Russia to disguise its spacecraft from spy satellites
Russian spacecraft designers have reportedly created a new satellite capable of disguising if foreign spy satellite is approaching. This invention has already been patented and may be used in the further development of military and dual-purpose spacecraft, reports RIA Novosti with reference to the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property.
According to RIA Novosti, Russian inventors were able to create a solar panel that can transform itself, taking the form of a hemisphere. At the same time, as stated in the explanation to the patent, the area of the reflecting surface is significantly reduced, allowing the spacecraft to become less visible for foreign spy satellites.
"The invention makes it possible to reduce the visibility of the spacecraft by changing the area of the solar panel's reflecting surface. Hemispheres of solar panels shield the spacecraft. A control fault in the search zone [of the surveillance satellite] reduces the possibility of encountering another spacecraft and thus counteracts its detection," reads the patent.
According to the authors of the invention, the spacecraft, after moving to a safe distance from the foreign satellite, can deploy the solar panels again and continue its work.
Currently, several American and Russian satellites-inspectors are in orbit. They can independently move around the orbit, and approach the foreign spacecraft at the minimum distance to receive various data from them, intercept information, and take other actions.