before its deorbiting. They fired a Nudelman cannon. Since then, people have not been shooting in space, but simply observed.
As explained to RIA Nauka by a source close to search observations using a network of telescopes:
These satellites use a long-term storage fuel - hydrazine, a heavy compound that does not decompose. Therefore, vehicles in orbit can work for decades. In order for the satellites to remain "invisible" to everyone, as the source explains, methods are used to control optical visibility.
There are some indications that a weakening of the brightness of American vehicles is observed when approaching the field of view of Russian telescopes. Most likely, they unfold the solar panels with an edge so that they do not reflect, or maybe they use some other technology to create invisibility. Also, all maneuvering is usually carried out in full moon conditions, when the vehicles are less visible.
However, it is quite difficult to remain unnoticed in space with the active work of the network of telescopes that has been deployed by scientists from many countries. In addition, there are "professional amateurs" of astronomy who, in particular, observe satellites. Some of these "amateurs" can even predict on what day of the week a particular maneuver will occur.
Anna Urmantseva
