Russia's Abnormal Luch-2 Manuver Detection Slingshot With AI

The Slingshot sensor network detects the abnormal behavior of Russia's Luch-2 (photo: dock. Slingshot Aerospace)

JAKARTA - The Aerospace Slingshot, an analysis company in space, launched data from a suspicious-looking satellite. This satellite is a Luch-2, a spy satellite from Russia.

Slingshot says that Luch-2 shows similar signs of its predecessor, Luch-1. With the same range of operations as its predecessor, the company is concerned that Russia is espionage.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Slingshot tracks several maneuvers from Luch-2. Since September 26, the satellite has been seen flying west at a speed of 1 degree per day and is starting to slow down on October 2.

Since moving slowly, Luch-2 has entered another GEO spacecraft environment. This abnormal behavior has also been detected by Slingshot's automatic software that can track all satellites.

So far, the Slingshot does not explain what satellite and whose property Russia may be spying on. However, this news is quite important and useful information for space security.

Slingshot's Vice President of Strategy and Policy Audrey Schaffer told Spacenews that they did not observe the satellite at first. They only pay attention to abnormal behavior of the tracked satellites.

"We think this insight can be followed up, from a military and commercial point of view," said Schaffer.

Although Luch-2 is not very close to the satellites around it, this behavior still needs to be considered in order to maintain security.

One form of security that Schaffer mentioned is maintaining privacy of communication, especially for commercial communications satellite companies. If communication leaks and is listened to by Russia, this problem will get worse.