The Russians never duplicated Apollo 8

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: SayonaraJupiter

Or.... and I know this is going to be incredibly hard to believe, since you brought up aliens..... the higher altitude threat that they are watching for is a satellite equipped with an ASAT weapon, that could bring down GPS and other important satellites that would be really nice to have around.

Russia and USA are currently sparring on many issues at the moment, including GPS. Did you know there was deadline set for Sept. 1? Check this out. Is this why USA are launching clandestine spy satellites to defend GPS? The Russians and Americans are probably gearing up to fight a space war.

GPS Expert Dismisses Russian Threat To Suspend Operations

Rogozin said on May 13 that the work of 11 GPS ground stations in Russia could be suspended as of June 1 He further threatened that if an agreement to allow the Russian equivalent of GPS -- called GLONASS -- to operate in the United States was not reached by September 1, the stations would "be permanently terminated."

"We’re starting negotiations, which will last for three months," Rogozin said. "We hope that, by the end of summer, these talks will bring a solution that will allow our cooperation to be restored on the basis of parity and proportionality."

The CIA and Pentagon have viewed the prospect of GLONASS stations in the United States skeptically, believing they could potentially enhance the accuracy of satellite-guided weapons and help Moscow spy on the United States, "The New York Times" reported in November. Source www.rferl.org...

Also, Shutdown of US GPS Stations No Threat to Russian Satellite Projects
en.ria.ru...

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said last Tuesday Russia intends to suspend the work of 11 ground-based facilities of the US Global Positioning System (GPS) throughout its territory starting from June 1 and shut them down beginning September 1.
The move came as a response to the US refusal to set up a signal correction station for Russia’s Global Navigation Satellite System Glonass on US territory.
The Glonass network, which began operation in 1993, provides real-time positioning and speed data for surface, sea and airborne objects. Its accuracy is expected to be boosted to one meter (3 feet) when used within Russia by the end of the year. The Glonass network currently has 24 operational satellites, which is enough to provide global coverage, with the first overseas ground station launched in Brazil in February 2013.
Russia's full-scale plan for Glonass is to build 50 stations in several dozen countries across the globe. Last week, the Russian government approved bills to ratify space cooperation agreements with Nicaragua and Vietnam, which provide for the construction of Glonass stations.

It looks like the USA doesn't want to play fair with Russia's alternative to GPS.

When the USA does something (GPS), the Russians copy it (GLONASS).
But the Russians won't break the Glass Ceiling anytime soon. Nobody will be doing that for the foreseeable future because of this space war going on.

originally posted by: SayonaraJupiter
... Is this why USA are launching clandestine spy satellites to defend GPS? The Russians and Americans are probably gearing up to fight a space war.

Didn't you read the earlier information

ATKGSSAP is a four-satellite constellation being developed by the US Air Force to conduct visual monitoring of geosynchronous satellites.

What do objects in this orbit have to do with GPS satellites in their own special orbits, which -- trust me -- are not in geosync equatorial orbits. Do you understand the geographical significance of this?

originally posted by: JimOberg

originally posted by: SayonaraJupiter
... Is this why USA are launching clandestine spy satellites to defend GPS? The Russians and Americans are probably gearing up to fight a space war.

Didn't you read the earlier information

ATKGSSAP is a four-satellite constellation being developed by the US Air Force to conduct visual monitoring of geosynchronous satellites.

What do objects in this orbit have to do with GPS satellites in their own special orbits, which -- trust me -- are not in geosync equatorial orbits. Do you understand the geographical significance of this?

Well, I understand the geopolitical significance of it.
Do you agree that the USA perceives Russia and China as a threat to USA national interests in space, in competition with GPS, in geosynchronous orbit and above 475km? General Shelton seems to think that the threat is credible. And he's an expert.

Can't you see the significance of it? If there are "threats" in space then the USA military industrial complex will have justification to "protect us" from those threats by not allowing any manned missions above the Glass Ceiling. And there won't be any trips for a good, long time.

How long will the war in space continue to escalate and how will this affect the time lines of the Orion program? As we have already seen, Orion tests have been delayed for the this recent GSSAP mission. How many more missions could be delayed by these new space war assets being launched?

There is no glass ceiling.

a reply to: SayonaraJupiter

Except for the really minor fact that GPS satellites are not IN Geosynchronous orbit, so putting something up that high to detect threats to them would be utterly pointless.

originally posted by: SayonaraJupiter

the USA military industrial complex will have justification to "protect us" from those threats by not allowing any manned missions above the Glass Ceiling. And there won't be any trips for a good, long time.

and how will they stop them exactly?? or should i say how have they been stopping them since 1965?? lasers?? or strong words?

since they allow biological as well as non-biological payloads to go beyond 475km as long as it isnt human.. i guess the only weaponised satellites in space must be human operated?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Exactly. A satellite in geosynchronous orbit is almost as far away from the GPS satellites as an observer on the ground is!

originally posted by: Rob48
a reply to: Zaphod58

Exactly. A satellite in geosynchronous orbit is almost as far away from the GPS satellites as an observer on the ground is!

Even worse, their orbits criss-cross at a 60 degree angle, they are as far apart as anything in cislunar space can be,

And with Sayonara revealed to be so utterly clueless about basic spaceflight operations, we can wish him well in his supplemental education efforts and look forward to his return once he has achieved the minimal level of technical understanding to make his theories worth arguing about.

Let the readers decide!