Image copyright AFP Symbol caption France places satellites into orbit with Ariane rockets introduced from French Guiana
The French defence minister says a Russian undercover agent satellite tv for pc were given on the subject of a Franco-Italian satellite tv for pc ultimate yr and attempted to intercept its transmissions.
“It Is referred to as an act of espionage,” Florence Parly stated, calling the Russian satellite a Luch-Olymp.
France acted to maintain the Athena-Fidus satellite’s communications secure, she mentioned. It allows the French and Italian armies to interchange secret intelligence.
The US stated a Luch had come close to two US Intelsat satellites in 2015.
The US area command contacted Russia about the Luch satellite tv for pc’s abnormal manoeuvres.
Russia shrugs off US satellite anxiousness Why is Trump creating a house power? Russia missile spy probe: Scientist held
Ms Parly stated France was once nonetheless monitoring the Luch-Olymp “and we cited that it persisted to transport actively in the following months on the subject of other targets”.
It Is the same type of Russian satellite as that which approached the u.s. satellites in 2015, however would possibly not be the precise similar one.
Ms Parly was once talking at Cnes, the French house analysis centre in Toulouse. Athena-Fidus used to be built by means of Thales Alenia Space, a Franco-Italian joint venture.
A French running staff is developing a new strategy for area defence. Ms Parly said prime powers were experimenting with aggressive space applied sciences, so France needed to reply.
