Mysterious object released by Russian 'Kosmos' satellites sparks global curiosity
Moscow: A group of Russian satellites launched earlier this year has drawn international attention after one of them released an unidentified object in orbit, raising questions about its purpose.
The satellites — Kosmos 2581, 2582, and 2583 — were launched in early February from Russia’s Plesetsk Cosmodrome and are currently positioned in near-polar orbits approximately 585 kilometres above the Earth. Although Moscow has not publicly disclosed the mission’s objectives, recent developments have triggered speculation among space agencies and analysts.
On 18 March, global tracking networks, including the U.S. Space Force, detected a new object in orbit. Initially believed to have originated from Kosmos 2581, the object was later linked to Kosmos 2583. The deployment of the object while the satellite cluster remained operational is considered unusual in conventional satellite missions.
Before this incident, experts had already noted that the Kosmos satellites were conducting "proximity operations" — manoeuvring near other objects in space. Such behaviour is rarely associated with routine satellite activity, hinting at a potentially strategic or experimental role.
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics commented that these controlled movements suggest the satellites are engaged in more than basic space observation. In an interview with Space.com, he indicated a possible military or research-related purpose.
Theories surrounding the released object range from a component for formation-flying tests to a military payload. While the possibility of mechanical malfunction has not been ruled out, experts note that such failures usually result in multiple fragments — none of which have been detected.
Russia’s long-standing use of the "Kosmos" designation for both scientific and defence missions, often cloaked in secrecy, continues to fuel speculation. Launching satellites in trios is not uncommon and has previously been adopted by other nations like the United States and China for surveillance or coordinated experiments.
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Illegally stored gas cylinders seized
Thane (PTI): Authorities have seized illegally stored 1,839 gas cylinders and seven vehicles worth over Rs 67 lakh in the Dombivli MIDC area of Thane district, officials said on Saturday.
A special vigilance team of the Mumbai Rationing Department detected an illegal storage of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders in Phase-2 of Dombivli (East).
Cylinders belonging to multiple gas agencies were found stockpiled in closed vehicles, unauthorised warehouses, and open sheds without mandatory permissions from the Explosives Department, Fire Department, or oil companies, according to an official release.
