Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1v rocket today at 20:25 UTC from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia. The payload was the Kosmos-2558 satellite deployed into a Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). The payload is a satellite by the Russian Defense Ministry, with an unknown purpose. Kosmos is a generic filler name that is used for space assets of the former Soviet Union and now Russia. Kosmos-2558 in this case is a name for the payload that was assigned in order to not give the spacecraft’s true name and purpose. While no details about this payload are known, there is a suspicion that this payload might have been launched to match the trajectory and flight path of an American satellite, USA-326. This was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 last February on the NROL-87 mission and went into a 512 km altitude, 97.4° inclination orbit. It is speculated to be an experimental optical reconnaissance satellite. The launch comes after a new object was tracked just a week ago from the USA 326 spy satellite. It was designated object 53315 and cataloged in a 348 x 388 km orbit. New object cataloged from the USA 326 (CRYSTAL spy satellite) launched by Falcon 9 in Feb 2022.…
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Russia launches potential inspector satellite on Soyuz-2.1v
