Russia expects to launch its first special-purpose satellite to monitor space junk in the near-Earth space in 2027, Roscosmos Executive Director for Long-Term Programs and Science Alexander Bloshenko told TASS on Thursday.

Axar.az reports citing Russian media.

Russia’s upgraded automated warning system of hazardous situations in the near-Earth space will get the name of Milky Way and will operate 65 telescopes by 2025 (currently, 36). However, optical ground-based monitoring facilities depend on the state of the atmosphere and have no global coverage, the specialist said.

"Consequently, for the purpose of achieving the maximum possible efficiency of detecting and monitoring space objects, the system will integrate the space segment that will include a grouping of special-purpose near-Earth space monitoring satellites. The first such satellite making part of the system’s space segment is expected to be launched in 2027," he said.

Russia also plans to create Earth’s remote sensing promising satellites and outfit them with additional near-Earth space monitoring equipment under the Sfera (Sphere) program, Bloshenko said.