Mystery Russian Spacecraft Stalking a Secret U.S. Spy Satellite?
 

Interesting article on something called 'The Daily Beast'.

Article intro:-

I guess it's not so secret anymore, is it? :hmm:
I'll remind the Missus to close the blinds before she takes a bath.

OK guys, no more nude sunbathing.

Will you reconsider your request if I promise to shave my cheeks?
No?
OK, as you wish.

And it isn’t particularly secret any more either. I would imagine most modern Russian, Chinese and French military and commercial satellites have roughly equal capabilities. Optics don’t change and the size of the latest CCDs is pretty well known.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KH-11_Kennen

Perhaps the Russians have some sort of 'fog dispenser' to obscure the KH-11 imagery at critical moments?

Hack attempt.

"We're all doomed"
But you know what? - that system is un-hackable...so don't lose any sleep.

The USA doesn't own space, and to keep to the same orbital track of any object is a very difficult. There are many gravitational anomalies that alter orbitals.
This is nothing more than sensationalism and Us/Them brain dead mentality.
Besides why shouldn't Russia track any satellites... Everyone does it

Which chicks?

Strangely enough, a few years ago, I was watching the ISS passing over on a very clear night. I was surprised and intrigued to see a second object in close trail. I checked to see if there was a resupply mission to the ISS and there was not. I’ve no idea what it was. Maybe the technology has been around longer than we have been told.

Maybe we haven't been told anything ?

A continuing discussion in this SeeSat-L thread:

Re: Kosmos 2542/2543 vs USA 245? from Nico Janssen via Seesat-l on 2020-01-02 (SeeSat-L Jan-20 )

Why is this "a news"? Maybe for paper back writers from this Daily Beast....

1. Both US and SU are playing these games since 70's - 80's. This type of spacecraft is called "orbital inspector".
2. KH-11 family of the US spy sats is well-known and even studied by students in military colleges. The last KH-11 was launched in 2013 and is not brand new.

So, just one more example how junk news are trying to seed suspiciousness and tension.

P.S. Linear resolution of its telescope is about 15 cm in ideal conditions. Perhaps only size F bra owners may have some concern while taking a bath in an open air :-)

no different to what the X-37 will be getting up to I expect. A good way of figuring out operating frequencies and operational capabilities particularly of signals monitoring antennae and the like.

...yawn...and the Americans are following who now again?

ShyTorque - I well remember seeing that as well & sent a message to Chris Hadfield who I'd only recently met, never got an answer unfortunately.