Russian Satellite Approaches Western Radar Satellite Inappropriately

What happened

On a Sunday morning, the Russian satellite Kosmos 2612 seems to have come within a few hundred meters of the Iceye-X36 satellite, or possibly even closer. A Dutch astronomer who tracks satellites, Marco Langbroek, wrote about it on his blog. He asked whether this could be the first real attack in orbit.

Key facts

• Kosmos 2612 was launched in April with three other satellites.
• In May, the group came as close as 2.5 kilometers to Iceye-X36.
• Iceye moved its satellite to a different position, and the Russian satellites followed.
• From the end of September, Kosmos 2612 moved to almost the same height and orbital plane as Iceye-X36.

Who owns the satellites

Iceye-X36 is a radar satellite from the Finnish company Iceye. Part of its funding came from donations from Ukraine. It is registered in the United States and is used by Ukraine for military purposes. Radar satellites can take pictures of the ground even at night or through clouds.

Why it matters

Experts say it is not clear what Russia wants. The satellite might just be passing by, or it might try to block Iceye's signals with a jammer. It could also have a laser or a weapon that could damage or destroy the other satellite. Clayton Swope of the US think tank CSIS said Russia has acted in suspicious ways before, and that we should be worried, since Russia is testing limits on Earth too, such as with cyberattacks and GPS interference.

What to watch

• Whether Kosmos 2612 moves away to a different orbit.
• Whether Iceye-X36 loses its signal or shows damage.
• Whether other satellite trackers confirm the close approach.
• Whether Russia or Ukraine make official statements.