The thing about spotty coverage is if your opponent knows the precise nature of it, you have just set up a slideshow where the opponent knows exactly how long until they have until the next shot to purposefully present you a distorted snapshot of what is actually happening. If russia was a bureaucracy of scientists this would still set up a precarious situation… and russia is mostly definitely not a bureaucracy composed of mostly scientists.
What people do when they aren’t trained to examine their thinking critically and periodically self reflect on assumptions they may be making is ignore the risks of nefarious manipulation the slideshow presents to them so long as the resolution of each picture is razor sharp and indisputable in its evidence of that one moment in time. To a bullshitter at the top of an organization of bullshitters, this undoubtedly presents a fatally seductive image of being a “sword of truth” to escape the bubble of bullshit they are drowning in/creating when it really hands the ability of the opponent to have impeccable timing.
In a way this is the age old problem of mistaking the map for the territory, since all satellites can truly do is give us very accurate maps, but leaders will always be seduced by the incredible fidelity of their data taken from far above all else no matter what the scientists, data engineers and military experts caution.
Above ALL of this though are the US and China’s unmanned spaceplanes. Other countries may possess them, I don’t know but those craft can change their orbits arbitrarily without wasting almost any fuel, which makes them entities capable of flanking, tracking, and finding satellites.
Aerobraking is when a spaceplane with wings and aerodynamic control surfaces adopts an egg shaped orbit such that when the craft has the most momentum it enters the upper atmosphere and has the ability to redirect momentum to a wide variety of vectors using flaps like a normal plane.
Yes satellites have their own propulsion often but it is nothing like this and is extremely limited comparatively.
The mission also builds on momentum from OTV-7. During that mission, the X-37B completed a first-of-its-kind aerobraking maneuver to change orbits while conserving propellant. That demonstration mattered because it showed how the platform can operate more flexibly in space, giving mission planners freedom of maneuver without sacrificing precious fuel.
Extremely spotty coverage and complete lack of 2 way communication.
My guess is this is more propaganda than real.
The thing about spotty coverage is if your opponent knows the precise nature of it, you have just set up a slideshow where the opponent knows exactly how long until they have until the next shot to purposefully present you a distorted snapshot of what is actually happening. If russia was a bureaucracy of scientists this would still set up a precarious situation… and russia is mostly definitely not a bureaucracy composed of mostly scientists.
What people do when they aren’t trained to examine their thinking critically and periodically self reflect on assumptions they may be making is ignore the risks of nefarious manipulation the slideshow presents to them so long as the resolution of each picture is razor sharp and indisputable in its evidence of that one moment in time. To a bullshitter at the top of an organization of bullshitters, this undoubtedly presents a fatally seductive image of being a “sword of truth” to escape the bubble of bullshit they are drowning in/creating when it really hands the ability of the opponent to have impeccable timing.
In a way this is the age old problem of mistaking the map for the territory, since all satellites can truly do is give us very accurate maps, but leaders will always be seduced by the incredible fidelity of their data taken from far above all else no matter what the scientists, data engineers and military experts caution.
Above ALL of this though are the US and China’s unmanned spaceplanes. Other countries may possess them, I don’t know but those craft can change their orbits arbitrarily without wasting almost any fuel, which makes them entities capable of flanking, tracking, and finding satellites.
Agreed, except IDK what you mean by space planes that use hardly any fuel? But I’m pretty sure Russia has spy satellites too.
Aerobraking is when a spaceplane with wings and aerodynamic control surfaces adopts an egg shaped orbit such that when the craft has the most momentum it enters the upper atmosphere and has the ability to redirect momentum to a wide variety of vectors using flaps like a normal plane.
Yes satellites have their own propulsion often but it is nothing like this and is extremely limited comparatively.
https://www.boeing.com/features/2026/04/x-37b-keeps-pushing-the-edge-of-on-orbit-testing
A satellite is predictable most of the time, these are not.
Wow I was completely unaware these existed?!?!