A Russian military satellite, Kosmos 2612, maneuvered into extreme proximity—potentially under 500 meters—to ICEYE-X36, a US-operated commercial Earth-imaging satellite used by Ukraine, marking the first known unsanctioned rendezvous in low-Earth orbit. The satellite stalked ICEYE-X36 for weeks before closing in over the weekend, creating a situation where radar tracking struggled to distinguish the two objects independently.
Background
Kosmos 2612 was launched in April 2026 on a Soyuz rocket from northern Russia alongside five other satellites, at least four of which adjusted orbits to track ICEYE-X36. LeoLabs, an orbital intelligence company, operates a global radar network capable of tracking objects as small as 2 centimeters in low-Earth orbit.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Oct 20, 2026 at 04:54 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10