“DoD is a customer like any other, with a future need for servicing its own satellites to extend mission life,” says Astroscale US President Ron Lopez.

US GSSAP satellites moved to within 10 kilometers of five Russian GEO-based satellites between 2016 and 2018, new Russian space observation data shows.

“I think the most important bits are … about the recent Russian RPOs likely being an SSA/intelligence program and possibly supporting the new Burevestnik co-orbital program,” said Brian Weeden, technical advisor to the Secure World Foundation.