An unusual phenomenon was spotted in the sky over Russia, which caused a strong reaction from local air defense. A video posted on Russian social media captured a round luminous object and the activity of air defense systems.
The Alpha Centauri channel, which specializes in space topics, suggested that the Russian military could have confused the second stage of the European Ariane 6 rocket with an attack by Ukrainian forces. Such a hypothesis seems plausible, given that the Ariane 6 had been launched the day before, and its second stage could indeed have been visible in the sky over Ukraine and neighboring countries.
Similar cases have occurred before. In May, Ukrainians observed an unusual glow in the night sky that resembled an eye with two spiral «sleeves». According to experts, it was the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
About Ariane 6
Ariane 6 was developed over several years with the participation of Airbus and Safran. This launch vehicle is designed to provide Europe with independent access to space, which is especially important in the context of geopolitical tensions and limited use of Russian «Soyuz» rockets.
«Ariane 6 is a key element of Europe’s space ambitions», — said Tony Tolker-Nielsen, Acting Director for Space Transportation at ESA
European Space Agency.
The first flight of Ariane 6 demonstrated a number of technical achievements, including the successful restart of the upper stage’s Vinci engine. However, the mission did not end as planned due to a technical malfunction that prevented the last stage of the flight.
Nevertheless, the European Space Agency (ESA) considers the launch a success and plans to conduct the next flight by the end of the year. Ariane 6 has an ambitious program with 29 planned missions, including 18 launches to deploy Amazon Kuiper satellite internet.
Source: Reuters, Alpha Centauri | Space, Focus
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