14:20Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
From 320 km to 5 km: Russian Military Satellite Approaches US Company’s Satellite
Russia’s “Cosmos 2612” military satellite has come within 5 km or less of the US company’s “ICEYE-X36” radar satellite. The satellites were previously more than 320 km apart. “Cosmos 2612” maneuvered on October 16 and took up a position close to its target in low Earth orbit. Experts consider this the first such close approach between 2 active spacecraft without the satellite owner’s consent.
“LeoLabs” said the movement appeared to be a deliberate approach and should be monitored continuously. No legally mandated distance between satellites has been established. However, countries generally keep spacecraft at least 9.7 km apart. A distance of about 5 km is therefore considered risky. Russia has not disclosed what equipment is aboard the satellite or the purpose of the maneuver.
“ICEYE-X36” uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a system that creates images using radio waves. This radar can capture images at night and in cloudy weather. The satellite was launched aboard “SpaceX”’s “Falcon 9” rocket in March 2024 and orbits at an altitude of about 545 km. The spacecraft is registered to “ICEYE US,” the US division of the Finland-based company “ICEYE.” The company’s satellite network has been transmitting data to Ukraine since 2022, but it is not known whether “ICEYE-X36” has been involved in this work.
Russia launched 6 military satellites aboard a “Soyuz-2.1b” rocket in April 2026. Most of them changed their orbital planes by 0.8 degrees to align them with “ICEYE-X36.” “Cosmos 2609” passed within 2.5 km of the radar satellite on May 26. From September 30 to October 16, “Cosmos 2612” also adjusted its altitude, orbital shape, and orbital period to match the target.
Based on publicly available orbital data, the distance between the satellites was calculated to have fallen to several hundred meters, and perhaps even less, on Saturday night. Because every orbital adjustment depletes a satellite’s limited fuel reserves, it appears unlikely that these movements were accidental. The purpose may be espionage, preparations for future interference, or a demonstration of Russia’s capabilities. However, if “ICEYE-X36” malfunctions, it will be difficult to link it directly to the Russian satellite.
According to Western officials, such tracking may be conducted to gather intelligence and test the other side’s response. In July 2020, “Cosmos 2543” released an object traveling at 186 meters per second relative to it. The US and the UK condemned the move. The “Cosmos 2611” and “Cosmos 2613” satellites now also appear to be approaching “ICEYE-X37”’s orbit. Their orbital planes are expected to intersect on November 6 and 15.