Analysts say Russian spacecraft maneuvers at extreme proximity to satellite used by Ukraine

A close approach in orbit

LeoLabs said Kosmos 2612 moved from hundreds of kilometers away toward ICEYE-X36, then maneuvered around it and stayed nearby for an extended period. The satellites came within 500 meters over the weekend and may have been closer, according to Adam Marsh, LeoLabs’ vice president of technical solutions.

LeoLabs said the pair’s closeness sometimes made it difficult to distinguish the spacecraft in its tracking data. The company uses a global radar network to track objects as small as 2 centimeters in low-Earth orbit.

Analysts describe deliberate maneuvers

LeoLabs said the event involved a controlled approach, changes in relative position, close-proximity loitering, further small maneuvers and a controlled departure. It said the pattern was consistent with sophisticated rendezvous and proximity operations, rather than a routine pass.

Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell wrote on X that, to his knowledge, this was the first low-Earth-orbit rendezvous between active satellites without approval from one owner. Marsh told Ars that similar activity had occurred in geosynchronous orbit, but said this kind of close approach and loitering in low-Earth orbit without consent was unprecedented.

ICEYE imagery serves military users

ICEYE is a Finnish company operating high-resolution radar imaging satellites. Its imagery can show features on Earth through cloud cover or darkness, conditions that limit conventional optical reconnaissance satellites.

ICEYE says it has launched 80 satellites, with four more scheduled to launch this week on a SpaceX rideshare mission. ICEYE US owns ICEYE-X36, and the company’s imagery serves military users, including Ukraine, which has used its near-real-time space-based intelligence since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

A Russian government official said in 2022 that civilian satellites supporting Ukraine’s military were a legitimate target. ICEYE US said it was aware of the situation and monitoring it, adding that its constellation was designed for continuity and resilience. The article also notes that losing one satellite would have little effect on a fleet of dozens.