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US — Ars Technica

Russian spacecraft maneuvers in "extreme proximity" to satellite used by Ukraine

Space1 min read

A Russian military satellite flew very close to a commercial Earth-imaging satellite that Ukraine uses. A private space company says it is the first known case of this kind of unapproved meeting in low-Earth orbit.

What happened

A Russian military satellite, Kosmos 2612, moved very close to ICEYE-X36. ICEYE-X36 is a commercial satellite that takes pictures of Earth and is run by a US company. The orbital intelligence company LeoLabs says the Russian satellite moved in, circled around the ICEYE satellite, stayed nearby for a while, and then moved away.

Key facts

  • Kosmos 2612 was launched in April on a Soyuz rocket from northern Russia.
  • At least 4 of the 6 satellites from that launch moved to match the orbit of ICEYE-X36.
  • By Friday, Kosmos 2612 was 2 to 3 kilometers away from ICEYE-X36.
  • Over the weekend, the two satellites were within 500 meters (about 1,640 feet) of each other. They may have been even closer.
  • LeoLabs uses radars that can track objects as small as 2 centimeters, about the size of a marble.

Why the satellites were watched

US military officials and independent analysts have been tracking Kosmos 2612 since it launched. The satellite stayed at a steady distance until last week. Then it began to move quickly toward the ICEYE satellite. LeoLabs says this kind of close, planned movement is called rendezvous and proximity operations, or RPO. It means one spacecraft carefully approaches and stays near another.

Why it matters

Satellites in low-Earth orbit are important for weather, maps, and communication. When one spacecraft gets this close to another, it can be hard to tell what it is doing. LeoLabs said the two objects were sometimes hard to tell apart on its radar. This case shows how close spy-like watching in space can get, even when no crash happens.

What to watch

  • Whether Kosmos 2612 or its sister satellites come close to ICEYE-X36 again.
  • Whether US officials or other groups make a formal response.
  • How LeoLabs and other analysts describe the satellites' next moves.

Glossary

LeoLabs
A company that tracks objects in orbit around Earth using a global network of radars.
Kosmos 2612
A Russian military satellite that moved very close to a commercial satellite in orbit.
ICEYE-X36
A commercial satellite run by a US operator that takes pictures of Earth.
Soyuz rocket
A Russian rocket used to launch satellites and crews into space.

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