Ukraine has secretly conducted air-based space launches during its war with Russia, a senior lawmaker revealed. Fedir Venislavskyi, head of the Ukrainian parliament's subcommittee on defense innovations, disclosed that two rockets were launched from a transport aircraft at 8,000 meters (26,000 feet) in Ukrainian airspace, crossing the Kármán line—the widely accepted boundary of space.
The launches, carried out under Kyrylo Budanov when he led Ukraine's intelligence services (GUR), were described as a potential countermeasure to Russia's hypersonic missiles. One rocket reached 62 miles (100 km), while the second ascended to 124 miles (200 km). Venislavskyi emphasized that launching from high altitude reduces fuel consumption by avoiding denser atmospheric layers.
Air-based space launches are not new, with companies like Northrop Grumman and Virgin Orbit having previously experimented with similar technology. Ukraine reportedly aims to establish a network of 7–10 satellites for surveillance and communications.
The lawmaker did not specify the exact timing of the launches but confirmed they occurred during active combat operations. The revelation highlights Ukraine's efforts to leverage innovative defense strategies amid the ongoing conflict.