This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. This morning Russia successfully launched a classified military satellite that is thought to be part of Moscow's early warning anti-missile system. Hours later, China launched its Shiyan 11 satellite into space that Is built for testing, with its mission still being kept a secret. Experts are concerned about the pair working together in the cosmos, despite the fact that they may not be directly linked to each other.
Tracey German, Professor in Conflict and Security at King's College London, told Express.co. The terrifying couple are looking to strengthen their partnership to overtake the US leadership in space. She said that Russia and China have already set out plans to work together in space, and announced plans to build an international lunar research station earlier this year. Professor German was talking about the deal back in March when the Russian space agency Roscosmos and the China National Space Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding MOU for the construction of a permanent research station on the Moon. According to a Roscosmos spokesman, Russia has threatened the decade-long partnership with NASA and has now signalled that cooperating with China has become one of Russia's top priorities.
Professor German added that China has become an increasingly important partner for Russia since 2014, and they have developed a strategic partnership that is primarily driven by economic and military cooperation, particularly arms sales and joint military exercises, and China is an important market for Russian gas. They share a common suspicion of Western efforts to promote democratic governance around the world. They're likely to remain a pragmatic marriage of convenience that helps them challenge US dominance. Last week, China and Russia set up a space weather centre in Beijing to increase their international influence in space weather aviation services. The new satellites the pair sent into orbit might appear slightly more threatening. Russia s launch saw a Soyuz rocket carrying a classified payload blasted from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia. READ MORE: Archaeology breakthrough as rare roman mosaic found in UK field
A website covering spaceflightnow suspects it to be a Tundra satellite. Russia launched Tundra satellites in 2015, 2017 and 2019 according to Interfax, an independent Russian news agency. The ground track of the recent launch matched previous missions that delivered satellites for Russia's missile warning system called Kupol. Kupol is designed to detect launches of ballistic missiles and track them to their landing site. In 2018, the US, which fears Russia is planning to develop space weapons, sounded the alarm in 2018 at Russia's very abnormal behavior of a Russian satellite. Moscow dismissed claims as unfounded and came after Russia sent a chilling threat to NATO after it warned it could blow up 32 of its satellites.