Space Combat Goes Nuclear

Anyone who’s ever lost internet, phone, or cable service for an extended period of time knows just how important satellites are to our everyday lives.

It’s been that way for a while now, but especially these last few years as the world has come to increasingly rely on internet access to function. 

It goes beyond telecommunications, of course. 

Power grids, emergency response systems, navigation and plenty more are tethered by a dainty thread of satellite connectivity.

Obviously, the same is true of our military. 

The military relies heavily on satellites for both communications and intelligence. 

Destroying key military satellites could also undermine our space-based missile defenses, paving the way for missile strikes (potentially even nuclear strikes) on our homeland.

And that makes them a fairly obvious target.

Russia’s been doing the same.

Two years ago Russia made waves when it destroyed its own defunct satellite with a missile, creating a huge wave of space debris that posed a threat to other satellites in the neighborhood.

In addition to using earth-based missiles to strike down satellites, Russia has also deployed a small constellation of “inspector satellites.”

But what exactly are they inspecting?

Well, one, called Cosmos 2542, has synchronized its orbit with a U.S. satellite called USA 245. And it just so happens that USA 245 is a confidential image-gathering spy satellite.

It’s still unclear what exactly Cosmos 2542 is actually doing, but it’s shadowing its U.S. counterpart in a highly unusual and inconspicuous manner.

That’s led defense officials to speculate that it’s using cameras or other sensors to gather information about the KH-11 — the capabilities of which are highly classified.

Others fear it’s been put there to sabotage the KH-11 using chemicals or lasers, or even by simply smashing into it at some point.

Another satellite, Cosmos 2543, fired off a projectile while in orbit.

Said Gen. John Raymond, Commander of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations, said at the time:

“The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised concerns about earlier this year, when Russia maneuvered near a U.S. government satellite. This is further evidence of Russia’s continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin’s published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold U.S. and allied space assets at risk.”

Now, if reports this week prove accurate, Russia intends to deploy a nuclear weapon in space.

Setting off a nuke in orbit would be a disaster. The explosion and resultant electromagnetic pulse would effectively destroy any satellite in its path – military or commercial.

It would also create a radioactive cloud that would degrade any satellites that passed through.

As a result, over a period of weeks or months, such a weapon could eliminate every single satellite in low-earth orbit.

All 5,000+ of them.

So yes, this is a problem – not an immediate one, but something that could cause unfathomable chaos down the line.

It also means the United States and its allies will have to formulate a potential response. 

That could mean new sanctions, the deployment of our own anti-satellite weapons, or even an effort to shoot it down.

It also further demonstrates Russia’s commitment to fighting and winning a war against the United States.

So if investors are smart, they’ll prepare ahead of time by investing in the companies and stocks that will inevitably profit from such a catastrophe. 

To do that, check out my latest report for Secret Stock Files here.

Fight on,

Jason Simpkins

Simpkins is the founder and editor of Secret Stock Files, an investment service that focuses on companies with assets — tangible resources and products that can hold and appreciate in value. He covers mining companies, energy companies, defense contractors, dividend payers, commodities, staples, legacies and more…

In 2023 he joined The Wealth Advisory team as a defense market analyst where he reviews and recommends new military and government opportunities that come across his radar, especially those that spin-off healthy, growing income streams. For more on Jason, check out his editor’s page.

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