Say what you will about plotholes relating to physics, but the Ikon 'satellite' looked totally badass. Makes one wonder if there are actually such secret Cold War birds circling above.
In real life, the USSR tried to launch an experimental anti satellite laser weapon platform called Polyus in the mid 80s, the launch failed and it crashed into the sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyus_%28spacecraft%29
Well the thing is that civilians today can track and in some cases directly observe objects in orbit. Nobody has mentioned a large nuclear launch platform! :-)
The Soviet's Proton launcher could put more cargo into orbit than the Space Shuttle. And with several launches they could certainly have assembled a large satellite. They built Mir after all!
I always thought Ikon looked like a big syringe, ready to inject its poison into the world.
Hey Whitey! Where's your hat?