The Russian satellite “Kosmos-2612” came to within about 540 metres of the US commercial satellite ICEYE-X36 during manoeuvres in orbit. Axios reports this, citing data from Vantor and LeoLabs, companies that track space objects.
According to LeoLabs, the Russian satellite covered nearly 402 km, reducing the distance to ICEYE-X36 to about 540 m. On 18 October, the company said, “Kosmos-2612” began moving away from the US satellite.
Vantor CEO Dan Smoot said that repeated manoeuvres by one spacecraft near another raise concerns about Russia’s capabilities and intentions. In his words, such incidents point to growing competition and risks in space.
“This image reflects a reality our national security leaders have understood for a long time: space is becoming an increasingly contested domain. The fact that one spacecraft repeatedly manoeuvres near another raises serious concerns about capabilities and intentions,” he told Axios.
ICEYE said it is monitoring the situation and that its satellite constellation is designed to ensure operational continuity and resilience. ICEYE has a network of satellites that transmits data to the Ukrainian military.
Axios notes that satellites closing in on one another can create risks for space infrastructure, including the possibility of surveillance, signal jamming or other hostile actions. At the same time, the mere fact of a close approach does not prove an intent to attack another spacecraft, the outlet says.